jack sequim wa Loc: Blanchard, Idaho

There is a verse once they went and preached in the city and were rejected. "turn and walk away, shake the dust from your feet"
I'm at that cross roads....

Rufus Loc: Deep South

I believe that is the case with some on here. There is also the biblical saying. Don't cast your pearls before swine. I have to hand it to you though Jack. You seem to have much more patience and presence of mind and compassion than I do trying to help. I get frustrated much quicker when i feel they are just wasting my time. OK, so I still may pray for them when I retire at night. But sometimes I just have to call them a dumbass.

jack sequim wa Loc: Blanchard, Idaho

Sometimes the hardest thing for a Christian is love for someone attacking you. I'm glad God didn't give up on me.
The Bible is a love story, describing how much God loves his creation, man, and since God loved us first, and after (I) we were shown an abundance of grace, (I) we do not deserve, given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and now so dearly loved as his bride. This love story inspires us, to seek having love for the lost, to the glory of our father. By sharing Gods word, for he desires none to perish, we are loving our Father, or learning how to love, slowly removing darkness from our heart, making more room for the light.

godzhellraisinson Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

true but god says religion itself won't get you into heaven. im spiritual and just like god says in Hebrews not to indulge in man made buildings (churches) man still does. everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody want to die for god. what makes yousspiritually mature is the world

godzhellraisinson Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

works, spiritually mature

jack sequim wa Loc: Blanchard, Idaho

The only way to have eternal life is thru faith.
Faith that Jesus is the son of God (God in the flesh)
Believe that Jesus shed his blood as a sacrifice for our sins
Believe that Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead

"for by faith are we saved, not of works lest any man boast"

So if faith is called a religion in order to identify, what faith one believes.
So religion in itself does not save

God instructs believers to have fellowship, and God instructs as to the structure of leadership i.e.; pastor, deacons......
Since we don't live in small villages across American, larger buildings are needed to accommodate a dozen, several hundred, several thousands in fellowship, teaching, and instruction.

Fellowship is necessary to God
Put several logs together and they burn BRITE, set a log by itself and it smolders.
No one needs church to be saved, but they do need to gather in order to fulfill Gods instruction to do so.

And then God instructs those in the church (body) to disciple

Saying I don't need church is a cop out to sleep in, spend the day at the beach, be lazy. God instructs us to gather for good reasons. Maturing us is one.

godzhellraisinson Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

god says in scripture you fool!! if churches were any good they'd been blown up!! most churches are segregated!! is there color in gods eyes?!!! your god is the pastor!!! God says in Hebrews and luke!! God has nothin to do with blessing ppl with material things !! but i bet you were a cross. its a symbol!! jesus says oh well your stupid!!!

godzhellraisinson Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

the truth hurts don't it? the blind will lead the blind. you follow god on how the showed you. in a group. thank God i can see thank you god!!!!

jack sequim wa Loc: Blanchard, Idaho

Your words and anger reveals your heart, not a spirit of God, but of darkness and not salvation thru the blood of Christ.

How do you believe a man has eternal life in the presence of God?

Old testament the Jews would worship at the temple, under the law

New testament, we worship God daily, and also gather as the body of Christ, worship our mighty God, and have fellowship, under grace.

jack sequim wa Loc: Blanchard, Idaho

One more question, you said church is segregated, color.
Do you live somewhere there are segregated churches?
I have lived in six western states and never have I heard about our have seen segregated church. That is since a young man began worshipping in 1974

mwdegutis Loc: Illinois

You know what Yogi Berra said...When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

Hopefully that will cheer you up. We know that it's not easy.

jack sequim wa Loc: Blanchard, Idaho

It's all good, it's a great day!! :-)

Rufus Loc: Deep South

Amen brother! I love The Lord and believe everything He teaches me. Last night and this morning I had to pray and ask God to help me in responding to the outrageous and the blind on this forum. I know in my heart when I stoop to their level it doesn't help them or me. It will take time. But like Paul said we must persevere. It is much easier for me when on a mission field or doing different types of ministry work or surrounded by my Christian brothers and sisters in a study group or simply in fellowship. But like so many things we encounter as we try to grow as Christians I will try, pray, and try again and pray some more. I often joke about how very slow our growth as Christians can be. However difficult I would much rather be a child of God than to ever return to who I was when I did not know Him. I always appreciate your words of wisdom and your support. I love you brother. :thumbup:

themadblacksmith

A much simpler explanation is this. Remember Jesus was very familiar with scripture. (Every Jewish male was) How hard would it be for Him to ride into jerusalen on a donkey? Easier to get a donkey than a horse! How hard would it be for Him to tell Judas "I am going to play a trick on the priests. Sell me to them for 30 denarii." (The Gospels make it clear Jesus knew all about the intended "betrayal" and told judas to go and do it.)How hard would it be to get the Romans to nail him up? Not hard, they did a lot of that.
it would be interesting to know exactly when the resurection stories got started. (Now of course any God worth the name rises from the dead-Osiris, Dionysus, Mithra, Hern, Inanna.Usually it's associated with the Sun, the days get shorter and shorter until Winter Solstice and then longer. The sun "dies" and is "reborn". And WHO is said to be born on Winter Solstice? Mithra, Hern and Jesus.) But the gospels were written 30 to 70 years after Our Hero died. (Mark first, Matthew ca. 75 AD, Luke, and John last, ca. 100)
Roman writers refer to "People gathering at dawn to sing hymns to Chrestus, whom they consider a sun god." Early Christians associated Him with Apollo, the roman sun god. He was shown as a clean shaven, curly-haired youth in a short tunic. Ie, as they normally represented Apollo. (The long haired, bearded Jesus in long robes came 1000 years later!)
This is not to say that it could not have happened exactly as the Bible says. But the simplest explanation is always *most likely* to be correct. the explanation that requires the fewest coincidences and the least whiz-bang.

Rufus Loc: Deep South

What are you saying? Can you say it in plain English?