Why are there so much questionable things in the bible?

Ahwatukee · Dec 28, 2017

Greetings Carla420,

This is just the order that God established regarding men and women. Scripture states that God created women as physically being the weaker vessel. Scripture also states the following:

"I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."

It does not mean that man should dominate or tyrannize over woman, but this is just the position or order for each that God set.

That many do not study the word of God or spend time in prayer is indeed a tragedy, for those who do so cannot possible grow in Christ and are most likely living according to the sinful nature. However, this is something that they are going to be held accountable for and should not affect believers who are reading God's word and putting into practice.

The question to each individual is not based on what other proclaimed Christians are doing or not doing. But the question to you and each individual, is what is your answer to God regarding the Lord's sacrifice for you, the shedding of his blood for the payment of your sins?

We are saved by grace (unmerited favor) through faith and this not of our own doing, not by works so that no one can take credit for salvation. It is through believing in Christ as the One who provided salvation for you, completely and fully, that you are saved.

There will be a gathering of the church, both dead and living, where at which time there will be a judgment at the Bema seat of Christ, not for sin, but to receive rewards for each individuals good works in Christ or loss of reward for works not making through the fire. This is the judgment for the those in Christ. There will also be another judgment which will take place at the end of the millennial reign of Christ of all of the unrighteous dead throughout all of history known as the great white throne judgment. Here everyone will be resurrected out of Sheol/Hades and will stand before God where each individual will give an account of every idle word they ever spoke. If their names are not found in the book of life they will thrown into the lake of fire.

Jesus came to save us from God's coming wrath and from the condemning judgment at the great white throne. His promise is the forgiveness of all sin and eternal life for believing in him as the One who paid the penalty for your sins and believing that God raised him from the dead, where he now sits at the Father's right hand making intercession for every believer.

So the question to you and everyone is, what is your answer to God regarding the shed blood of His Son in payment for your sins?

Jimbone · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

I understand what you mean about appreciating life, but I'd say you are acting as an image barer of God. That's why you feel that way. That's my opinion anyway, but that aside I have come to understand how much the way we look at the world honestly effects how we live. If I think we are all just highly evolved pond scum flying around on an insignificant dust speck, with no purpose other than survive, then I am going to make a lot different choices than if I think I was made, saved, and reborn by a God that has a very specific plan in place. Honestly if there is no God then all we are left with it opinion, period. Look around you at the world, see where that leads?

I also saw you asked about "how do you know", only through Him, He changed me, He opened my eyes, He made me new and showed me His truth, as He has every other Christian for the last 2,000 years. He wants to show you too. The hard thing is you have to turn to Him, He says "come follow Me", would you turn from everything you know now and follow Him? It took a lot in my life to even start taking a look around, but He is the truth just like He said.

Carla420 · Dec 28, 2017

I can tell you more about what I think.
I'm actually looking for answers. I don't understand.

For example, I don't get why there's so much pain in the world. Why doesn't God to something about it?

In school, we learn about a God who loves everyone, no matter what. And if you're truly sorry for something you did, he will forgive you.
But the God from the bible seems so different to me.

Seedz · Dec 28, 2017

From my experience, the bible has a lot of intriguing aspects to it.

First off, it is the best selling book of all time, there is no close second.

It is the most translated book as well. It is available in pretty much any language you can think of.

The bible is made up of many books, written by many authors and yet the consistency of the message, the writing style and even chronological events all line up with each other, despite the bible not being written in one sitting, not to mention it was written spanning centuries.

Of course there may be some books missing from the official cannon, but the message, the consistency and the amazing way it flows, it is all there.

There still are many ideas we don't fully understand. Certain things in the bible are interpreted in different ways by different people and cultures.

Women in the bible had very important roles that stretch out to even today.

The woman has abilities and virtues that men do not have. Men and women need each other, and when they unite they are a great team, specially if God is holding it all together.

For you to disregard the validity of the bible without even attempting to research it and understand it is very folly.

I too doubted it when I was younger, but that was because I had not truly given it the time of day.

Atheism is sort of like believing a Boeing 777 was built out of nothing by accident, and yet it is capable of trans-Atlantic flights.....

Angela_s · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

The bad in the world is caused by Satan .

He forgives you (for a sin) if you repent , not just if you worry.

trofimus · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

He does. He allows only a much evil as is necessary for higher goods. All other evil is restricted by Him.

Ahwatukee · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

And what about after you die? Your decision for Christ or lack of while you are alive is what is going to determine your eternal existence. The one who has faith in Christ has the promise of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life and is an heir to the riches of heaven. Those who reject Christ will be eternally separated from the presence of God and will inherit nothing but complete loss well being and ruination. There is no neutral ground. Those who do not believe in Christ are not exempt from judgment. For they will be judged by the One in whom they did not believe.

Jimbone · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

I know what you mean, I looked at it the same way for a long time. See I wasn't raised in the church, I thought God was a stupid idea for weak minded people for a LONG time. I wanted what you said, just to be happy right? Well now lets look at that, if the purpose of life is to "be happy", then what do we tell the thief that is made happy by the fast money he gets from selling your stuff? Even deeper, what do we tell the wife of the husband who is made happy by having sex with many women? Starting to see the problem yet. What's even crazier is that without God you have no basis to tell any of them they're wrong. It's just one opinion against another.

Oh and we cause the pain not God, He came to the world to redeem it and that is what being a Christian is, it's God saving the world.

Carla420 · Dec 28, 2017

I think that after you die, that's it.
Isn't the fact that life is short the reason it's so beautiful?
The thought of living forever would scare me.

"then what do we tell the thief that is made happy by the fast money he gets from selling your stuff? Even deeper, what do we tell the wife of the husband who is made happy by having sex with many women?"
As long as nobody is hurt, everyone should be free to do whatever makes them happy. I personally don't think that it's good to have sex with lots of people and I don't think that this is what can make someone truly happy.
These people aren't happy. They are lost, I think.

jimd · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

This worked for me when I was about your age: Go to the book of Romans and with as positive attitude as you can muster, read it through very slowly and thoughtfully, asking God to help you understand-------

Depleted · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

All I'm asking is for you to be real. You just said you could think of the advantages of believing in God. Now, when asked what they were, you can't? That is NOT real.

Belonging to a group? You already belong to groups. Have a place to stay? How does that relate to believing in God? Always someone to talk to? Who? And for what purpose?

There really are advantages to believing in God, but by very definition of the group called "atheists," you wouldn't know any but one so far.

If you don't know something, feel free to say, "I don't know." No one is ever expecting anyone to know everything. But when you go with spur of the moment like,

you're avoiding the obvious and coming back like this is a game, and you must win at all cost.

You want to know? Really know? Then stop assuming this is all about getting us defensive. You're right. I'm aggressive. I'm not defensive though. And that's because this isn't a game.

Also, I wanted to read Harry Potter. I gave it more than two pages, and didn't ask anyone to clarify what's going on for me that early, because I understand the basics. If someone takes a whole book to tell the reader something, it is safe to assume all the answers will not be found on the first two pages. If they were, then it would have been a short story, not a book.

You're asking questions that have yet to be explained in the book, and you're also only on page two. Traditionally, by page two I know if I like the book enough to keep reading. Have you decided that yet? Because, if I do like a book by page two, I'm not likely to be putting it down to ask people all about it. And I'm really not going to say "I want to read the book," to people who have read the book, with the assumption they'll answer all my questions now.

After all, really good book. And, like all really good books, I don't want to tell you spoilers.

Depleted · Dec 28, 2017

trofimus said:

And when Trof says your English is good, then be proud of that. He's a polyglot. He knows many languages.

Carla420 · Dec 28, 2017

I read more than two pages. This was just one of the first things I've notived.
Look, I really don't want to offend anyone here. I want to understand what makes people believe.
I read all of your answers and it makes sense, okay. But then I go back into my thoughts and I don't think I'll ever believe in a higher power. It's just..it doesn't make sense to me.

I'll explain what I meant a little more than.
If you believe in God, you always have someone to talk to. And of course I belong to groups. But when I used to go to church, it was a very different feeling. There was this connection to all of these strangers.

I'll read more then, I read like 15% and when I read it completely, I'll come back.

PennEd · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

What a great and fair question!

The love of God is so awesome it's hard for us to comprehend that a perfect, Holy God, would subject Himself to such scorn, torture and death FOR US!!

BUT a perfect, HOLY God, is also a JUST God. And He cannot excuse or be in the presence of sin in Heaven. So He did the ONLY thing He COULD do, which is to become human so HE COULD PAY OUR SIN DEBT. The wages of sin is eternal death.

That is why if you reject Him there remains no further sacrifice to pay for your sin and you will be eternally separated from Him AND EVERYTHING He created that is good. We have no concept of just how horrible that would be.

Jesus prayed to His Father 3 times that if there were ANY OTHER WAY THAN FOR HIM TO GO TO THE CROSS, to take it. His Father's silence was Jesus' answer, yet He STILL did His Fathers's Will.

Imagine watching your Child tortured and brutally murdered so that those who did it to Him, (and that includes you and me) could be eternally saved!!!

THAT'S how much He loves YOU!

Please ask Him into your heart. Tell Him you believe Him and need Him. I think We'd ALL LOVE to see you as our sister!

DON'T get caught up in the stuff of the Bible you don't understand. He will reveal truths to you once you are His Child.

Now you may not get immediate answers, but He is faithful and will never leave nor forsake you. Let us know your decision.

Depleted · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

BTW, some of it will be incredibly boring. (The begats and the Laws.) Read it anyway, because it starts making more sense. Especially the Law. Look at the Law as what God is showing of his idea what "good" truly means. It's something like his picture or a description of who he is.

And when everything goes terribly wrong -- which it does constantly -- realize who is at fault, and yet God keeps sticking by his people. "Long-suffering." Keep remembering this is a book about God, not about people. The only reason it includes people is because God loves his people, so it's still all about him.

BillG · Dec 28, 2017

I really would not recommend starting in Genesis through to revelation.
I would start with the Gospel of John. The 4th book in the New Testemant.
Then the first 3.

Can I ask. Do you believe Jesus was actually a real person?

Carla420 · Dec 28, 2017

I don't really know..?
I mean, how can a person do all of these things? Like rising from the dead.

Ahwatukee · Dec 28, 2017

Regarding the above, below is an event that took place regarding two individuals that the Lord is conveying to us regarding after we die and "that being it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the scripture above, you have two men who are said to have died and their bodies buried. Yet their spirits departed from their bodies and were found somewhere else conscious and aware. The poor beggar, Lazarus, was in the same location as father Abraham at his side in a place of comfort/paradise and the rich man who had no compassion on Lazarus found himself in Sheol/Hades, in a place of torment, the two places being separated by a great chasm so that no one from either side could pass over to one another. All parties were in their spiritual form conscious and aware, as the rich man was having a conversation with Abraham. He also had all of his senses as can be see from the fact that he said he was in torment in flame. It also demonstrates that, once a person finds themselves in that place of torment that there is not coming back. No second chances.

Everyone who comes into the world exists forever. Life and death are merely states of on-going existence, life being in the presence and joy of God and all that he has promised and death being separation from God in everlasting punishment. There is no fade to black when a person dies.

Scripture states that for those who are in Christ, when they die their spirits depart from the body and go to be in the presence of the Lord. Those who die without Christ, like the rich man, will find themselves in Hades in torment where they will eventually be resurrected out and stand before God at the great white throne judgment.

Seedz · Dec 28, 2017

Carla420 said:

Well, that is where faith comes into play.

The bible shows us the chain of events that lead to our current reality.

It tells us of old kings and kingdoms that have fallen and risen.

Also, there are a lot of extra biblical text parallels that show us many events written in the bible that actually happened and appear outside of the bible, verifying the authenticity of the stories in the bible.

It also tells us that Jesus was the Son of God, and that Jesus was God (YHWH) in the flesh.

If Jesus is God, then you cannot doubt God's power to resurrect, perform miracles, Etc...

If God made the world, made you, and everything else, then how can you doubt that Jesus resurrected when you know the Father was in Jesus?

God is all powerful, All knowing, and he is everywhere at all times. Nothing is impossible for the creator God YHWH Almighty.

Dan58 · Dec 28, 2017

Carla, getting your questions answered is the best path to belief.. You sound more Agnostic than an Atheistic. Always wonder, because with answers, it leads to belief.

God did not originally create woman to be dominated by man. God said that it wasn't good for man to be alone, so He created a helpmate (Genesis 2:18). It was sin that changed the role of men and women. Pain and suffering are the result of sin and a lost paradise.

It might be better to start reading the gospels first.

Why are there so much questionable things in the bible?

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