Posted on 10/31/2015 6:36:53 AM PDT by Colofornian
You make it sound like Christians have no objective standard for knowing truth from error. It is simply NOT based on what someone “feels” is the truth but is something that Christians have known from the start. St. Vincent referred to this knowledge as “we hold the faith that has been believed everywhere, always, by all.”. It is based on the revealed word of God and which the Holy Spirit confirms as the truth.
Certainly heresy and cults are nothing new. St. Paul warned that it wouldn’t take long before ravenous wolves would infiltrate the flock and try to separate and destroy the genuine faith. Had he not ensured the truth had been taught, preserved and passed down by faithful men able to teach others also, then I seriously doubt Christianity would have survived past the second century. We DO have a sure word of truth - an objective standard by which all claims of truth must be measured. It is sacred Scripture. God’s divinely revealed word. Which He gave to us and which will never pass away. Every major tenet of the Christian faith is plainly taught in Scripture and it has been used as the touchstone to fight against false doctrine from the very start.
If some group claims to have a “restored gospel” and they condemn every faith tradition but their own, then they should be expected to defend it against the standard of God’s word. They should be expected to prove that their tenets were taught by our Lord and the Apostles - that it was believed from the start always, everywhere and by all.
I’m no authority on this stuff, neither are you or anybody else here. We are simply giving our opinions.
a. Storytelling is the most effective sales tactic. Every religion uses it.
b. For what it’s worth, I do not believe that the path to God was intended only for literate man.
c. I also believe the tale of “original sin” is a con job promoted by evil forces. I believe God is fair and just, so that story doesn’t square.
Thanks for your discussion, and thank you for not acting like a prophet.
That’s just the point...the “authority” is what God has decreed as the truth. It isn’t based on anyone’s opinion but God’s word was established AS His authority because “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).
The truths we believe are based on what God has revealed IS the truth, not what some self-proclaimed prophet declares. It is why Christians have always believed in the basic tenets of the faith taught by Jesus Christ and His Apostles and which they passed down to faithful men and women to this day. The written Scriptures are preserved to be the guide for what is the truth and is not dependent on oral traditions, storytelling or word of mouth. No one says the gospel is only available to literate people, far from it because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The Scriptures are the user’s manual, so to speak. It is there so we can have a more sure way of knowing truth from error.
Your believing or rejecting of a truth doesn’t change whether or not it IS the truth. It is not relative. Everything I believe by faith can be proved by Scripture. I don’t have to be a prophet to trust what God has spoken and to rest in the faith that His word confirms.
Truths? No. Beliefs, yes.
So truth is unknowable to you?
Ridiculous reply. I know when my beliefs are just that. I cite them as beliefs.
Others consider their beliefs to be truths. It is impossible to maintain
a rational conversation with them.
Why is it ridiculous to ask if you believe that truth can be known? Either there IS such a thing as absolute objective truth or everything is relative and truth doesn’t exist. To me, THAT is the most ridiculous thing of all. Even the belief that there is no absolute truth is oxymoronic since that would require one to say that is true.
I believe that truth CAN be known and that the bringer of truth - the ONE who establishes all truth - has revealed that to those who diligently seek it. It takes faith - without which no one can please God.
Calm down; you’re contesting points I didn’t make or believe.
I’m calm...not to worry. I can only respond to what you write and can’t read minds. You questioned the existence of truth and whether anyone’s faith can be based on it. You were the one to claim all people have are their opinions and no one can say they believe the truth and someone else may believe in untruth. Was this what you meant or not?
I have no burning need to carry on a discussion with someone who challenges what are basic and established tenets of Christianity and who claims such things are unknowable. Have a good night.
Nothing in religion is proven. Nothing.
It’s why it’s called faith. I have my beliefs, but KNOW they are not proven.
I agree. A waste of time.
“Nothing” is proven or provable in Christianity? Do you seriously want to admit your faith is built on myths? Though I don’t and never did contend that EVERYTHING in the Christian faith is proven by conventional means, there is far more evidence to assure us we have a belief based on REALITY than just wishful thinking. Scripture is replete with passages where Almighty God calls us to reason together with Him, to test the spirits to see if they are genuine and to assure us that He is the one true God by the words He spoke to His prophets. Does it take faith? Of course! But it is a faith with a solid foundation in truth.
I wish you well on your search for truth.
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