@kellyjay saidIs there any evidence that you are "right with God through Jesus Christ"?
I can not say dive is not a Christian and most here see us arguing about everything. A Christian is someone right with God through Jesus Christ, so depending upon how you walk that out, it is possible a non-Christian could live a better life than a Christian by our standards. If Jesus accepts anyone who am I to disagree?
@chaney3 saidHe does seem pretty good at rebuking, though.
Jesus died.....blah blah.
He forgave sins... blah blah.
I believe He died..... blah blah.
He wants us to give to the poor... blah.
He wants us to be kind... blah blah.
Visit prisons..... blah blah.
Hey, I just want to believe in this Jesus guy, and go to Heaven.
But.....I will live however the hell I want.
(Sign me up)
Who judges the judgemental? 🤔
@kevin-eleven saidThe worst of us who comes to Him to be redeemed, saved, and He turns them into Children of the most High Holy God the greater the glory He receives for that good work. Which is so cool that the best He wants for us is the very best that could ever happen to us, as He is the source of all good. He is AMAZING!
As usual, I appreciate your perspective on the matter.
This excerpt from your post reminds me that back in the day, Aramaic lacked the vocabulary for Jesus to say something like: "Allow even the resident internet troll to come unto me."
1 edit
@kellyjay saidAs the avid readers of this forum might have imagined, I recently had another look at 1 Corinthians 13.
The worst of us who comes to Him to be redeemed, saved, and He turns them into Children of the most High Holy God the greater the glory He receives for that good work. Which is so cool that the best He wants for us is the very best that could ever happen to us, as He is the source of all good. He is AMAZING!
English translations vary, but if we go with "the greatest of these is Love" (which of course echoes John's "God is Love" ) -- and if we connect that whole passage with our being made in the image of God -- maybe we could say that Faith and Hope do not just occur within us fearful little creatures, but also on God's side as well.
@kellyjay saidAnd he supposedly tortures - for eternity - those humans who don't find Christian claims about Jesus credible, right? It's an "amazing" creed, but not "amazing" in the same way as you mean.
The worst of us who comes to Him to be redeemed, saved, and He turns them into Children of the most High Holy God the greater the glory He receives for that good work. Which is so cool that the best He wants for us is the very best that could ever happen to us, as He is the source of all good. He is AMAZING!
@fmf saidWho supposes? People suppose a lot of things -- for instance, that depictions of a certain Prophet of Islam are completely disallowed, despite that prohibition not being mentioned in the Qur'an, despite the fact that devout Muslim artists made such depictions within the past millennium, and despite the fact that there is disagreement among present-day practitioners of Islam about that.
And he supposedly tortures - for eternity - those humans who don't find Christian claims about Jesus credible, right? It's an "amazing" creed, but not "amazing" in the same way as you mean.
@kevin-eleven saidThe scriptures teach that God is one, it is that He is not a divided being where He loves one day wrathful next. He is always in total harmony so His righteousness is holy, His mercy in holy, his love is holy, justice is holy, his wrath is holy! Moving in His mercy will always be done in holy righteousness, as His wrath will never be at odds with His love! All divine acts of God are in perfect harmony with His divine nature, since He never is less than in perfect harmony, never less than perfect, He is changeless!
As the avid readers of this forum might have imagined, I recently had another look at 1 Corinthians 13.
English translations vary, but if we go with "the greatest of these is Love" (which of course echoes John's "God is Love" ) -- and if we connect that whole passage with our being made in the image of God -- maybe we could say that Faith and Hope do not just occur within us fearful little creatures, but also on God's side as well.
@kellyjay saidBy "God" presumably you are referring to a creator entity. You make it sound like a kind of human being. That will be the consequence of the religious rote you have internalised.
The scriptures teach that God is one, it is that He is not a divided being where He loves one day wrathful next. He is always in total harmony so His righteousness is holy, His mercy in holy, his love is holy, justice is holy, his wrath is holy! Moving in His mercy will always be done in holy righteousness, as His wrath will never be at odds with His love! All divine acts of ...[text shortened]... e nature, since He never is less than in perfect harmony, never less than perfect, He is changeless!
@josephw said"Christian" is a label that is very real [it affects the reality of people's lives] and it has explicit and implicit meanings in terms of beliefs and perspectives regardless of whether the Christian God figure actually exists or not.
If the Christian's "God" doesn't exist, then neither do "Christians".
Like everyone else they wear a label and are as deluded as anyone else.
@fmf saidIf the "Christian God figure" doesn't exist "meanings in terms of beliefs" are merely temporal and devoid of purpose beyond the span of ones lifetime.
"Christian" is a label that is very real [it affects the reality of people's lives] and it has explicit and implicit meanings in terms of beliefs and perspectives regardless of whether the Christian God figure actually exists or not.
If one believes in something that doesn't exist, and is the basis for giving meaning and purpose to their life, then Christians are fake.
The same holds true for believers in God as well as unbelievers.
1 edit
@josephw saidNonsense. Christians believing that their beliefs are not merely temporal - and believing that their beliefs are not devoid of purpose beyond the span of their lifetimes - is unaffected by whether or not the Christian God figure exists.
If the "Christian God figure" doesn't exist "meanings in terms of beliefs" are merely temporal and devoid of purpose beyond the span of ones lifetime.