Some questions for devout Christians....

Hi Ben,

I will try to answer your questions in the order you presented them in:

1. Fear- There are two kinds of fear Healthy and harmful. Healthy fear is a feeling of reverence, awe and respect. Harmful fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by a sense of danger.

My fear of the Lord is a healthy fear of reverence and respect. The bible teaches that children are to respect their parents.

2.I have no doubts concerning my future because when I became saved, I put my future and my life in his hands and he has not failed me yet. I know who holds my future and I know he holds my hand.

3.I pray to communicate with my heavenly father. I talk to him daily because he is my parent. When I am troubled, I tell him all about it, although I am fully aware that he already knows. It is my way of venting. I need to get things off my chest, so to speak. I know that he is always there to listen, just like any good parent. I don't worry about my needs because I know who supplies them. I have food, clothes, shelter, my health and strength. I don't take these things for granted because I know who gives them to me. Again like any good parent would do for their children.

4. I am aware that he lives in my heart. I go to church to fellowship with other believers. I can and do praise him anywhere, in my car, in my home, walking down the street. I do not have a particular place to give my God praise. The temples are there to commune and fellowship with other believers. He said in his word to fail not to assemble yourselves together.

Sorry to be so long winded but I get excited when I talk about my Lord and Savior.

When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all he's done for me, my soul cries out hallelujah! Thank God for saving me.

Be Blessed.

1. We love God because He first loved us. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. 1John 4:19,18

2. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

3. Cast all your cares upon God, for He cares for you. 1Peter 5:7

4. God is spirit, and they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Not in any particular "mountain or city." John 4:24,21

Yes, God is all good. However, He is Holy, Holy, Holy. We are to fear what would happen to us if we hadn't/haven't asked Him to forgive us of our sins. We are to fear His anger because even His mild displeasure is worse than a human with the worst temper on Earth being unable to control his temper and constantly loosing control of it.

Even though God is all wise, humans are not. Doubt about our future is a normal human quality. Everyone has doubt is some area of their life. The only thing that genuine Christians don't doubt is what is in the Bible and the fact that we will eventually go to Heaven (either when we die or when Christ returns...whichever is sooner and that is up to Him).

We don't warn God about anything. He wants us to talk to Him (pray). He likes to hear in our own words about what is going on in our lives.

The "temples", while built for the glory of God, are more for our own benefit than His. They give us a central point to come to in order to worship Him and to be taught about Him. Though that can be done while doing anything else.

Because I love my Father and seek only to do His will....I have no need to fear Him. I fear disappointing Him. I have doubts about what events each day will have in store for me...never about my future because that's secure because I belong to Jesus now. I'm constantly talking to my Father about everything that is going on in my life...as it happens (and He usually answers within seconds...that scared me the first time) I go to Church in order to learn more about my Father. I worship Him every day with the small things that I do.

Some questions for devout Christians....

Concerning God; I have some questions , written by someone famous, long ago, for those of you who are devout Christians:...........

1. If He is infinitely good, what reason should we have to fear him?

Because we are definitely NOT good. Fearing God is the beginning of wisdom, which is the beginning of knowing His goodness and letting him work on our lack.

2. If he is infinitely wise, why should we have doubts concerning our future?

I don't.

3. If He knows all, why 'warn' Him of our needs, and fatigue him with our prayers?

I don't. Prayer is how He works on Me, not on how I work on Him.

4. If He is everywhere, why erect temples to Him?

We shouldn't. New Testament doesn't stipulate that. They met in homes.

If I had a "free will" I'd be hopelessly lost forever in trespasses and sins and their consequenses.

I'm glad I don't have a "free will"

http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/savior-of-the-world/FreeMoralAgent-Eby.html

If God is really not willing that any perish, then why will they perish? Don't give me this free will nonsense. "No man can come to Me," Jesus said, "except the Father draw him" (John 6:44). Salvation is indeed a gift from God, sovereignly given, to whomever God chooses, when He chooses, and He will indeed grant it to all mankind, in due time (Titus 2:11, 1 Tim 2:6). It does not depend on man's acceptance. Left to themselves, no man would ever choose God (Rom. 3:10-11). At the present time, God bestows benefits of life, food, health, rain, etc, to saints and sinners alike (Acts 17:25). He also has ordained for all mankind to experience a portion of both good and evil as well. The experiences of life are all preparatory to, and in anticipation of, our eternal life with God.

Some say all are given equal opportunity . . . "? Nonsense. This is patently untrue. The Scriptures clearly show that all mankind was plunged into it's present state of being lost by the actions of one man, Adam (Rom. 5:12). All mankind are born sinners. In the history of the world, very few of mankind have ever been given the opportunity to believe in the "only name given under heaven, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Salvation is a gift, sovereignly given to those of God's choice. It is offered to no one. It was procured by the obedience of One Man, Christ Jesus, and His death on the cross (Rom. 5:15-18). It is for all mankind, it is presently enjoyed by all who believe, and will be bestowed on all mankind in due time (Romans 3:22, Titus 2:11, 1 Tim 2:6). God's mercy is based on the fact that all sin has been judged in the person of His Son. God has subjected the whole creation to the experience of evil, in order to extend mercy to all (Rom 8:20). Romans 1:20 says that man is without excuse for denying God's existence. But the free gift of salvation has not yet been revealed to all mankind; only to a few now, in due time to all (Titus 2:11, 1 Tim 2:6).

Rodgertutt, Wow. Excellent.  I want to copy every word you've said here down on a piece of paper and meditate on it for hours.

WHY ARE YOU AND I HAVING FAITH IN JESUS FOR OUR SALVATION 

SELF-HELP SALVATION AND PRIDE
By James Coram, director of THE CONCORDANT PUBLISHING CONCERN

Some Christians think that the gaining of their salvation is, in part, a human achievement. Other Christians think that the maintaining of their salvation is, in part, a human achievement. Yet other Christians think that both the gaining and the maintaining of their salvation is, in part, a human achievement. Even though it be ever so small, many Christians think that their part (which becomes the most important part) is absolutely necessary for the success of their salvation. God’s part, they think, is not sufficient.

What everyone needs most is a willing heart and a change in their stubborn will. But many Christians think that at that point, just when we need Him the most, God lets us down. They think that He will not grant anyone a willing heart or effect a change in their stubborn will. This is something, they think, that they must supply on their own.

Even if we have been graced to come to Jesus, we tend to suppose that this was thanks to ourselves. Indeed, many seem to become much more proud and self reliant after “conversion” than ever before. And they seek to cover this up through much ill-disguised religious parlance in which it is true that they do give much, but certainly not all the credit to God. For example, “The Lord did it all, after I let Him.” or “I could never be where I am today without His assistance.”

This increase in pride is the result of having been subjected to such an abundance of human-independence teaching in an atmosphere in which it is continuously encouraged and reinforced, verified and justified with much approbation and exaltation.

After all, such believers are sure that they, unlike others, have “made their decision for Christ.” And, they say, this has not occurred in the grace of God as a result of their having been chosen before the disruption of the world (even if the Scriptures do say so), but is the result and is thanks to their very own decision. Though others may far excel them in lesser things, when it comes to what is most important, they think it is obvious that they are superior. They think, “At least I was willing and sufficiently disciplined, for when it mattered the most I did the right thing and the switch got thrown, so people like me will go up to heaven while everyone else will go down to hell.”

Just think of it. Picture this type of self-help salvation and pride. For all eternity (or at least for the ages) they will be able to say, “All those miserable sinners burning in hell could have gone to heaven too. Certainly the work of Christ saved no one at all. It wasn’t supposed to. All it did was make salvation possible. Besides, every one of those sinners deserves to be in everlasting burning, for unlike me, they didn’t do what they should have and could have. And here I am in eternal bliss, perfectly good and perfectly happy, even though billions of my fellow creatures are perfectly miserable and doomed to stay that way forever (or at least for the ages). Yet in the end I only got here myself because of what I did, not because of the sacrifice of Christ. I chose to meet God’s demands for His (so-called) free gift and I did so. I wasn’t given any special grace. It wasn’t any easier for me than for anyone else. It’s too late now anyway so let them burn. Too bad for them, but not for me. I’m happy and so is God. In fact we’re all happy here.”

You see, that’s the ultimate selfishness of that view and that’s what it leads to. One can only avoid boasting in self by truly ceasing to believe things and say things that are inherently of a boastful nature.

It is only the word of the cross that effectively and wisely trains us in this true humility so that “if anyone is boasting, in the Lord let him be boasting,” as Paul says. It is an empty gesture to go through the motions of giving all the glory to God, while at the same time continually believing that good decisions and acts are things which ultimately owe their existence to one’s own self, God having but made them possible. May He enlighten us to see truly that it is “in the grace of God that I am what I am.”

After thought. Since the salvation of even one soul is 100% by God’s grace plus nothing, the salvation of all souls will be no problem for God at all according to His sovereign perfect timing for each individual

Okay tentmaker - lets go.
When the bible said God is not willing that any should perish, it means just that. God's will doesn't make you sin against Him...YOU make you sin against Him. It's your WILL to sin, not His will imposed upon you.  AND, the Father won't "draw" anyone who's unWILLING ... get it? He doesn't want to MAKE you follow him. He wants you to follow Him WILLingly. There's your free will again. And, left to themselves, no man would choose GOD, because man IS sinful at birth, and isn't WILLING to open his eyes and his heart. Man would rather follow his own WILL than to surrender to God. If you do, indeed CHOOSE God, then He gathers you to Him. And EVERY human on this earth has an equal opportunity to do that. Every one.

Adam did cause the fall, but I don't see how your argument proves anything... In fact, I think you've twisted your view quite a bit from the simple, joyous truth. If Jesus dying for our sins didn't earn salvation for all who ask, then why did He die?  Salvation IS a gift, but it is given freely to ALL who seek it. God is not going to chase you down and sit on you to make you accept it. Salvation is offered to absolutely everyone. You can't earn it, it's by God's grace that you receive it.

And another thing, God has not subjected any of creation to the presence of evil, he has only allowed evil. When Adam (WILLfully) sinned against God,  his eyes were opened to sin and he was expelled from Eden into a world that was ALREADY corrupted by sin because of the fallen angel, Satan.  Satan and his demons are responsible for the presence of evil and worldly corruption. Our salvation through Jesus is our only respite from it. We are to be in the world, but not of the world. To use our WILL to turn away from sin, as much as we can being the sinful creatures we are.

So, are you a Christian, and Agnostic, and Atheist, or what? You tried pretty hard to trash God.