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Quote by: Mr.Vicchio I ask this in all seriousness, putting aside my own beliefs, and yours, here's the question:
There is a general sense of loss of spirituality in the world, some countries it's more prevalent then others, but that's not the point, that there is this movement away from religion, and all things religious, is man really progressing or is it something else?
I was thinking about this today, and I hoenstly don't know. On one hand, I can see the arguement of "It's our destiny, it our life, where is this God and why should we listen to him?"
I can understand the issue, after all, we can't hear, see, detect God in any tangible way. So is he really there?
It begs the question though, if there is a God and people turn away from him, whose fault?
I blame the larger Churches, that have become mroe power/money systems, and the organized religions as a whole. "If you don't believe what WE believe, you shall burn in the firey pitts of HELL!" right. I have not, nor will I ever buy that line of thought. If X religion is so right, and our souls would really rot in hell for not believing them, don't you think God would have spent a bit more effort makng sure we knw that was the gig? Yeah, me too.
In the end though, it's hard to even bother with religion in some ways because there are 5,000 different flavors of "Believe in US and YOU will be a chosen one" It's crap. Crap crap crap. But IMHO that doesn't mean there isn't a God. |
you bring up some very good points here. personally, there are only a few doctrines a person MUST believe to understand by the rules set forth in the Bible. according to it, all a person MUST know is that A.) Salvation is by grace and through faith(For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.); B.) salvation is a result of Jesus's death on the cross atoning our sins and ressurection to bring us to God (For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.); C.) salvation comes through both confession and belief. (For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation; D.)salvation is permanent (the story of the prodigal son, and this passage: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.); and E.) that salvation is not a reason to sin for the rest of our life just because we are saved (What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?)
outside of that, it is up to interpretation. some of it nearly every denomination that belives the above will agree on, some, not so much. some things aren't directly covered in the Bible, such as the type of music you listen to and the way you encourage fellow believers. for those, it is a Romans 14 issue. if a certain thing causes another Christian to stumble, avoid it while around them if it is not covered in the Bible. the reason for the division of all these denominations is because of a lack of ability to follow the simple rule in that chapter, which tells us, if the person doesn't like it, don't do it. that is relationship fixer 101. if you don't do something that another person doesn't appreciate, what will happen? they will grow to respect you more. how much more unity would the world see in the church if they just followed this simple rule?
the love of Jesus, it is something wonderful. it is the most pure, unselfish, perfect love that we will ever know. it comes straight from the heart of God Himself. it's a love that doesn't hold grudges or keep score. a love that's unconditional, ever-faithful and never ending. it's amazing, that in all of God's creation, we would be the greatest objects of His love. we have done nothing to deserve this love, nor can we do anything to be worthy of it. yes, the love of Jesus IS something wonderful.
God created us different from all other creatures. He gave us the capacity to know Him, and to have a personal, intimate relationship with Him, and to have fellowship with Him. He formed us in His own divine image, an image with freedom of will and power of choice. He has loved us from the very beginning. Adam and Eve lived and walked with God in Paradise, a place to perfect for us to comprehend, until the day they chose to disregard their Creator's ever-protecting love. what began there, in the Garden of Eden, would become the great dilemma for every soul. because of Adam's sin, every one of us suffers the consequence of being seperated from God. through the disobedience and rebellion of the first man, sin was passed down to all of us. But God, rich in mercy and love, designed a plan that would restore our love relationship, cleanse us from all our sin, and ultimately, take us back to paradise. though we may never completely understand, His requirement for cleansing the sin of man, was the shedding of the blood of a spotless lamb. for hundreds of years, an animal sacrifice would be offered for the atonement of sin. these offerings were only temporary. but God's love provided His own Lamb, as a permanent, perfect, final sacrifice for all sin, for ALL men, for all time.
one day, in the city of Jerusalem a father sadly looked in the eyes of his children he said, "the time for sacrifice has come our sins must be covered, our wrongs must be atoned." the younger one said, "I don't understand why our sins can't be forgiven without the killing of my lamb." the father took the young child by the hand and said, "there will come a day when the Lion of Judah will become the Lamb of God and take our sins away there will come a day no more sacrifices needed atonement is completed, oh my child, there will come a day" so many years so many lambs were offered up. but all the blood that was spilled could never fill that bitter cup. until one spotless Lamb in the form of man gave his life on calvary His was the only blood that could ever set man free. for His blood was not just blood of another spotless lamb but His blood was precious blood, His blood was precious blood. blood shed for a sin debt only Jesus could pay. God raised the ransom Jesus paid it on the cross where the purest of Lambs was slain for the lost. Blood shed for a sin debt only Jesus could pay. God raised the ransom His blood paid the ransom no more sacrifices needed atonement is completed for Jesus gave His precious blood on crucifixion day.