That’s fine. My previous posts indicate that I have already found the answers...I have absolute confidence in “the scriptures which are able to make one wise unto salvation.” A loving God has communicated His character and nature to us through scripture. John writes:
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
and later...
Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
A loving God has removed all doubt about eternal life:
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
It is exclusive...exclusively God’s. Notice no reference to a religion, a denomination, a sect. It is a straightforward communication through the written word of God. God has, in Christ, reconciled the world to Himself, by making “Him, Who knew no sin to be made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” Scripture tells us that you and I have no claim to heaven because of our sin. You and I can do nothing to justify ourselves in God’s eyes. Our sin render us unrighteous in the eyes of a Holy God. God cannot ignore sin (for He is just). Sin’s penalty must be paid for in order for the sinner to be justified. An Old Testament verse I was attempting to get A_Perfect_Lady to consider that deals with our unrighteousness is:
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
The righteous servant spoken of here is One who CAN justify others—it speaks of one who is apart from sin (for who can justify himself when he, himself is unrighteous), it speaks of Christ. Lady rejects this. The Jews (both today’s and yesterday’s) have rejected this (except for some - a faithful remnant.) This, in part, is the gospel/good news that is presented in the Old Testament/New Testament scriptures. You either accept it as such or you don’t. There is no hemming and hawing. It is what it is. I, and a number of others on this particular thread, have all indicated that their confidence in belief in God stems from reading and believing in the communication God has sent forth - His Word (which, by the way is how John refers to Christ in the opening of his gospel.) This is the what and the how of my belief in God. I have never once mentioned a group or “religion.”
My questions were really more of a challenge to you to truly look at what you believe and upon what it is that causes you to believe so. You were positing statements about God that indicate some level of confidence, yet these clearly conflict with the God revealed in the bible. I was trying to get you to articulate where your statements of faith are anchored. The heaven-bound saint finds a righteousness not his own in Christ that clothes him/her for heaven. It does not come from any personal belief/idea/understanding he/she has. It does not come from a church or a dogma. It does not come from self-justification. It comes from God in Christ as revealed by His word.
Think of my regret expressed in #868 as a courtesy from a refined person to end a curious but trivial incident rather than an admission of error. (Though I couldn’t resist adding a little subtle sarcasm)
Since you’re not satisfied to just leave it at that but gave me a lengthy reply seemingly for a particular purpose, let us revisit your original post (#852).
Yes, all the questions you raised can be considered challenges (though it was an extraordinarily detailed set of questions when the usual ‘where’s your proof’ would suffice, especially at the beginning), and I did suspect that. But the intention of the post is unmistakable when we reach the last paragraph.
You wrote:
>> “(Please consider as you answer that how you respond may very well serve as a sort of “spiritual map” for those who might be seeking to understand the God you seem to know about. You based all this on the following assumption: “Actually, it really doesn’t matter...” How do you KNOW this? What if you are wrong and, in the end, it does matter? What if, instead, things like this matter: Prov. 14:12? What then?)”
Clearly, not only did you desire to know how and where to get more information about the God I know, you wanted some assurance, if possible, that it was not just another dead end.
If we could not agree on the meaning of simple English, there is really no basis for any meaningful discourse.
.
Your original post was a genuine desire to know more about a loving God that clearly manifests in my original post (#848). You were expecting I would put everything out there without your having to tip your hand. But I didn’t do that. Worse, my response scared you when I alluded to things like heresy, relinquishing long-held beliefs, etc. Suddenly you realized you might be at the blink of falling for some false teaching that Christians are so-o-o afraid of. A close call like this is really bad for a Christian’s image with his peers, and could perhaps lead to a little bruising of the ego. All these considerations prompted your initial denial (#868) and later your lengthy attempt (#870) to restore your proper image as a Christian. This explains why #870 is so full of standard Christian jargon, replete with all the empty and hackneyed terms and phrases that Christians seem to love to recite by rote
I’m not trying to put you on the spot. But it is a good illustration of how a typical Christian behaves. It is almost as if they draw a circle around themselves and dare not venture an inch out to see what else is out there.
**
With the above I have presented all the facts and non-facts surrounding this incident. Now you can have the last word, have at it.