I know this may have been criptique in trying to get my thoughts down but I hope some of what I am trying to say has gotten accross.
You did well, my friend.
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It makes no difference whether you study in the holy language, or in Arabic, or Aramaic [or in Greek or even in English]; it matters only whether it is done with understanding. - Moshe Maimonides.
One has to admit that attempting to avoid a trillion trillion eons of endless torment might be a small motivating factor.....
This, I think, motivates more people than who are willing to make a public statement admitting to it. I call it "taking out fire insurance". But folks who think this approach will work have not read the entire contract.
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It makes no difference whether you study in the holy language, or in Arabic, or Aramaic [or in Greek or even in English]; it matters only whether it is done with understanding. - Moshe Maimonides.
The reason for posing this question, “Why are you a Christian?” was to start folks thinking about what it is was that first drew them to Jesus and why they remain.
We know that there are many who have professed a belief in Christ and then have ‘fallen away’ from such a fellowship. There are others who also profess a belief in Christ but have never changed their lifestyle, which would indicate any change of heart concerning spiritual matters or in improved relationship with other people.
While not looking for responses to the question, I did expect a few might respond – and as might be expected, the responses covered a wide spectrum of views. What was not shared reveals even more than what was posted. I have posted this same question on a couple of different internet communities with as many different responses. I’ll share some of the basic responses later.
Now, what I had hoped to accomplish with this exercise: This is to set the initial stage for outlining my book focusing on a critical review of Christian doctrines. The individual answers to these kinds of questions, why are you a Christian, why do you remain a Christian, and what is your personal pay-off for being/remaining a Christian, and other such questions.
It was to test a theory that how one views God and their relationship with Him will have a profound influence on how one identifies, selects, and observes various religious doctrines. This includes viewpoints from both those in formal ministerial positions as well as the saints of God, in general. It is from these different viewpoints that we should come to understand why some biblical doctrines are accepted as presented in scripture, why some doctrines are modified by the application of human philosophies, and why some man-made doctrines are substituted for biblical doctrines.
There are those who became Christians because of all of the expected blessings that God has promised them. We also have those who want the promise of a good life after death, but want someone else to take the responsibility for fulfilling that desire. Some folks are only looking for a good social club or an opportunity to increase business. Then there are those who have simply taken out fire insurance. Others have seen a golden opportunity to make a good living by living off the saints. Still others found a way to satisfy their need to exercise control the lives of others, while some individuals actually saw themselves as God saw them, and the enormity of that sight crushed them into submission. So, depending on the worldview of the believer some spiritual teaching will be readily accepted while other solid biblical teaching will be summarily rejected.
For example: For those who believe that the local pastor sits in the seat of Moses, they will accept doctrines that support the pastor as the final spiritual authority in their lives. For those who reject this Moses precept, they will adhere to a different set of authority doctrines. This approach to doctrines hold true whether one is discussing which day to keep as holy unto God, the paying of tithes, or how one should view membership in a local church or the extended body of Christ. Consider the controversy over religious standards governing lifestyles and questions concerning how to define holiness. The issues seem to be almost endless, and no matter how much they are discussed, argued and fought over, there never seems to be an acceptable resolution to the conflicts. The history of the church proclaims that we are willing to kill one another over a lack of visible religious conformity, while we ignore the call for spiritual unity.
The expected results of such a book, as I am contemplating, will most likely create more heat than light, because by its very nature it will step on toes, egos, and expose hidden things of the heart – yes, including even my own! However, after all these years I think that I am willing to finally take a look behind the veil I have drawn over my own unacknowledged secrets.
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It makes no difference whether you study in the holy language, or in Arabic, or Aramaic [or in Greek or even in English]; it matters only whether it is done with understanding. - Moshe Maimonides.
While I do not intend to post the entire book on these pages, I am thinking of sharing some of what I am doing as articles for peer review and consideration.
The one thing that is absolutely imperative is this:
Do not expect for me to give anyone the answers to all of the issues of living out a God approved life - that is the purpose of the Bible, not anything I might write. What I intend to do is simply identify the issues, sort out what the Bible says about them, and then turn everyone loose to study and decide for themselves what they will accept and reject, and hopefully to understand why they are making the decisions that they have made.
I would also like to see the doctrines of men and their religious philosophies discarded in the process.
Shalom Aleichem
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It makes no difference whether you study in the holy language, or in Arabic, or Aramaic [or in Greek or even in English]; it matters only whether it is done with understanding. - Moshe Maimonides.
This, I think, motivates more people than who are willing to make a public statement admitting to it. I call it "taking out fire insurance". But folks who think this approach will work have not read the entire contract.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Which doctrines of men? Certainly not all of them?
Hmmm Interesting question. Personally, I can't think of any man-made (authored by men) religious teaching that I would care to observe in lieu of, or incorporate into those doctrines authored by God. For my own reasons see Deu 4:2; 12:32)
Now, if anyone has a list of man-made (non-biblical) doctrines that they follow, and would like to share, I would certainly be interested in reviewing them.
Of course Timmy, if you are referring to the teaching of the world of God by men, that is an entirely different subject. Yet, even there, many teachers teach about the word of God, and seldom actually teach the word of God, as He gave it and intended for it to be understood and implemented in one's life.
The major problem in most of today's churches is we have the habit of lifting a sentence or two out of the Bible, even a partial sentence, and giving a 45 minute discourse of what the teacher thinks it should mean (a personal commentary generally not open to question or general discussion). Where we have ten teachers, we can expect to have at least 5-7 different interpretations and/or life applications, maybe even ten. And, yet we continue to wonder why we can't seem to achieve any degree of spiritual unity among the assemblies.
My personal opinion is that most teachers (and church goers), find much of the Bible simply too unacceptable to embrace. Therefore, such problematic passages are either lightly skipped over, ignored altogether, or discarded as no longer being applicable to God's people. Or, as sometimes happen, the scriptures are twisted around to make them day something never intended by God, but approved of by men. Ah, but this brings full circle, back to the doctrines created by and for men.
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It makes no difference whether you study in the holy language, or in Arabic, or Aramaic [or in Greek or even in English]; it matters only whether it is done with understanding. - Moshe Maimonides.
Hmmm Interesting question. Personally, I can't think of any man-made (authored by men) religious teaching that I would care to observe in lieu of, or incorporate into those doctrines authored by God. For my own reasons see Deu 4:2; 12:32)
Now, if anyone has a list of man-made (non-biblical) doctrines that they follow, and would like to share, I would certainly be interested in reviewing them.
Of course Timmy, if you are referring to the teaching of the world of God by men, that is an entirely different subject. Yet, even there, many teachers teach about the word of God, and seldom actually teach the word of God, as He gave it and intended for it to be understood and implemented in one's life.
The major problem in most of today's churches is we have the habit of lifting a sentence or two out of the Bible, even a partial sentence, and giving a 45 minute discourse of what the teacher thinks it should mean (a personal commentary generally not open to question or general discussion). Where we have ten teachers, we can expect to have at least 5-7 different interpretations and/or life applications, maybe even ten. And, yet we continue to wonder why we can't seem to achieve any degree of spiritual unity among the assemblies.
My personal opinion is that most teachers (and church goers), find much of the Bible simply too unacceptable to embrace. Therefore, such problematic passages are either lightly skipped over, ignored altogether, or discarded as no longer being applicable to God's people. Or, as sometimes happen, the scriptures are twisted around to make them day something never intended by God, but approved of by men. Ah, but this brings full circle, back to the doctrines created by and for men.
Here's a doctrine of man that I had in mind (if it's a doctrine of God, please show me):
"Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & II Samuel, I & II Kings, I & II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, I & II Corinthians, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I & II Peter, I II & III John, Jude, and Revelation are the Bible."
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Here's a doctrine of man that I had in mind (if it's a doctrine of God, please show me):
The simple answer is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The more detailed answer is in the detailed study of your references, Genesis through Revelation. However, if you dismiss the scriptures as being the works (teaching) of men, which reduces the scriptures to works by men and for men, then you are left free to do with them as you wish. Even so, I will not belabor the point with you.
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It makes no difference whether you study in the holy language, or in Arabic, or Aramaic [or in Greek or even in English]; it matters only whether it is done with understanding. - Moshe Maimonides.
Re: Why Are You a Christian?
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