Questioning

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K

Kendall

Guest
#1
#1
I was baptized when I was a little kid, but I feel like my faith is slipping. Doubt and questions plague my mind all of the time. First, if God is so good and powerful, why does evil still exist? Second, what is the purpose of humans? God doesn't need entertainment or a confidence-booster, so what is our purpose in life?
Also, how can I form a stronger bond with God and build up my faith again?
Sorry for all the questions, I just don't have any Christian friends I can talk to and mull these thoughts over.
 
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Colt45Bullet

Guest
#2
#2
Give me a PM. Ill help you out
 
breno785au

breno785au

Senior Member
#3
Jul 23, 2013
6,002
765
113
39
Australia
#3
Kendall said:
I was baptized when I was a little kid, but I feel like my faith is slipping. Doubt and questions plague my mind all of the time. First, if God is so good and powerful, why does evil still exist? Second, what is the purpose of humans? God doesn't need entertainment or a confidence-booster, so what is our purpose in life?
Also, how can I form a stronger bond with God and build up my faith again?
Sorry for all the questions, I just don't have any Christian friends I can talk to and mull these thoughts over.
Click to expand...
Hey there, the state of the world is not a reflection of Gods goodness or lack of willingness to do anything about it. Jesus didn't die on the cross for nothing , yeah? :) He is not slack but patient but there will come a time when He will deal with Death and Hell once and for all and all that will remain will be very good again. His plan has been revealed, its all in the scriptures.
What is the purpose of humans? You'll get many answers on that, read Genesis, it says there were no man to till the ground so He formed Man. But I believe it goes way beyond that, you ever seen the joy of a parent or grandparent surrounded by the children they love? I see the same with God. He loves us, takes great joy in those who follow after Him, He adores us, just as any good parent would.
I think the best way to start building a stronger bond with God is to begin reading the bible and if course believing it. Talk to Him about anything at anytime, even if its in your heart or whispering. As it says, draw close to God and He WILL draw close to you.

I hope this helps somewhat :)
 
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wwjd_kilden

Guest
#4
#4
Evil exists because Satan and his demons have not yet been thrown into the lake of fire, and because we choose to listen to him rather than God. I too feel it would be easier if God would just step in and stop all the evil, but ultimately, it is we humans that are causing it to begin with.

Why He made us? My theory is: Because He could.
Since we have free will, we can choose to love Him. Rather than being cowed slaves / programmed robots.

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens! [SUP]2 [/SUP]Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

[SUP]3 [/SUP]When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
[SUP]4 [/SUP]What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
[SUP]5 [/SUP]For You have made him a little lower than the angels,[SUP][b][/SUP]
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

[SUP]6 [/SUP]You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
[SUP]7 [/SUP]All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
[SUP]8 [/SUP]The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.

[SUP]9 [/SUP]O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
 
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wwjd_kilden

Guest
#5
#5
Ways to build up a relationship with God:

- Read the bible
It's not a marathon. Try to read at most a chapter, maybe even just a verse (but look at the surrounding ones for context),
then try to figure out what exactly it is saying

- Pray (remember to listen, even if it feels like there is no reply)

- Spend time with other Christians
 
K

Kendall

Guest
#6
#6
Thank you, this is really encouraging.
 
blue_ladybug

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
#7
Feb 21, 2014
70,869
9,601
113
#7
Baptism does NOT save you. A baby doesn't have the capability of claiming Jesus as their Lord and Savior. So unless you've been saved recently, and have confessed that Jesus is your Savior, then you are NOT saved. Pray and read your bible. :)
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#8
#8
Hi Kendall! I'm a teen too, and I've been through some of the same questions and doubts, so just know, you are NOT alone! It looks like you've gotten some GREAT advice/encouragement from others, so here's my 2-cents, for what it's worth :p

Question #1 If God is so good and powerful, why does evil still exist? Evil exists because we made it exist. Frankly, we wrecked it; and instead of fixing it up for us, God decided to let us live with it. It would have been perfectly just and right for God to zap Adam and Eve into Hell the moment they disobeyed Him, but out of His extreme mercy, He did not. We all sin. We all have to live with the consequences. But God loved us SO much, He wasn't willing to send us all to Hell like we deserve. Sin must be punished, but God sent His perfect Son for a substitute for our sins. We disobeyed Him, and He responded by giving His most treasured possession to suffer a horrible death and take the penalty WE deserve, so that God could love and accept us as His children, and eventually welcome us into a sinless Heaven. Really, when you look at it with the right perspective it is amazing that we are able to commune with God at all, and not at all disturbing that there is evil in the world.

Question #2 What is the purpose of humans? Man's purpose is to reflect the glory of God, and enjoy His everlasting love and mercy.

Question #3 How can I form a stronger bond with God and build up my faith again? Read God's Word (the Bible) and pray for guidance. These are two of the major ways God communes with His people. Another way is by the gathering together of Christians and the preaching of His Word. Read your Bible and pray on a daily basis, find a godly church and attend regularly.

Also, as Blue_LadyBug touched on, baptism doesn't save a person. It is an outward sign. So, to REALLY be a follower of Christ, you have to believe that you are helpless to save yourself, and that He came down to earth, died a horrible death and paid for your sins. When you believe that, you can tell Him how sorry you are for all the wrong you've done, and beg Him for forgiveness for Christ's sake. You've maybe even done this already, but remember, confessing your sins isn't something you do just at conversion or once a month or even every Sunday. It is a daily, sometimes hourly burden that we cast on Christ, which He willingly forgives :)

Whew! I got a little long winded there! God bless you, sister; and I hope you got some help and encouragement from these posts!
 
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