What do you believe and why do you believe it?

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CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
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@Spectrox, what is your question about Matthew 16? I may be able to answer it depending on what the question is.
 
Mar 23, 2016
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Why do you feel the need to evade answering a reasonable question about Matthew 16?
The one who is evading is the one who continues to reject the truth of Scripture and then continues to ask the meaning of that which he rejects.





Spectrox said:
I don't buy this "milk then meat" evasion.
That is because you deny Scripture.


1 Peter 2:2-3 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.


Reading through your posts in this thread, I do not believe you have tasted that the Lord is gracious and you definitely are still in need of the milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

According to you the Bible is the philosophy and reasoning of men. You also claim the God of the Bible comes across as inept and bungling sometimes.

You have been shown to be in error in your understanding of two relatively simple matters (the two purchases of potters' fields and the "six days" of Matt/Mark and the "about eight days" of Luke). Could you be in error concerning your belief that "the Bible is the philosophy and reasoning of men" and the "God of the Bible comes across as inept and bungling sometimes"?




Spectrox said:
It's profoundly patronising.
Actually, I speak truth to you. That you feel you are being patronized is nothing but your emotional response to a truth you don't like.





Spectrox said:
What you seem to be saying is I have just got to believe and accept what the Bible says and it will start to become clearer. Well in 1994 I was in that position. I had faith in the Lord. What better time for the Lord to answer doubts I had at that time? But instead there was a deafening silence.
What steps did you take in 1994? Were you born again? Or did you sit in church as the pastor taught and the words went in one ear and out the other ... without ever reaching your heart where God brings increase?


Also, it appears you "believed" for a nanosecond because by the end of 1994 you were already convinced that the Bible was a hoax.




Spectrox said:
Apart from Christians telling me that Matthew 16 was referring to the Transfiguration which it clearly isn't if you read it in context.
Here's what Peter wrote about the transfiguration:


2 Peter 1:16-18 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

Peter was an eyewitness to "the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" and His "majesty". Peter also claimed Jesus received "honour and glory" from God the Father.




Spectrox said:
So what does "born from above" actually mean? I suspect it is yet more word salad.
You sat in church and never heard the phrase "born from above"?


John 3:1-3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The word "again" is the Greek word anōthen which means "from above".

So, until you are born again (born from above), you cannot see the kingdom of God. You will only be able to see the physical realm ... you are lacking that which allows you to see the spiritual.
 

know1

Senior Member
Aug 27, 2012
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Colloquially speaking I am an agnostic as I don't know whether or not a god exists. Technically I am an atheist as I don't believe any god claim I have heard. Although I used to be a Christian. I was brought up in the Church of England but properly self-identified as a Christian in my twenties and believed I was saved. I had my doubts after several months as a result of speaking to atheists and ex-Christians. Some things in the Bible stopped making sense to me. Some of the Bible was immoral, some of it was inconsistent and some of it was not credible. I prayed for answers but no answers came. I now consider myself to be an ex-Christian. Every so often I like to challenge my beliefs as I think it is healthy. In that spirit I would like to ask all Christians here what do you believe and why do you believe it?
I have read many of your responses, and from what I have seen, you are not challenging your beliefs, but that of the true believers in Christ.
Posing oneself as being open minded, yet openly trying to overthrow the faith of some, makes you a snake, or a wolf under the guise of searching for the truth and open mindedness.
Like ALL EVIL PEOPLE, you cannot state your true motives.
To all who try to convince this wickedly deceptive snake to come to Christ, the only thing you will be doing is wasting your time and possibly your faith in Christ.
Why do you think things stopped making sense to him, why he starting doubting, and how do you think he lost faith?
By speaking to the same kind of 'focus you attention on the natural and off the word of God', full of doubt, garbage he is propagating.

Mat 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet [for a testimony against them] .
Mat 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that man.

Mat 13:15 For this person's heart is waxed gross, and his ears are dull of hearing, and his eyes they have closed; lest at any time he should see with his eyes, and hear with his ears, and should understand with his heart, and should be converted, and I should heal him.

Mar 4:24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear:

Luk 8:18 Take heed therefore how ye hear:

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.