Why Should Someone Be A Christian?
In your on way, how would you convince someone to be a Christian? What reasons should someone believe and follow God? Is life on earth really better for those who follow God? Is there any benefit for protection or blessings in this life that non-believers don't have? Any less pain? Suffering? Does God take care of His people? If I can live a life of happiness on this life without God or if I am going to have the same problems as non-believers on earth, then why follow God and Christ? If God is so loving and caring then why does he allow the innocent to suffer? Can we know for sure their is an after-life? Would a loving and merciful God send someone to hell? Why? Why would God be jealous isn't that a shallow human emotion? Why would God want people to fear Him or fear going to hell? Is fear a good thing? There are a lot of things in the Bible that don't make sense or seem to contradict itself, can we know for sure that the bible is truth? Why be a Christian if it seems that non-believers are just as moral? Why should someone be a Christian?
What do you think?
Share your thoughts.
posted by preacherman @ 9:04:00 AM
31 Comments:
One word- hope.
HOPE!
Someone could spend pages trying to answer any one of those questions you ask. However, those are questions we should answer and be able to answer, especially with the critical lense that has been turned on Christianity in recent years.
With Christ I have the ability to be content in any of the situations that life presents itself. In my opinion that is the edge that we Christians have on non-Christians.
As far as the classic "caring and loving God question." If the world was perfect, why would anyone strive for something better? God wants to be in relationship with us. We sinned when things were perfect. If things were still perfect, wouldn't we continue to sin and have no desire for God? God did what he had to to continue his relationship with us.
As far as your Bible question, it's all about faith. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. The moment you see concrete evidence of something, your faith is destroyed. Therefore, we cannot and will not know for sure that the Bible is truth. It's taken on faith. However, each CHristian should be able to put his life up to the test. Our lives are proofs of the validity of God's Word.
Why should someone be a Christian? It means there's more to life than the daily grind. There's more to life than just the physical. To live like that is to live better than those who have no hope for a better, brighter future, even if there is no such future.
The short answer is the one word answer given by Danny, and Keith.
Kinney, you see human beings are fatally flawed, we are not now and never were perfect, but we desire to be like God,(our God) and the only hope of attaining that goal is to follow a man who is said to have attained perfection, and received his reward.You see the story of Jesus, is a story of hope for the human race, the hope of sharing what he has. Yes I know there are those who profess Jesus to be God, would that be a fair example for us to try and follow, for us to be compared to. There are many today who do not live "in hope" they say they have the knowledge that they have been saved, not so, there is no example in the bible where a man has been saved, except that of Jesus Christ.
Without the story of Jesus Christ there would be no hope, and without Jesus Christ there are no Christians. That is why we become Christians,It gives us the hope of following Jesus to a reward like his. And avoid eternal death.
There's lots of questions in the post but I have two responses. The first is to say that I'm reminded of Peter's comment and Jesus' response in Mark 10:28-31. I think Jesus' answer is profound but I don't think I would have promised 'persecutions' if I were running a Christian marketing campaign. The life Jesus promises does offer hope for the future but it also entails rich and fullfilling community in the present. The second list - homes, brothers, etc doesn't include the word 'fathers'. This is Jesus radically re-ordering social relatonships in the Kingdom. It's a family where God is Father.
My second reaction is more personal. In a word it's about 'presence'. Whatever our doubts or fears, despite my questions and my wandering this God enriches my life with his presence.
Journeying with Jesus gives me peace.
Preacherman;
If we only use words like 'God' and statements like 'those who follow God', then Christianity has become irrelevant and just another worthless religion.
Which God are we talking about??
Do we talk about Krishna, Buddha, Allah, Yahweh or Jehovah? Or is it an unknowable God with no name? Or is it those 'three person gods' of the Trinitarians?
Can you see this big confusion?
The moment we disown Jesus Christ to be the ONLY true God and remove His Name from the word 'God', then we end up with an empty religion like Islam, Judaism etc. including Christianity.
Most Christians have a dead Christian life because they believe in 'God'.
By the way; believe in which God??
God is punishing them because they believe in a false god.
It is not that God 'ALLOWS' the innocent to suffer, but rather He 'CAUSES' them to suffer, since there is not one innocent person in the world, no not even one, they all believe, honour and worship their own false god whoever that is. Therefore they suffer for their own sins by not believing in the only true God Jesus Christ our Lord.
Surely God will send all the wicked to hell, for this reason He created hell.
Would you like to share heaven with the wicked?
Hell was created for Satan's children (the evil ones) to separate them so that they will not be together with the children of the Lord.
Jealousy is a godly emotion, and we are created in His image in the image of Jesus Christ we have been created.
Just think of how jealous you would be, if your wife would worship or have an affair with another man.
What do you think the Lord of glory Jesus Christ will do with those who worship any other god?
The Scripture makes a lot of sense if we have been taught by God and not by men.
Kind regards
Paul
Paul,
Why serve God who doesn't allow but causes suffering???
Peace, hope and joy.
Preacherman;
God causes sufferings as a punishment for our sins, He does not punish us for sins we have not committed.
God is just and not fair.
By His justice He condemns and punishes the wicked and by His love, mercy and His shed blood He justifies, saves, blesses and rewards the righteous.
The wicked is still under the wrath and judgment of God, while the righteous have escaped that judgment, condemnation and sufferings, because Jesus was judged on our behalf, He suffered for the sins we have committed. Plainly; the judgment which was due to us fell upon Him and by His strips we are healed.
Regard suffering;
The wicked says; "I believe in God!"
The question is in which God?
The righteous says; "I believe in Jesus Christ!"
The wicked testifies to God, and the righteous to Jesus Christ our Lord.
The righteous is never ashamed of His (God's) Name, while the wicked avoids or never uses His Name because they do NOT believe in Him or knows Him.
What do you think what the Lord will do to those who do not and will not believe and know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY true God?
Perhaps they think that 'HOPE' will get them out of their sufferings and troubles.
All Muslims and pagans have hope and that doesn't get them saved and out of their sufferings and into heaven. And when the Lord is punishing them with sickness and disease they stubbornly refuse and will not believe in Jesus Christ our Lord so that they may be saved from the wrath of God who is against all ungodliness.
I know that I am sounding negative, but apart from Jesus Christ there is NO hope, except a false hope which is never realized.
Many in hell would have hoped that they would be in heaven.
Maybe you can see that only Jesus Christ is our hope of glory.
Paul
Paul said, ", because Jesus was judged on our behalf,"
Paul, I'm sure you can't see it but you talk in circles. If Jesus is the only true god, then who did the judging.
You might or might not want to read the following.
http://www.brooksidechurch.org/Sermons/GodHasManyNames.htm
Thanks Laymond for the link to the Brookside Church.
I have read a few sermons of Craig Anderson, but all his teachings are the doctrines of men and not of God.
A man of God must be taught of God [Isa.54:13] and he ought to speak the very words of God [1Peter 4:11] and [John 6:45].
Craig's teachings are precepts of men, the blind are leading the blind and both will fall into the pit. With their lips they sometimes draw close to Jesus but with their hearts they are faaaaaaar from Him, they are like clouds with no rain.
Laymond; from such men turn away, and come to Jesus Christ our Lord with an open heart and He will give you of the living water and you will thirst no more.
You said; "If Jesus is the only true God, then who did the judging".
Jesus Christ was in the beginning, before He created all things, He had no physical body of flesh and blood, just like the Scripture says in [John 4:24] that God is Spirit and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
If God is Spirit and is Holy, then by necessity He is the Holy Spirit.
A spirit does not have flesh and blood or a body; therefore you cannot see a spirit and God is Spirit. So then, the only time when you can see God is when He clothes Himself with flesh (Veiled the incarnate deity).
Before the Holy Spirit begot Himself a body by a virgin birth His Name had not been given, He was known by the title 'GOD' or 'LORD' till His birth in Bethlehem.
[Luke 1:31] And you are to give him the name JESUS, (v.31) He will be CALLED the Son, (v.35) will be CALLED the Son of God.
God became a man and dwelled among us (Emanuel, God with us).
It is NOT that God had a Son, but rather that He is the Son and is CALLED the Son of the Most High.
The answer to your question is that God who is Spirit judged and condemned the sins of the world in His own body or flesh (Jesus).
Laymond; someone has to suffer for our sins; He will not let us go unpunished.
There are only two ways, either He will punish us for your sins or He will take the punishment which was due to us on Him and He suffers its consequences.
The consequences of our sins are horrifying! Just look to the cross and then you will see.
And if that is not sufficient, then go to a Hospital and then you will see the other side of suffering.
Enough for now,
Lots of love
Paul
Paul, thank you for telling me how to witness suffering. I suppose we all need to suffer more. I was hospitalized with rheumatic fever, when I was 12 yrs old, stayed in hospital for three months, could not walk for approx a year. (I must have done something pretty bad to deserve that). I was blown off a gas well platform, when I was 47 yrs old broken back and neck (still not over that) at 57 yrs I had a heart attack, bypass surgery, two yrs later had a stint inserted in bypass. now they tell me I may have prostate cancer.
If you can tell Kinney, and me what we are doing wrong, we would appreciate it. No I don't blame God for my misfortune, I doubt Kinney does either.
Wow brother, I can see you have your fair share of suffering.
I surely can not identify with that kind of suffering. I am 62 years of age and never suffered any sickness or disease and I am on no medication etc.
I am thankful and praising my wonderful Lord and God my savior Jesus Christ every day for the rest of my life that He did not deal with me according to my sins and transgressions, if He would have, then I deserve much greater suffering than yours.
Laymond; the difference between my God the Lord Jesus Christ and your god Jehovah is, that my God died for my sins on the cross of Calvary and your god did not!
Isaiah boldly said; "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would HEAL them." Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him." [John 12:38-41]
Do you think that it is too difficult for the Lord Jesus to heal your prostate cancer in your body?
I have been very blunt with you in all my comments, because I would like you to turn to Jesus with all your heart and be saved.
Laymond; I hope you do not take offense, but listen carefully to the word of the Lord my God.
Love you brother!
Paul
An extension to my previous comment!
Laymond, you said that you don't blame God for your suffering.
I think that you really should blame God for your suffering, after all it is God who causes you to be sick and to suffer [Exo. 4:11+ Deut. 32:39+1 Sam.2:7+Isa. 54:16 etc.]
Look brother if you really would believe in Him, you would not need to suffer.
I know that you say that you believe in God, but so do all the demons and they tremble.
You are bluntly disobedient to God just like all the Trinitarians.
Has not the Lord Jesus commanded you, to go to the ends of the earth and be MY WITNESSES? [Acts 1:8]
Instead of being a witness for Jesus you are a witness for Jehovah, and the Trinitarians are witnessing for their three persons or identities that they call god.
A disgrace at best!
Why call yourself a Christian? You would do better to call yourself a Jehovah Witness.
A true Christian is a man or a woman who proclaims Jesus Christ to be the Lord God the Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last and that there is NO OTHER GOD beside Jesus Christ our Lord.
I say all this things in hope that you might hear what the Spirit says to the churches [Rev. 2:11], and that you would come out from among them and be separate, so that you will not share in their sins,and will not receive any of their plagues, sicknesses and sufferings. [Rev. 18:4]
Laymond; a brother who loves you will tell the truth, and a brother who hates you will flatter with his lips.
Paul
"Laymond; a brother who loves you will tell the truth, and a brother who hates you will flatter with his lips."
Paul I believe you sincerely have my welfare at heart, I just don't agree.
"Why call yourself a Christian? You would do better to call yourself a Jehovah Witness."
because I believe the only way to God is through Jesus his son.
and following the example he set.
What is Jesus referred to in Revelation.?
Paul, if Jesus is the only true God, who did he pray to in the Garden of Gethsemane? You seem to be focused on Jesus as the only God when that wasn't even the topic of the discussion. THe question was "Why should someone be a Christian (Christ follower)?" If you believe that Jesus is the only true God and there is no God the Father and God the Spirit (the Paraclete) then why do you follow him and him alone?
Maybe you would label me a Trinitarian, I don't know, but I believe in ONE God with somehow three aspects. God the Father (Yahweh), God the Son (Jesus) and God the Spirit (the Paraclete or Comforter). Do you not believe this? I believe that Jesus' final discourse in John strongly supports this view.
I would surmize that most Christians who have dead Christian lives are that way because they are Christians in little more than name. They have little buy in, they are comfortable with where they are and they have not delved into the deep truths that is Christianity. In short, they do not allow their faith to affect their every day lives.
About your suffering point, though I agree with you to some extent that God causes our suffering, see my previous comment.
Like laymond I simply do not agree with your view of Jesus. It is not supported in the Bible as a whole. Of course you can take bits and pieces out and make it say what you want, but I think that is a dangerous road.
Thanks Josh for your comment;
If Jesus prayed to somebody else, another identity, then by necessity Jesus would not be the Lord God the Almighty, but that other identity which you are suggesting would be the Lord God.
And if both identities are God, then you have TWO gods.
An utter impossibility!
Laymond would understand that, because he is a monotheist just like I am and you are a polytheist believing in many gods.
You said that you believe in ONE God, then please tell me in which ONE of those three identities you have listed you believe?
No Josh! Descriptions as 'God the Son and God the Holy Spirit' are not in the Bible, that is deceptive Trinitarian language.
"Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live". [1 Cor. 8:6]
The Lord Jesus said, "If you do not believe that I am He, then you will die in your sins". [John 8:24]
To die in your sins simply means that you would go to the grave without the forgiveness of your sins. It means that Jesus did not suffere the consequences of your sins on His body, but that you have to suffer and will be punished for your own sins with sickness, disease and calamities of various kinds, because you would not believe in the only ONE God Jesus Christ.
Whosoever believes in Him (Jesus) shall have eternal life and whosoever believes not shall be eternally damned.
No Josh, there are no two ways, only one way JESUS!
Paul
Paul,
Thanks for your comments as well. I enjoy a little debating now and again.
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:43
There are two different wills there. Usually evidence of two beings.
"I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me...Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father...Don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me?" JOhn 14:6-10
Yet somehow they are one! I dont have time to get into the Spirit at this time.
You are trying to fit God (the God of heaven and earth, Yahweh) into a box of human understanding. We can't understand how he is what he is. All I can grasp at is what is in His Word, and when I say grasp, I mean grasp. I do not and will never understand everything. That is why I enjoy talking about things like this that are so difficult. It makes us sharper and study deeper into what we believe.
Thanks again Paul.
Josh, and Paul, can you explain the following.
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Paul what is meant by "faithful witness" and "the beginning of the creation of God;"
and Josh I might ask you to explain "the beginning of the creation of God;" statement. if you can.
Josh, the trinity doctrine defines "God" as "three persons separate but equal" in my opinion and understanding of scripture, ,that is a ridiculous statement.
When we say as you did "I believe in ONE God with somehow three aspects. God the Father (Yahweh), God the Son (Jesus) and God the Spirit (the Paraclete or Comforter)."
When we say that, we are putting limits on the power of "God".
why not continue with God the creator, God the giver, God the teacher, and on and on. we know it is said "God is all in all"
There is many places where Jesus said, I work for God, I do his bidding.Therefore he cannot be "God" nor God's equal.
Laymond...are you arguing from that one verse that Jesus is a created being? Just trying to get that straight. Because if you are, you are basing it off of a difficult translation of the Greek text. The word beginning is the Greek word arche (prounouonced arkay). It could also be translated origin or ruler which would make more sense based on other scriptures.
Jesus was at least at one time equal with God (Philippians 2). Whether he is now, I'm not sure...it's hard to decipher from scripture.
Jesus himself claimed to be God. John 8:58. Before Abraham was born, I AM. The Jews new exactly what he was saying and they didn't like it. Jesus is God, but somehow separate and apart from God as well. Difficult I know. You should know this goes back to Moses and when he asked God who he would tell his fellow Israelites who had sent him. God said, I AM who I AM, tell them I AM has sent you.
This is difficult stuff guys...I don't really have time to talk about it anymore, all I can say is keep studying, keep an open mind, as will I.
I always say that my faith changed me in a way that I would want everyone to experience. With that said, usually I don't spend much time trying to convince people. I spend more time trying to apply the principles of the Bible to myself so that in my actions, my faith is evident.
Actions speak louder than words, as the saying goes, and if we seek live in such a loving way that it distinguishes us, then it means more to people.
Josh;
Because you don't understand the Scripture that's why you do not know who God is.
Maybe you should find yourself time, because that is the most important question in your entire life.
Anyone who fails on that question will surely perish.
Jesus says that anyone who believes in me shall be saved.
And how can you believe that Jesus is God and at the same time believe that there is another person or identity who is also a god?
In how many gods do you really believe?
It was a pleasure to talk to you.
Paul
Laymond;
A faithful witness or a true witness is a person who witnesses or testifies about the true God just like I do, or in Revelation 1:5 like Jesus does, and in Rev. 1:2 like John testifies to the word of God (Jesus) and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev. 3:14 Jesus is again the true witness, the ruler or the beginning of God's creation.
The beginning of the creation of God means, when Jesus created all things in the beginning, and nothing came into being apart from Him, [John 1:3] Jesus was the only one who saw it, since He created it and there was nobody else to witness it, therefore Jesus is the true witness.
BTW a big amen on the comment to Josh about the Trinity, it surely is ridiculous and most people fall for it.
Paul
April T.
Thanks for your comment.
You sound like a devout Muslim, Mormon, or Hare Krishna.
I don't think you are a Jehovah Witness, because they usually tell you in which god they believe.
I think that your words speak a lot louder then your action.
Jesus said, go into all the world and preach (SPEAK) the gospel, and to be His witness, and then the signs and wonders will follow.
And if you ashamed of His Name, He will be ashamed of you before His Father who is in heaven, and if you deny Him before men, He will deny you before His Father who is in heaven.
Kind regards
Paul
I would like to exchange links with your site www.blogger.com
Is this possible?
Because your so sick of your sin ,and if you die in your sin you will end in hell.repent ...and trust Christ . It's a short answer but it's the biblical truth.
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