BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Bible Basics Believers and Unbelievers......

I know you aksed this question of someone else, but I hope you don't mind me replying. As for me, the reason I would like to "introduce" people to Jesus is because I truly believe He is the only true way to salvation and eternal life. I have a good friend who is an atheist, and I am currently in a "debate" with him over the situation. He sees it as a mental excercise and fun. I see it that way, too, but I also see it as if I (or rather God) doesn't find a way to his heart, then if he dies, his eternal soul is going to Hell.

I'm not crazy about "Hell and Damnation" preachers. I think it is much more relevant to speak of God's love and the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, but the reality of Hell exists. As I told my friend: if I am wrong, and there is no God, then what do I have to lose, I'll just cease to exist when I die. But if he is wrong and God does exist....

That is why I try to teach people about Jesus and His love. No-one deserves suffering for eternity, not even Tom Cruise. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

It is kind of funny, just a few weeks ago our pastor preached on how we could be certain Jesus is who He said He is. Your 2nd paragraph came very close to what he said (he also said Christ could have been a liar, but that didn't reconcile because of His teachings).

Anyway...
I am have been a Christian since '97, but I was a pew-sitter, I have only gotten excited about the Word in the past year (a lot of circumstances). I've been trying to find a certain passage, but can't remember where it is, but somewhere after the ressurection when the apostles have gone out it talks about the church going back to study what the apostle had just taught them, to make sure it was correct, and that they were commended for it. So they way I took it, is that man can make mistakes, but the Word is God and we can trust It, and should always come back to It if we ever have any questions.

Back to the original "stumbling block" question; I have found I had a lot more temptation to either join in or keep my mouth shut due to "embarassment" when I wasn't studying and praying. Now it's not quite so hard. However, I've also found myself gravitating towards spending more time with my Christian friends. Which is not neccessarily a good thing, because what good does it do to preach to the saved? Jesus spent His time among the sinners!

So now that I have gotten a few very good and insightful answers on my first question (why be a missionary)...here's my 2nd Q. How do you know it really is the "Truth"?

Because the preacher says it is.

Wendy, this is for you but a little aside for Kat first...

(And just to make things clear, if I say �you� I mean it in the generic sense)

There have been many times where I have disagreed w/ my pastor (GASP-SHOCK!). Seriously, having been the children's choir director, I kind of fell in this in-between category, the "congregation" considered me a church leader and the pastors considered me a VERY involved layperson, who wasn't afraid to take on leadership duties in certain areas (only music!)

Sometimes Marty would say something in a sermon and i'd go, "hmmmmm that's not the way I read it.� And in case you haven�t noticed, I�m very stubborn, and I HATE being wrong, so I would go home and look up whatever verses he had preached on and do my own research. More often than not he is correct, this is the most �in-touch� pastor I have ever had. (My complaint about him is he has no people skills! His head is so focused on God he kind of forgets tact sometimes. Hmmmmm, sounds a little familiar). <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Most of the discrepancies I�ve been correct on have had to do with either context of the entire scripture (he doesn�t miss that often), or simple non-soul shattering issues (Luke was the only gospel in which the Roman soldier referred to Jesus as a �good man� instead of the �Son of God�).

I, however, left my previous church, because my pastor disdainfully took scriptures out of context. Like the whole �women should not speak in church� thing, or �man is the head of the household� � yes it is true that the Bible says these things, but there are a lot of sentences that go around them that clarify and qualify what these statements mean. The women that Timothy was speaking of were vicious gossips and troublemakers; he was NOT issuing a commandment from God for all time. Man is the head of the household, but he should love his wife as Jesus loves the church. Since Jesus lead by serving and caring for others, it doesn�t make sense that a husband can say �make me my dinner- God says you have to.� That pastor was unwilling to hear he was wrong however- HE was the mouthpiece of God Marty on the other hand is a servant of God � big difference.

Okay, Wendy�.How do I know it�s truth? I can�t ever know 100% The whole basis of Christianity is faith. If God gave us proof of every little thing, where would the need for faith be. But think about this� A person that skydives cannot KNOW 100% that their chute is going to open. Chances are good, but accidents do happen, but if they didn�t believe (or have faith) that the chute would open � they would never get up in the plane. Here�s one that hits closer to home. Do you drive? There is no way for you to know you won�t be killed in a car accident. The chances are (thin air here) a million to one, but that�s still not 100%, yet you get in your car every day and drive to work/school/wherever because you have faith so deep rooted that nothing bad is going to happen that you don�t even think about it. Every single one of us bases half of the things we do during the normal course of a day on faith, but we don�t realize it because it is so �normal�.

God has given us His word. God has given us miracles. God has given us the human body � a most extraordinary machine (created by chaos?). There is some proof out there, if you choose to believe in it. In order to fall in love you make a choice to have faith. This is the same thing. You make a choice to have faith, you will still doubt at times because you are human, but then you say �I don�t care, I choose to believe in you.� And then He gives you the strength to do so. <img src="/images/graemlins/angel.gif" alt="" />

Wendy, How can you be absolutly certain that it is not?

If the dude at the grocery store who bags your groceries told you he was the messiah, where would you take the info to confirm it? Where's your foundation of faith?

Show me absolute proof that the Bible is NOT God's Word....because I for one want to err on the side of the Almighty. the Alpha and the Omega, the one who calls Himself the King of kings and Lord of lords. I'd rather be a woman worth dying for than a fool worshipping a dead god.

Easy killer, Jenna I have always known you to be very fair minded AND a well versed and educated woman. It was just a question...more like how did you know that it was the path for you...I wasnt attacking or criticizing just interested and curious.

Oh Wendy,

I know....My reply ismore for those who read this who feel like the whole subject of Christianity is fair game and want to jump on some imagined band wagon...:) You know how I get sometimes...don't hear it with an edge, just passion for what I believe...lol

I guess I know because I feel it in my soul...like the way I know I love my children, or the way I know that I have an opinion.... It's just there, part of my basic make up....Something happened deep down inside of me and I am different than I used to be.

My testimony is here: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5665.asp

Umm...actually MusicalMom.....we ALL deserve to be seperated from God for all eternity....but Praise Be to Jesus our Loving Savior....He saved us from that wrath !!

We all fall short of His glory....none are worthy to enter His presence without the atoning blood of Jesus Christ to cover us.

Also...you were wondering about something in Acts. Those folks were the Bereans. You'll find that account in Acts 17:10-15. In that chapter of Acts are three examples of how the Word was recieved in three different cities.


In Thessalonica when Paul preached...the jews became jealous (I'm thinking the Jewish leadership)..and they rounded up a bunch of liars and started a riot.

The Berreans "recieved the message with great eagerness and examined the Scirptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."(Acts 17:11) However some folks had followed Paul from Thessalonica and started stirring up trouble there in Berea.

The city of Athens was full of idols..including an alter with the inscription "To An Unknown God". The folks at Athens were curius about what Paul had to say..they were proud of how much they knew..and they listened until Paul got to the part about the reasurection. As soon as he spoke about that some sneered and that was all they wanted to hear, but others wanted to hear more...and "a few became followers of Paul and believed" (Acts 17:34)

I know this is a REALLY REALLY old thread...lol...I just had to respond ! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

LOL <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Touche'

What I meant to say was that no-one deserved to suffer for eternity, because I didn't do the job Jesus set for me, (the great commission). If Jesus was willing to come down and give His life for me, then by accepting Him as my Savior, it's my responsibility to tell as many people as I can about Him. (I'm having to learn when to "let go and let God" however!)

Thanks for the Acts info! I made my pastor look up his sermon notes and find that passage for me, too.

So what if its a long post? Its a good conversation. IMHO.