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 Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 2:59 pm
It has been told to me many times that if I first believe in God and then accept His Son, Jesus as my saviour that I will be saved.
I think our culture misinterprets the word 'Believe.'
To the Hebrews 'Believe' meant to first accept that there is a God. Second, to study His word. Third, to apply your new knowledge to your life.
In telling people that all they need to do is aknowledge God and His Son they are enabled to act sinfully. They sin then feel remorse. Then they ask for forgivness. Through prayer they once again are enabled to sin again(usually the same one.)
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Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:00 pm
i don't think that's the whole definition of "believe." if people do, in fact, sin and then ask for forgiveness, and repeat that whole process over again, that's not trying. after people believe, they should try and do more than sin, repent/pray, and repeat. it's more like fighting the temptation to sin?
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Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 12:30 pm
This is why there are so many armchair Christians who do not know what the Bible really says, but who proudly declair themselves a true Christian as they unremorsefully continue to do the things their God calls sin.
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Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 2:02 pm
The problem is rather in two things:
The definition "believe".
I prefer Faith. It is often an equivalent of Trust.
I'm not exactly pleased with what God has and hasn't done, but somehow, i still seem to trust God.
The definition of "sin".
People sometime said "let's forbid this and that, because we think it is disgusting". They ignored the fact that it really was natural.
It seems like God said "Ok, i'll allow you to add it to your laws, since you have turned from me, and can't even keep the commandments. Then see if they do you any good."
But instead of learning anything from it, they instead thought it was good.
A lot of the things that is called sins, either isn't sins, but natural habits, or they have been forced through, due to deprivation, that others have sinned against them to begin with.
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Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:49 pm
so much "belief" just seems to be lip service.
i like what James says:
NRSV ©
James 2:18
But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
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Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:24 pm
honestly, me not being christian, i have to say that i don't think God set religious laws and commandments.
i am of the impression that religion is a man-made thing, their way of connecting to God and living as a culture in Service to God. that is why there are so many varying religions, and why they all at least have systems of Morality and Ethics. it is jut important to have those. religion has been the manager of civilization for thousands of years.
that said, Belief, or Faith, is not enough. as said above, there needs to be a meaningful change of heart in order to attain Forgiveness and Salvation. this is one of the reasons why i have such a negative view of catholics. they go to confession and say "sorry God, i sinned", and then think that their slate is cleaned. it's not that simple. if they don't actively fight the sin afterwards anyway, they don't realy mean it when they apologize. thus, if Jesus realy does know what's in their hearts, he won't Forgive them.
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Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:32 am
Quote: be·lief /bɪˈlif/ Show Spelled[bih-leef] Show IPA –noun 1. something believed; an opinion or conviction: a belief that the earth is flat. 2. confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof: a statement unworthy of belief. 3. confidence; faith; trust: a child's belief in his parents. 4. a religious tenet or tenets; religious creed or faith: the Christian belief. Dictionary.com's definition is essentially an opinion based on faith. However, I find it odd because even for knowledge which has proof to back it up, you still have to believe in that fact in order for it to be truth. For instance I know beyond any reasonable doubt that if I drop a ball it will fall. If I don't believe it will fall than I do not actually have any knowledge concerning it's falling. Point is, you cannot know anything unless you believe it. I still think Chris Rock had it right in Dogma. When it comes to religion, spirituality, and all those subjects in which we may not be able to find concrete evidence proving their existence/validity, we should instead think of them as ideas rather than beliefs. Beliefs are solid, it takes the force required to knock down a wall to change or destroy them. Ideas are flexible, adaptable, they're able to change as we receive new knowledge that may or may not contradict them or even just change a small part of them. As said before that's not to say that they aren't still some form of belief, but the way modern society treats ideas versus beliefs it would indeed be healthier to treat them in the manner of ideas. If that makes sense. Now, as far as the rest of the conversation is concerned I do agree. Everyone seems to have their own highest virtue, that which they think should be adhered to above all else. For me, the highest virtue is truth and honesty. It seems that the discussion is for those that think belief is the highest virtue, to be revered above all other virtues and enough to forgive a lack of other virtues. I think such people are deluding themselves, if belief really was the highest tenet of existence, then we'd all be fine and dandy regardless of morals, thoughts, or actions, for in everything we know there is the root kernel of belief. Even if we were to deviate and go on that 'belief' instead being treated as an 'idea', ideas are really nothing in comparison to action and the carrying through of those ideas. On it's own, an idea is not sufficient enough to cover morality, we also need to act upon those same ideas, otherwise they become hollow.
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Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:25 am
one of the basic tenets of Christianity is that the deity relates to us as a parent (a good parent) would.
Jesus calls the deity Abba or "Papa".
The Lord's Prayer starts out "Our Father".
so if you were a loving parent, would you most want your child to believe that you exist?
would you not rather long to see her live a happy and virtuous life?
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