What and Why

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Sac49

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
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Many of us here an CC know exactly what we believe when it comes to our faith in Christ. There are also a few here who dont know what they believe and so are looking for answers to their questions. On every thread we can see what each other believes on a particular topic. When it comes to faith and our walk with Christ it is a good idea to know what we believe. When someone asks "what do you believe?" We can give a quick answer and rarely stumble on that question.

The question we often stumble on is "why do you believe?". This question often takes us longer to answer because the question "why?" Is one we never really asked ourselves. But if we are truly living out lives for Christ this question should be easy to answer. The reason it can be so difficult to explain is because we dont often challenge ourselves as to why we believe.

Our first response should be, "because God has revealed Himself to me in nature, spirit and thru His Word the Bible. As per the Bible I believe "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteouness." ( 2 Timothy 3:16) I did not believe this until the Holy Spirit touched my heart". Our belief should come from the Holy Spirit and Gods Word. I believe the reason we cannot often explain is because what we believe is based upon what someone told us. We have not "done our homework" so thus cannot back up our belief in Scripture. Hense the forming of improper doctrine. Christian doctrine comes from Gods Word so our doctrine should match Gods Word.

We should take Peters words to heart when it come to the question of "why?". 1 Peter 3:15,16 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak malitiously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.".

If our faith is based upon the Work of Christ then our doctrine should be based upon Gods Word as revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

Dont just know what you believe but study Gods Word and know why you believe.
 
[h=1]In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.[/h]
Augustine got something right :D
 
I was a little girl, and I never saw Jesus in nature first. Why would that be necessary if you lived in a "concrete type" neighborhood? And had only your house and school to look at? No garden or much of nature except a little tree in your yard?

I would have to say I believed because my mother told He was real. A little child usually believes what their parents say. I loved the idea that Jesus could live in my heart. Even though I could not see him. But I never saw Santa Claus, and he also seemed so real. But was never told that he could live in my heart. It was only much later that I learned about who Jesus was and all the truths revealed in the scriptures.

As you pointed out, Sac, it is only from the Holy Spirit (who testifies of Christ) that all knowledge of Christ arises. But I love the way He takes a person from a little child who needs only something concrete (such as Christ living inside of you), into the wonders of the fullness of knowledge as gained through the scriptures and prayer.
 
I first believed because someone told me, but then I had a first hand experience of God
when I was a young person, His presence, His love. I knew He was real.
 
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

Creation testifies that there is a higher power that created all things,and loves people,for He provided food,and the means to make clothing,and shelter,so people should love God,and love people,which the whole world will be judged on that,whether they heard the word of God,or not,and proves there is a God.

But it does not point to the God of Israel,given only that information,but only testifies of a higher power,that created all things,and loves people.

I do not believe in evolution,but that a higher power created us,before I read the Bible,so I have no problem believing in a higher power.

Isa 41:21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.
Isa 41:22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.
Isa 41:23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
Isa 41:24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
Isa 41:25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.
Isa 41:26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.
Isa 41:27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
Isa 41:28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
Isa 41:29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

The God of Israel proves that He is the higher power,by showing us the whole history of mankind,and when I read through the Bible,there is no way that came from human intellect alone,and He identifies with love of people,and for us to love people,and to have a relationship with Him,more than any other religion,which creation testifies of this without the word of God.

He interacts with His creation greater than any other religion out there,and has proved that He is God,and said no other religion could prove they are true.

God said prove all things,and we have to have faith in Jesus,but we would not know about Him unless we were told in the Bible about Him,which we know the Bible is true.

Some people may waver believing the Bible,but I have too much information to back out now,for if I would of only scantly read it,I may say,it could be true,but seeing I read it quite a lot,I have too much information to believe it is a fairy tale.

It is like some people not believing that a higher power parted the Red Sea,or gave the Egyptians ten plagues,or saved the three Jews from the furnace,or saved Daniel from the lions den,or caused Jonah to be swallowed by a great fish,or any of the things that they cannot believe that happened by a higher power.

Which does not make sense,for if God could create the earth,and all the planets,and all the stars,and all the things He created,doing those miracles in the Bible would not be hard at all to believe,but would be simple to believe.

So I have no problem believing the miracles in the Bible,if God can create all that He created,which is too vast to comprehend or know.

I have no problem believing the Bible,and when we see all that is created,and how vast space is,how can someone not believe that there can be a God that exists.How can atheists say for a fact there is no God.They could not.Some people will believe in aliens,but do not believe in a God.

The truth is nobody can state as a fact that there is no God,because we are here as living creatures,so why can't there be a God that exists as well.If we exist,then it opens the possibility that other beings can exist,so they cannot state as a fact there is no God,and if we can create things from the materials provided to us on this earth,than that higher power can create things on a bigger scale from the materials of the universe.

All people do not respond to the same thing,but different people respond to different things concerning reality,and the Bible,so we cannot reach everybody the same way with truth.

Some people may not respond to God loves you,and Jesus loves you,for that is not enough proof for them.

That is why we have to show them that the Bible is true,which is why God gives us proof in the Bible He is true,so they cannot deny it,or they will think upon it,and if they do believe the Bible is true,then it makes it easier for them to believe that record of Jesus in the Bible,and that He does love them.

That is the good thing about prophesy for it shows that the God of the Bible is true,which no other religion can do that,and people's lives being changed for the better is how some people believe in God.That is why we are supposed to be able to answer everybody concerning what they ask,and everybody gets reached in different ways.
 
Gen. 1:1, Deut. 6:4, Job 19:25-26, Prov. 9:10, Isa. 8:20, Ecc.12:13-14,
 
For me the first and most compelling evidence of God was when He showed up after that first prayer but try explaining that to an atheist who wants physical or verbal evidence...in absence of this we are left with evidence such as the Bible, nature, DNA, the likelihood of the planet being perfectly formed to support life etc etc. Someone summed it up perfectly in another thread a few days ago; it's not that they don't believe but more they won't believe. God did show up in physical form over 2,000 years ago, performed miracles casting out demons and healing the sick, always acting in love - even then He had more detractors than those who loved Him. He was rejected, beaten and crucified - they preferred a murderer to be set free in His place. They got what they asked for. Still people refuse to believe but we should not be deterred from carrying out the great commission and sharing Jesus with anyone who will listen and to those who wont we must carry ourselves as He would and be a beacon of light in a dark world.
 
MadParrotWoman said:
For me the first and most compelling evidence of God was when He showed up after that first prayer but try explaining that to an atheist who wants physical or verbal evidence...in absence of this we are left with evidence such as the Bible...
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To an atheist, the Bible is not evidence of the existence of God, but the claim.
 
Why do I believe what I believe?

Because I tested each truth God revealed to me through His word with my own life and it makes sense to believe laws God has made the world both spiritual and physical...

We have scientific laws to explain the physical and we have the Bible through the illumination of the Holy Spirit to explain the spiritual.
 
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I was born and raised in the Catholic Church. Unfortunately their whole focus was on Mary instead of Jesus, so i never really knew too much about accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

It was after i left the Catholic Church that i found God. As for why i found God, i believe it was God who came looking for me. Otherwise if He had not i would still be in bondage to Mary in the Catholic Church.

I did not find God, i did not go looking for God. God found me!
 
Sac49 said:
The question we often stumble on is "why do you believe?"
Click to expand...
God revealed Himself to me just as Scripture and Jesus Christ said He would.
It took nothing less than multiple supernatural encounters for me, and in fact, even
that was hard for me to accept in my stiff necked rebellion and defiance toward Him.
However, it is a personal relationship that He desires with each and every one of us.

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come
from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot
understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

 
Ariel82 said:
We have scientific laws to explain the physical and we have the Bible through the illumination of the Holy Spirit to explain the spiritual.
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I'm good with that, as long as people don't try to use the spiritual explanation to explain the physical to children in our public schools. Private schools or home schools, fine.
 
When I first saved four years ago my answer would be very different from today. In my time of being on cc I have learned to not have my views and what I believe is the truth set in stone I have learned to have a teachable heart and one that can be molded I have learned to accept correction as a blessing and I have learned much more from everyone here than they will ever realize as I have many many teachers.

But the question why is one I ask myself everyday, I constantly ask myself what the reason and the motive behind my every action every thought and every belief. As a Christian I seek to be strong but I ask myself what does it mean to be strong what is true strength and am I willing to go that far out of love if I ever do become strong, I ask myself my reason and motives for being a Christian for going through everyday fighting and never giving up no matter how many times I fall down.

I have to search my heart every day all day I want to know what my reason and motives are why I believe them, I want to know the reason why. I think it would be very wise for all to search their hearts and ask themselves in all honesty what the reason and motive is for everything they do for their ways of thinking ways of seeing for their beliefs for their views and interpretation of scripture and also to be prepared to face the darkness in their hearts as well.
 
The questions answer for me has always been and always will be one thing-Love.
 
persontalkto said:
The question of why does not have to be answered, if they want a reason themselves, ask for it
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This thread was not posed fir others to tell me why they believe. This was posed to make ourselves think about why we believe certain doctrined. Do we believe these doctrines because its wgat we have been tsught in church or by ithers? Or do we velieve these doctrines because it is what God has revealed in Scripture? Its to make us look deeper into Gods Word to find out if our doctrines are Biblical or man nade.
 
A few years ago i worked with two JWs. We did discuss the Bible in few occassions. One day i asked them about the deuty of Christ. They dont believe Jesus is God so they got kind of heated in the talk. I posed a difficult question to them about why their "Bible" in one place calls Jesus "a god" (John 1:1) and yet in the same gospel of John Thomas calls Jesus "my Lord and God" (John 20:28. They.could not answer it themselves. They said they need to look at. In other words they needed to see what their cult says so they could answer the question. Their belief was from what they were told not from their own study.
 
Sac49 said:
A few years ago i worked with two JWs. We did discuss the Bible in few occassions. One day i asked them about the deuty of Christ. They dont believe Jesus is God so they got kind of heated in the talk. I posed a difficult question to them about why their "Bible" in one place calls Jesus "a god" (John 1:1) and yet in the same gospel of John Thomas calls Jesus "my Lord and God" (John 20:28. They.could not answer it themselves. They said they need to look at. In other words they needed to see what their cult says so they could answer the question. Their belief was from what they were told not from their own study.
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If they were co-workers, they were stuck with ya. If they were visiting your house and you said that, then after they went back to headquarters to "look at that" they'd put a big red pin in their map of the city where your house was, and no JW would knock on your door again. We should be so lucky.
 
Magenta said:
In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.


Augustine got something right :D
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He also got this right: ;)

Augustine - "Grace is give to you, not wages paid to you...it is called grace because it is given gratuitously. By no precedent merits did you buy what you have received. The sinner therefore received this grace first, that his sins should be forgiven him...good works follow after a justified person; they do not go before in order that he may be justified...good works, following after justification, show what a man has received."

Augustine - "Now, having duly considered and weighed all these circumstances and testimonies, we conclude that a man is not justified by the precepts of a holy life, but by faith in Jesus Christ,--in a word, not by the law of works, but by the law of faith; not by the letter, but by the spirit; not by the merits of deeds, but by free grace."
 
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