What A Friend We Have In Jesus

Originally posted by divegeester
And unfortunately the "eternal torment" card, is a bluff.

Actually, I'd think it's the reverse. It's quite fortunate that the eternal torment card is a bluff. All you have to do is call, and you're free.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
There is no such thing as a soul. We don't live on after death.

Why do you guess that not having a soul is true?

Before you became a human being, were you aware that you were going to exist as a human with flesh and bones? If not, then why should you be any more aware of what comes next for your existence?

Originally posted by FMF
Yes. If you don't believe He is your friend He tortures you in a burning furnace for eternity. Mmm, yes, what a friend we have in "Jesus". 😉

FMF,
You can take the song, "What a Friend We Have In Jesus," as a way for telling that Jesus died for mankind and provided eternal life. Because mankind was going to suffer, Jesus made a way for man not to have to suffer without God.

Jesus freed believers from their coming destiny. Jesus intervenes in a human's destiny to suffer and be away from God. If Jesus had not died and took the sins of mankind, then no one would have a friend in Jesus.

Without Jesus, there is no salvation. Without Jesus being their Savior, all people are doomed to the lake of fire. And it isn't about Jesus being our friend, it is about a person turning from sins, and putting faith in Christ for forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

King James Version
==============

Acts 4: 12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

John 3: 16-18
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Originally posted by wolfgang59
Does he play chess?

Loves the game

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
Why do you guess that not having a soul is true?

Before you became a human being, were you aware that you were going to exist as a human with flesh and bones? If not, then why should you be any more aware of what comes next for your existence?

I don't "guess" not having a soul is true. I know it is, because people cannot even tell me what comprises a soul.

"Before I became a human being", there was no "me", so I find your 2nd question absurd.

If I don't know what comes next for my existence, why on earth would I postulate the existence of souls and go around pretending to be sure I'm going to live forever in some mysterious, incorporeal form? The sensible thing to do is to go with the current evidence, that suggests that "I" cease to be when my body dies. My consciousness is a manifestation of the activity in my physical brain. Once that stops working, that's it. No more me.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
He's such a great friend he won't lower himself to anything 'worldly' ... 🙄

Mankind He cherishes above all else.

Originally posted by FMF
Yes. If you don't believe He is your friend He tortures you in a burning furnace for eternity. Mmm, yes, what a friend we have in "Jesus". 😉

Jesus stated that the greatest commandment was to Love God with all your heart. But He also stated to love your neighbor as yourself. Where in these do you find that if you don't believe in Him you will be thrown into a burning furnace? God's judgement is of our hearts, not of our knowledge.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
I don't "guess" not having a soul is true. I know it is, because people cannot even tell me what comprises a soul.

"Before I became a human being", there was no "me", so I find your 2nd question absurd.

If I don't know what comes next for my existence, why on earth would I postulate the existence of souls and go around pretending to be sure I'm ...[text shortened]... ifestation of the activity in my physical brain. Once that stops working, that's it. No more me.

BigDoggProblem,
Is the bottom line for you, that you don't want to be with God? Is that what matters for you?

You have no proof for your guess that you don't have a soul. It is no more than a guess. There are plenty of things you have not seen with your eyes, and yet they can affect you and kill you. Should you say to yourself, because I cannot see them with my eyes they don't exist? It doesn't matter that they are said to have a life of their own, I cannot see them, so they don't exist. In fact, you will never even need to know anything about them for them to kill you. They don't need you to understand anything; your cognition is not required. You can stay blissfully unknowing of them, yet, you will still die from them.

Another thing, what will happen to you in 3 weeks? What will happen to you on September 5, 2014, or October 29, 2014? What will happen to you on January 2, 2015 and December 1, 2019? What will happen to you in 3 years, 7 years, and 10 years on August 5? It doesn't take your knowing anything for those periods for them to occur. And if you don't know your future while you are human, how can you know the future for anything of your existence past your current existence? You only see what you are allowed to to see.

Lastly, how did you become a human being? What method was used to bring you into existence? If you don't know how you came to be, then you are deceiving yourself. Of all the things you don't do to your own self, don't lie to yourself or deceive yourself. If you don't know, then say that you don't know.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
BigDoggProblem,
Is the bottom line for you, that you don't want to be with God? Is that what matters for you?

You have no proof for your guess that you don't have a soul. It is no more than a guess. There are plenty of things you have not seen with your eyes, and yet they can affect you and kill you. Should you say to yourself, because I cannot s ...[text shortened]... lf, don't lie to yourself or deceive yourself. If you don't know, then say that you don't know.

There is no god, so why should I concern myself with wanting to be with 'him'?

You are the one who is making the claim that there IS a soul; the burden of proof lies mainly with you.

I am fine with believing in things that I can't see with my own eyes; I am an electronics tech, and I've never actually seen an electron. But I have many ways of proving that electrons flow through a circuit when power's applied. I also know that I will be killed if enough electrons pass through my body simultaneously.

The same can't be said for your imaginary god, or your make-believe souls.

If I'm wrong about this, then prove it! Put up, or shut up.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
You have no proof for your guess that you don't have a soul.

Do you believe you will be reincarnated as a green unicorn on the planet Zog?

Why not? You have no proof that is wrong. It's just a guess.

I can make up any number of imaginary gods, imps, devils,
faeries, sprites, and any number of improbable after-death
scenarios and you would not be able to prove a single one incorrect.

Any statement you make suggesting my beliefs are false is just a guess.

So I put it to you that anything I care to make up concerning
the supernatural and life after death is as valid as your belief
and all of those beliefs (yours and mine) are complete fantasy.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint

FMF,
You can take the song, "What a Friend We Have In Jesus," as a way for telling that Jesus died for mankind and provided eternal life. Because mankind was going to suffer, Jesus made a way for man not to have to suffer without God.

Jesus freed believers from their coming destiny. Jesus intervenes in a human's destiny to suffer and be away from God. If Jesus had not died and took the sins of mankind, then no one would have a friend in Jesus.

Without Jesus, there is no salvation. Without Jesus being their Savior, all people are doomed to the lake of fire. And it isn't about Jesus being our friend, it is about a person turning from sins, and putting faith in Christ for forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

Thank you for your response but it sounds very farfetched.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
You ever played poker? Or any other gambling game?

A bet involves not only the stakes, but the odds. The stakes [eternal torment] may indeed be high, but the odds - of your specific 'god' existing are vanishingly small. A much smaller ratio than the stakes, if I read the cards rightly.

How would you know that?
Kelly

Rom 7:24-25
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!
NKJV

Luke 11:9-13
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
NKJV

Interesting, the probably thousands of biographies and autobiographies which testify of what a practical reality the closeness of the Spirit of Jesus Christ is to believers.

What Friend We Have in Jesus !

The author of that classic hymn sure knew what they were talking about.