Why is ET Necessary?

[Enow]

Originally Posted by Dewdrop93

Hmm... I have had a lot to think about... I don't think that people necessarily "reject" Jesus or God if they are not Christian. I also don't think that a lack of belief in God or Jesus is due to pride or arrogance. I certainly don't feel that I am "rejecting" God or Jesus - or that I am too proud or arrogant to accept God or Jesus. I guess, to me, it is sort of like I don't feel that I am "rejecting" a guy who never asked me out on a date - or who I never even knew in the first place. Maybe you call that ignorance - but, what if there really was no guy that wanted to ask me out. Then I wouldn't be rejecting anyone at all!

If you heard the Gospel, then you heard the invitation for eternal life with God is through Jesus Christ.

I think that as a believer - maybe that is how you view non-believers - and that's okay. Maybe you think the only ones who would "reject" the truth (as you see it) would because of their pride and arrogance. However, I don't feel that that is the case with all people. It simply doesn't ring true for me. Just the same as I don't "reject" Islam or Buddhism, or Hinduism, or Judaism, or any other religion - I simply don't believe in my heart that it is the right path for me. For me to follow any religion would make me a complete hypocrite. If by staying true to myself I am doomed to Hell - then I guess that is just the way it is going to be. But while I'm here - I'm going to try to have the best life possible - full of love, peace, happiness, and doggy kisses!

Jesus having suffered, died, and risen out of love for you is not enough for you to consider the Good News from God, then only God can give the ultimate wake up call and He is coming to do so soon... very soon.

By His grace, I am staying true to myself in acknowledging my need for the Saviour as I rest in Him for eternal life as I acknowledge my need of Him as My Good Shepherd in helping me to live as His as I trust Him in keeping His promises to me in coming to get me as the Bridegroom.

Getting to know God through Jesus Christ in learning of Him through the scriptures to take Him at His word and rest in all His promises to me is how my love abound yet more and more in the knowledge of Him being in me after having been bought with a price and sealed as His as I am the works of His hands.

We can look at the ills coming out of christianity or we can look to Jesus to help us know the truth on what christianity is all about: God reconciling us back to Himself through His Son as only God can.

John 6:28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

This is why christianity is not a religion but a relationship based on trust as even the little children are free to come to Him for all they can do is trust the Lord.

So use the King James Bible if you want the meat of His words to discern what is of Him and what is not, the true meaning of His words as you lean on Him for wisdom in understanding His words. Trust Him to do this.

[.sparrow.]

I think people just need to leave other folks be... and trust God.
It's God that does the drawing...

I trust God cares about Dewdrop. I trust in our Creator's Love.
And what is happening in Dewdrop's life.. is her path.
And because I believe in God, I just have to say... His eye is on her, just as his eye is on the sparrow. Our Creator cares for His creation.
I see much loveliness in Dewdrop's heart.


You don't threaten people with God.
God isn't a weapon.
Though sadly... some use Him that way all.the.time.

Well, just some thoughts from a person who happens to believe in God.
(and who trusts Him.)

peace,
sparrow

p.s. Dewdrop, sorry if I seemed I was talking "about you" like you weren't here in the conversation... lol. forgive me.

[Mike555]

Originally Posted by python87

Mike, this frankly seems to be in direct contradiction:

It's not.

Okay so either righteousness is 'imputed' or it is not. How come you can still sin even with God righteousnesses in you? And, by the way, if you really get such an awesome gift after accepting Jesus,

Phil 3:9 'and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is though faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, [10] that I may know Him,and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death; [11] in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

one would really expect life of 'born again' Christians to dramatically improve. But when you look at statistic, like divorce rates, they don't seem to be dramatically better than non-believers. With such a flimsy evidence, is it any wonder that many people don't take you guys seriously?

The believer retains his old sin nature even though as a believer he is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). The believer has both his sin nature, and the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is permanent and cannot be lost. However, the Holy Spirit also has another ministry (the Holy Spirit actually has seven different ministries) called the filling of the Spirit. The filling of the Spirit can be lost through carnality-sin, and regained through the principle of 1 John 1:9; simply naming the sin to God the Father. The believer is commanded to be filled with the Spirit as per Ephesians 5:18.

At any given moment in his life, a believer is either carnal as a result of having commited a sin (1 Cor 3:3), or he is spiritual - filled with and under the control of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Because of his sin nature and because he has volition, the believer can and does sin. Often spectacularly.

Doctrine of Rebound (http://www.jrcyouth.com/love1.htm - broken link)

The reality is that believers can be the best people in the world, or they can be the worst people in the world, with unbelievers falling somewhere in between.

If Bible is complete and connected, how come Protestants omitted book of Maccabees, Judith, Tobit and parts of Daniel from the Bible? If Bible is totally perfect how come entire books where taken out later? Who decides what's cannon and on what criteria? If those books are creating contradictions, maybe that means those books where ok and something else should be omitted instead.

And Greek Orthodox bible has even more books in it, I think.

The Bible as we have it is the word of God. Now some Bible translations still have the apocrypha included in it, but those books don't belong there.

I won't go into the criteria for the Old Testament here, but the criteria for the New Testament Scriptures included the following...

1) Apostolicity - Every book of the N.T. had to have been written by an Apostle or someone closely associated with an apostle (Mark was associated with Peter, and Luke was associated with Paul.)

2) Reception by the Churches - To be accepted as scripture, each book had to be universally received by the local churches as authentic as of the time of their writing.

3) Consistency - The books had to be consistent with the doctrine that the church already possessed--the Old Testament and Apostolic teaching.

4) Inspiration - To be accepted as the word of God, each book had to give evidence, both internally and externally of being divinely inspired. The gift of discerment was used to determine canonicity (1 Cor 12:10).

5) Recognition - Each book must be used by the pastors of the local churches, and must be recognized as canonical in the catalogues of the Church Fathers.

6) Internal Exhortation. Pauls letters were endorsed by Peter as being on a par with the Old Testament Scriptures in 2 Peter 3:15-16. Other examples; Col 4:16; 1 Thess 5:27; 1 Tim 4:13; Rev 1:3.

Any book not meeting these criteria were not considered a part of the word of God.

[herefornow]

Originally Posted by Dewdrop93

Hmm... I have had a lot to think about... I don't think that people necessarily "reject" Jesus or God if they are not Christian. I also don't think that a lack of belief in God or Jesus is due to pride or arrogance. I certainly don't feel that I am "rejecting" God or Jesus - or that I am too proud or arrogant to accept God or Jesus.

I guess, to me, it is sort of like I don't feel that I am "rejecting" a guy who never asked me out on a date - or who I never even knew in the first place. Maybe you call that ignorance - but, what if there really was no guy that wanted to ask me out. Then I wouldn't be rejecting anyone at all!

Completely understandable.

Originally Posted by Enow

If you heard the Gospel, then you heard the invitation for eternal life with God is through Jesus Christ.

For those that have "ears" to hear. For those that were elected in this age. Etc. Beating them over the head doesn't give them "ears." It only makes them confused, angry, and hardened.

It's like trying to tell somebody that is blind to see the rainbow, but if they don't see the rainbow they will be set on fire for eternity, so they say, "Yes! I see the rainbow!"

What is happening now, though, is that so many people were scared for so long, but didn't see the rainbow, that they are just pissed off, and want to tear the whole system down. They are TIRED of being told they have to see the rainbow or else.

Christians are NOT helping their case.

Many people come out of the church system as they get older, cynical and confused.

[ans57]

Originally Posted by herefornow

Completely understandable.



For those that have "ears" to hear. For those that were elected in this age. Etc. Beating them over the head doesn't give them "ears." It only makes them confused, angry, and hardened.

It's like trying to tell somebody that is blind to see the rainbow, but if they don't see the rainbow they will be set on fire for eternity, so they say, "Yes! I see the rainbow!"

What is happening now, though, is that so many people were scared for so long, but didn't see the rainbow, that they are just pissed off, and want to tear the whole system down. They are TIRED of being told they have to see the rainbow or else.

Christians are NOT helping their case.

Many people come out of the church system as they get older, cynical and confused.

[Dewdrop93]

Originally Posted by .sparrow.

I think people just need to leave other folks be... and trust God.
It's God that does the drawing...

I trust God cares about Dewdrop. I trust in our Creator's Love.
And what is happening in Dewdrop's life.. is her path.
And because I believe in God, I just have to say... His eye is on her, just as his eye is on the sparrow. Our Creator cares for His creation.
I see much loveliness in Dewdrop's heart.


You don't threaten people with God.
God isn't a weapon.
Though sadly... some use Him that way all.the.time.

Well, just some thoughts from a person who happens to believe in God.
(and who trusts Him.)

peace,
sparrow

p.s. Dewdrop, sorry if I seemed I was talking "about you" like you weren't here in the conversation... lol. forgive me.

Oh sweet Sparrow - there is nothing to forgive! What beautiful sentiments!