Question for Christians

by FreudianSlip 18 Replies latest jw friends

  • garyneal
    garyneal

    AGuest: You truly are an inspiration.

    Yknot: Thanks.

    Personally, my walk with God has had its ups and downs. There were times when I wanted nothing to do with Him and there were times when I felt closer to Him than ever before. It varies but I guess I find it hard to believe that someone can choose not to love someone who truly loves you at least not for long. Yeah, sometimes we say, "I don't care if you do love me, I still hate you." But, in the end, at least for me personally, how can I go on not loving someone if that someone keeps showing love to me?

    AGuest: I do not know you personally, but judging from Farkel's and Outlaw's testimonies about you, you must be exhibiting this kind of love your life. But I must ask, why did you not say the name this time? Come on now, what is a post from you without the words Ja-he-shu-a Me-shu-me-shu-a? (Sorry, can't spell Jesus the way you do.)

  • The Scotsman
    The Scotsman

    Jesus died for all mankind - not just for christians.

  • Chalam
    Chalam

    Hello FS,

    This says it all

    1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (New International Version)

    Love

    1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

    Also, this is a good verse for JWs and exJWs alike.

    1 John 5:1 (New International Version)

    Faith in the Son of God

    1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

    Do JWs love Jesus? Do they honour Him just as they honour the Father? John 5:23

    So how does one get to love Jesus? You need to believe in Him and what He has to say. Get to know Him :)

    As a final point, being a Christian has nothing to do with following rules, only the Spirit Galatians 5 Romans 8

    Anyone who is trying to make it by following rules is doomed to failure Galatians 3:10

    Blessings,

    Stephen

  • poppers
    poppers

    Aguest - so when Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," he didn't really mean it? That's what gets thrown into the face of non-Christians all the time, even if they love God.

  • BurnTheShips
    BurnTheShips
    Do I have to love God to get into the good place? Let's assume I believe and follow all of the rules out of obligation and not love, is that enough?

    Chalam posted 1 Corinthians 13 above, that's your answer. Love is more important than anything else.

    What if I love God with all my heart and I'm not a Christian, will I be damned to hell?
    Aguest - so when Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," he didn't really mean it? That's what gets thrown into the face of non-Christians all the time, even if they love God.

    Christian rules are for us Christians, not for God. He does as he likes, and he wants all of us to know him and be with him. He leaves the door open always. Faith norms are for those that already know the Gospel. Jesus means "God saves". I believe that Jesus is the "way the truth and the life", and that all that reach God do so through that gate. However, those who through no fault of the their own do not know of, or are otherwise incapable of accepting Jesus, but who nonetheless, moved by grace, try to do good and serve The Good according to the dictates of their own conscience, will see the Father also. Jesus opened the way for all of us.

    BTS

  • BurnTheShips
    BurnTheShips
    What if I love God with all my heart and I'm not a Christian, will I be damned to hell?

    Does this passage that follows sound like someone that wants to damn you to hell? A single moment of true repentance, of turning towards God, even though at the end of an evil life:

    One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? "And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

    BTS

  • PSacramento
    PSacramento
    Do I have to love God to get into the good place? Let's assume I believe and follow all of the rules out of obligation and not love, is that enough

    Nope, you don't and this is why.

    God is all knowing, God KNOWS why we love him or not, God knows all that has happened to Us to make us feel one way or another.

    God loves us, period.

    God is love, he can love us no more or no less than God, as an omnipotent and omniscient being, can love us, regardless of what we feel for "him".

  • AGuest
    AGuest

    I must ask, why did you not say the name this time? Come on now, what is a post from you without the words Ja-he-shu-a Me-shu-me-shu-a? (Sorry, can't spell Jesus the way you do.)

    Thank you, dear GaryNeal (and the greatest of love and peace to you!), for that was an error on my part! I can’t explain other than perhaps I was tired and/or typing so fast that my fingers ran away with themselves. I am embarrassed, for I NEVER want to forget to “kiss” the Son. Again, thank you, and I will try to do better. Oh, and you can just say "Joshua the Messiah" if that's easier. But "Yah-ehShua... Mee-shah-Yah" is how it sounds. Peace... and may JAH bless!

    Aguest - so when Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," he didn't really mean it? That's what gets thrown into the face of non-Christians all the time, even if they love God.

    If you will permit me, dear Poppers (and the greatest of love and peace to you, as well!) I would like to respond by responding to BTS, below. Thank you and, again, peace to you!

    Christian rules are for us Christians, not for God.

    TRUE christians don’t have rules, dear BTS… and may you have peace! That's why we're FREE! It’s not, “love God or you won’t get into the kingdom.” It’s “love God… neighbor, brother, enemy, etc., because that is the way through the Door, which Door is Christ.” It is not that a lack of love keeps you out – it’s that love is what gets you in.

    And no, this is NOT the same thing. By way of example, I offer the entreaty regarding eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad. Contrary to what MOST believe and teach, God did not say, “Don’t eat of it… or I will kill you.” That would be a threat. Rather, God gave Adham and Eve a WARNING: if you eat of it… you WILL die. There is a difference (“if you touch the stove, I will beat you – if you touch the stove, it will burn you.” NOT the same thing)

    Because the spirit realm has been CLEANSED… so a LACK of love can no longer exist there. It CANNOT enter… because it cannot come through Christ. CAN’T happen. Not won’t. CAN’T. Because it would once again bring darkness and UNcleaness… into the spirit realm. Darkness and UNcleaness, however, were cast OUT… never to enter again. Thus, such things are... and must remain... OUTSIDE. (Revelation 22:15)

    THAT is why Gog (hateful “goat” people) and Magog (wicked spirits) are destroyed. Because the Adversary AGAIN misleads them into thinking the CAN enter. So, they “come against the Holy City.” BUT… fire comes down out of the spirit realm, from the Most Holy One of Israel Himself… and completely consumes these. No torture. No hanging out in pergatory. Gone. Never to exist again. Never to bring darkness… and uncleaness… which is the LACK of love… DEVOIDANCE of love… UNrighteousness… into “all His Holy Mountain.” CAN’T happen.

    He does as he likes, and he wants all of us to know him and be with him.

    He WANTS this, yes. He also knows that it won’t happen: ALL of humankind will not know Him… or be with Him. I do not want to name individual names (for the Most Holy One of Israel shows mercy to whomever HE wishes to show it), but the kind of “spirit” that drives people such as, for instance, Hitler, won’t be able to enter. Now, who knows… perhaps Hitler repented. Who am I to say? If he didn’t, however, won’t be ABLE to enter. It just cannot happen.

    He leaves the door open always.

    This, again, is an error. True, the Door… Christ… is standing “open” NOW. But that will not always be the case. At some point, the Door to the Ark (of the Covenant) that is Christ... will close. When? When “the full number of the nations has come in.” That number has not yet been filled, obviously. But it will be. And I believe soon. Sooner than many realize.

    Faith norms are for those that already know the Gospel.

    Another error. Think Rahab. There are MANY who do not know the gospel(s)… and yet, put their faith in Christ. Our children are among them. They are of a generation that does not need the Bible (or the gospels it contains) to understand and know Christ. They know him because his spirit bears witness with their spirit. Indeed, I have not seen as much faith in OUR generation… and certainly our parents’… as I see in some of the children of our generation.

    Jesus means "God saves".

    Not quite. "Jesus"... means "Je [Jah] is Zeus." "Jah Eshua"... means "JAH Saves" or "Salvation of JAH." "God saves" would be "El' eshua"...

    I believe that Jesus is the "way the truth and the life", and that all that reach God do so through that gate. However, those who through no fault of the their own do not know of, or are otherwise incapable of accepting Jesus, but who nonetheless, moved by grace, try to do good and serve The Good according to the dictates of their own conscience, will see the Father also. Jesus opened the way for all of us.

    I hear what you’re saying, if you are meaning “us” as those who “who nonetheless, moved by grace, try to do good and serve The Good according to the dictates of their own conscience.” But I would like to offer a bit more accuracy, if you will permit me: first, not ALL of humankind are so moved. Thus, while the way may be opened to “all”… not “all” go THROUGH and/or enter. He is, after all, the Door.

    Second, I know you don’t believe this but it really isn’t your conscience that so moves such ones. It really is the Spirit. He does not move your conscience… but your heart… if your heart is “movable.” (And you're right: you don't have to be Israel... or a christian. Israel is those who descend from Abraham, through Isaac, and Jacob. A christian is one who is chosen by and thus receives the promised holy spirit. The kings and priests of God's kingdom come from these... and the latter hail from EVERY nation, tribe, tongue, and people.)

    Give the glory to HIM, though, dear BTS… rather than to yourself… and you will be amazed at what you will being to hear… and see. In another thread I was directed to post regarding Socrates. HE gave the glory of his wisdom to God... and so was the wisest man of his day. Some believe of any day. So, long as you trust in yourself that it is YOU who are/do good, however, then you will see/hear nothing of that realm. But if you acknowledge the SOURCE of your “goodness”… and give the glory to those to whom it belongs… the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies… and His Son and Christ, the Holy Spirit and Holy One of Israel, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH… you WILL see the kingdom of God.

    I bid you peace… and ears to hear, as well as eyes to see… if YOU so wish it. For the Spirit and the Bride are indeed still saying, "Come! Take life's 'water'... the holy spirit of the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies… which spirit is poured out from the innermost parts of His Son and Christ, the Holy Spirit and Holy One of Israel, my Lord and master, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH... free!

    A slave of Christ,

    SA

  • garyneal
    garyneal

    That's what gets thrown into the face of non-Christians all the time, even if they love God.

    To which God are you referring to Poppers? If you are referring to the Christian God and since I believe the deity of Christ in the NT is hard to refute, how can you love God and not be Christian?

    If, however, you are referring to God of another religion, say Islam, why would you care about what a bunch of us 'backwards Christians' have to say anyway?

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