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My conception of Christ is that of a pretty decent dude that I could hang with -- being as how he seemed predisposed towards fishermen.
Christ took those fishermen and did this with them,
Acts 4:13
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
They knew Peter and John had not studied in their schools, but when they heard what they said and how they said it, they were shocked at their knowledge, and knew they could have only learned this from Jesus.
Where do most of your religious beliefs come from? The Bible? Your pastor? Or from other source? How do you know that this is the most reliable source of information?
The Bible. I believe it is inspired and inerrant. I believe it because people I trust believe it. My mother, my grandparents, my mentors, my pastors and other friends.
I believe it because the overarching truth presented is, all have sinned, but God so loved the world. That is played out every day in our world.
Learned by anointed teachers of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, and then was pruned by God of the purpose and the meat of the gospel and then hearing the full gospel many times
It is inescapable that we have to be reached where we are, Katz, with what resonates with our existing state of mind. I needed a major slap upside the head to reorient my view of Reality.
Where do most of your religious beliefs come from? The Bible? Your pastor? Or from other source? How do you know that this is the most reliable source of information?
For me there is a difference but also a relationship between religious and spirituality - it is not an either/or
The spiritual influences how I view the religious information and I am more interested in the overview/meaning/relationships than with a certain denominational stance
I was brought up going to a Pentecostal church and my first religious doctrines/grounding was given to me there, but I also had a spiritual experience which seemed to give me an extra sense that brought me to the stage of separating from organised religion in my teens, there was a dissonance set up where I knew some of the things they were preaching were just plain wrong at a moral/ethical level, and I always retained a belief in God and the spiritual awareness but it always seemed a little out of reach, like not yet
I have always been a reader, science fiction/fantasy/mysteries were my favourites
About 12 years ago I had a similar experience which was a decision time type, to pursue or not, my choice
I'm curious to know if anyone who has posted, other than myself, gives any weight to the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus as a basis for their beliefs. After all, Christianity is based on historical events.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katzpur
Of course it is, but I'm asking how you know that Jesus was resurrected? Is it because the Bible says He was? Is it because your pastor says He was? Or is it because God has confirmed to you that He was?
Not because of my pastor or because 'God has confirmed it.' How would I even know that God confirmed it as opposed to having some self-generated feeling?
Because the Bible says so? That's too simplistic an answer and needs explanation. The Bible, I'll confine it to the New Testament since the issue at hand is the resurrection of Jesus, first of all deserves the same respect as any other ancient document when considering the historical aspect and taken as truthful unless it can be proven to be wrong about some particular issue.
The New Testament is not one book written by one person, but is a collection of documents written by various people. And that allows for independent multiple attestation which is a tool of historical investigation. We have independent attestation from Paul, from the Synoptic Gospels- the three Synoptics counting as one source, and many scholars consider the Gospel of John to be an independent source. Multiple independent sources increase the likelihood that an event actually took place.
We know that Jesus existed historically. We know that the apostles existed historically. Almost all scholars who do Jesus studies agree that 7 of Paul's writings are authentic (I consider all of the letters attributed to Paul to be authentic). Why did Paul give up a life where he had it made as a Pharisee, exchanging it for a life of hardship, suffering, beatings, almost being killed and finally actually being martyred unless he had a valid reason to do so? His answer . . .he saw the risen Jesus. Why did James the brother of Jesus who did not believe Jesus' claim about himself before the crucifixion become the head of the Jerusalem church and a believer shortly after Jesus' resurrection? The resurrection itself offers a valid reason.
Why did the original apostles suddenly go from being afraid for their lives after Jesus was crucified to being transformed into courageous men who boldly proclaimed the message of Jesus and could not be shut up? It has to be remembered that the Jews who believed in a resurrection of the dead did not believe in the resurrection of a single individual in the middle of history but instead believed in a general resurrection of everyone at the end of human history. That's why the disciples of Jesus did not understand it when he told them on more than one occasion that he must be killed and that he would rise again after three days. They didn't get it. It didn't sink in. And that's why conspiracy theories can be ruled out. The disciples did not conspire to steal Jesus' body and then claim that he had risen. They didn't conspire to claim something that neither they nor any other Jew would have believed without evidence. As far as the disciples were concerned, Jesus was simply another false messiah who got himself killed. Yet, very shortly thereafter, there they were proclaiming that Jesus had indeed been raised from the dead. And they, as Paul, were willing to suffer and even die for what they believed to be true because they had seen the risen Jesus with their own eyes. They were first hand eyewitnesses.
I could add more, but that gives you an idea why I believe because of the evidence. Without historical evidence I most likely would not be a believer.
Where do most of your religious beliefs come from? The Bible? Your pastor? Or from other source? How do you know that this is the most reliable source of information?
First you get REALLY saved and then the Holy Spirit will live in you and guide you into all truth..........the key is to get saved first. The unsaved can't understand the book at all as you can see right here on this forum......
First you get REALLY saved and then the Holy Spirit will live in you and guide you into all truth..........the key is to get saved first. The unsaved can't understand the book at all as you can see right here on this forum......
You might want to read that book that you claim to understand. Especially the part about judging others and casting the first stone. Or the part about taking the beam out of your own eye.
First you get REALLY saved and then the Holy Spirit will live in you and guide you into all truth..........the key is to get saved first. The unsaved can't understand the book at all as you can see right here on this forum......
Individually? I think not
In Matthew 18:20 Jesus says it’s where 2 or 3 are gathered together to His name, He is in the midst
We each do our own separate research, testing, living but humanity (Both Adam and Christ) is not just about the individual, it’s about society and relationship, sharing, communing, developing
Adam is about the generational, Christ is about the reformation
You might want to read that book that you claim to understand. Especially the part about judging others and casting the first stone. Or the part about taking the beam out of your own eye.
Too soon, but yep
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Too soon, Mystic.
