Creation of the universe

Originally posted by soleran30
God is God and doesn't choose a religion to facilitate god's means. The facilitation is man's desire to derive purpose🙂 Remember when you are looking at problems or puzzles you will always find the pieces that fit your puzzle because of your perception.

Surprisingly I kind of agree with you... it's not like God said I will make a religion for me to be God of. He is God of all people, it just so happens that Christianity is the only religion that goes along with all that He is and ever was. And, He did send His Son: Jesus Christ, in which Christianity is named after. God is the God of Christianity, but it's not like you are making it look.

About the problems and puzzles thing... I truly believe that only God sees the whole picture, and sometimes I don't like the pieces that I see... they don't always go along with my own wants and desires. I know in the end, His way will make sense and that He only wants what is best for me. But, my will and perception don't always match His. That is what I am striving for though, to want the same things He wants, because I know they are the right and best for me anyway.

Originally posted by Blue nocturne
How do you guy's think it started?

There was a really big explosion, and there we were. 😛

MicahLynn we probably agree on more things than you think we just express them differently.

In my opinion people get so caught in up the "rules" and "wants" of God that they forget some very simple realities. You are alive and these rules are not all established by God. Rules are established by men and should be recognized as such. God has set up guidelines for us to follow, its when we get caught up in the folly of rules do we "fail" to meet "Gods" expectations or have we?

In my opinion many rules of religion for its followers are setup to make them fail feel guilty and then get caught up in this viscious circle. Never realizing true love or forgiveness but acting out of fear and guilt. Not a sermon just a thought.

Originally posted by soleran30
MicahLynn we probably agree on more things than you think we just express them differently.

In my opinion people get so caught in up the "rules" and "wants" of God that they forget some very simple realities. You are alive and these rules are not all established by God. Rules are established by men and should be recognized as such. God has set up guidelines for us to follow, its when we get caught up in the folly of rules do we "fail" to meet "Gods" expectations or have we?

In my opinion many rules of religion for its followers are setup to make them fail feel guilty and then get caught up in this viscious circle. Never realizing true love or forgiveness but acting out of fear and guilt. Not a sermon just a thought.

I totally agree. Currently, I am attending a very traditional college, but I was raised more of a liberal and nondenominational Christian. I think people try to figure out and define God so much that they take away from His power and wonder and limit Him in so many ways. Love and forgiveness is what it is all about. If we truly believe this and follow this, then naturally our way of life is going to be more moral than if we didn't. But, so many times, people get caught up in the rules and regulations and tradition and legalism of it all. It shouldn't be like that. It is important for us to recognized that we sin and need grace, but our concern shouldn't be on that, but rather on truly loving others. We shouldn't act out of fear and guilt but out of thankfulness for God's grace and love for us. We should extend that same grace and love to others. Thanks for your thoughts... it means a lot for someone to kind of understand where I am coming from. 🙂

Originally posted by MicahLynn
I believe there is only One God, He is the God of Christianity. He is the God of the Bible. But, don't limit Him to that. He is the God of the Universe, for He created the universe. And, I do read the Bible, I'm a junior at a Bible College, as we speak. I study it every single day. God is the God of Truth and He is never changing. Sure it isn't the only religion, but it is the only One that is right. And, though there are many religions, it doesn't mean that they are all wrong. One of them must be right... and that is Christianity. If you truly studied it, the puzzle pieces world all fit together. But, as a human, you can't see the whole picture, only God can. In the end, on the day of judgment, He will reveal it to us all. We will finally see things as He sees.

But, if those are the things you truly believe and you aren't going to take the time to study it, I can't do anything more for you. I've sown the seed, maybe someone will come along and water it.

That's a nice "BELIEF" but the fact is Christianity's god is just the Jewish god now I know you he's the true god but the whole truth won't be in just a couple of religions that don't even add up.

Originally posted by Blue nocturne
That's a nice "BELIEF" but the fact is Christianity's god is just the Jewish god now I know you he's the true god but the whole truth won't be in just a couple of religions that don't even add up.

How do they not? God is the God of the Jewish religion. But, then He sent His Son as the promised Messiah. Some of the Jewish refused to accept that Christ was the Savior, but some of them did believe. Christianity merged from Judaism with the coming of the Messiah. Jewish people still believe in the same God as Christian people do, they just don't have the grace and forgiveness that only the blood of Jesus can offer. They are still living according to the old covenant, which Jesus came to restore. Jesus is the New Covenant. I am in no place to determine how God will deal with them, but I have been taught according to John 14:6 in which Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. NO one comes to the Father except through me." Once Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice for sins, nothing could take that place. I don't know if Jewish people still sacrifice animals when they sin, and if they don't do that I don't know what they do. But, I do know that Jesus came for that reason, so people wouldn't have to go on sacrficing animals. He came to redeem God's people that we might truly glorify the Father. It adds up perfectly.

this god of yours have a hard time making up his mind from the so called chosen people to that of everyone who follow jesus people, both claim to be the righteous ones

Originally posted by MicahLynn
How do they not? God is the God of the Jewish religion. But, then He sent His Son as the promised Messiah. Some of the Jewish refused to accept that Christ was the Savior, but some of them did believe. Christianity merged from Judaism with the coming of the Messiah. Jewish people still believe in the same God as Christian people do, they just don't have the grace and forgiveness that only the blood of Jesus can offer.

Originally posted by debbiejo
The Christian church pushed out the Jews and made them infidels...Sinful, lost, and ignorant. It was not combined. Paul's teaching even go against the OT teachings......How judgemental the Christian church is to oust the Jews after taking over their god.

How do Paul's teaching go against the OT testament teachings? He didn't say that following those teachings were wrong. He recognize that with Jesus was a New Covenant and that all the hundreds of rules of the Old Covenant were no longer necessary.

How did the Christian Church take over the Jewish God? He is the God of all people, just not all religions. How did they push them out? If anything, Christians long for Jews to come to know Christ as the Messiah. At least, I'm a Christian and that is what I want. I want all people to know Him.

Originally posted by finti
this god of yours have a hard time making up his mind from the so called chosen people to that of everyone who follow jesus people, both claim to be the righteous ones

Anyone that follows God and accepts Jesus is made righteous through Him, both Jews and Gentiles alike.

Originally posted by MicahLynn
Anyone that follows God and accepts Jesus is made righteous through Him, both Jews and Gentiles alike.

So are you condemning all of the others? Their religions are just as true as yours are. Christianity can be so arrogant.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
So are you condemning all of the others? Their religions are just as true as yours are. Christianity can be so arrogant.

How do you get arrogance out of that? I am so underserving of the grace I have received. We are called to serve with humility. If you got arrogance out of my comments, I am sorry. That is not what i intended at all. And, only one religion can be true. There can't be more than one Truth.

Originally posted by MicahLynn
[B]How do Paul's teaching go against the OT testament teachings? He didn't say that following those teachings were wrong. He recognize that with Jesus was a New Covenant and that all the hundreds of rules of the Old Covenant were no longer necessary.
B]

How did the Christian Church take over the Jewish God? He is the God of all people, just not all religions. How did they push them out? If anything, Christians long for Jews to come to know Christ as the Messiah. At least, I'm a Christian and that is what I want. I want all people to know Him.

Anyone that follows God and accepts Jesus is made righteous through Him, both Jews and Gentiles alike

Originally posted by MicahLynn
How do you get arrogance out of that? I am so underserving of the grace I have received. We are called to serve with humility. If you got arrogance out of my comments, I am sorry. That is not what i intended at all. And, only one religion can be true. There can't be more than one Truth.

Originally posted by MicahLynn
How do you get arrogance out of that? I am so underserving of the grace I have received. We are called to serve with humility. If you got arrogance out of my comments, I am sorry. That is not what i intended at all. And, only one religion can be true. There can't be more than one Truth.

The idea that one religion is true and all others are false is arrogance.

indeed

Originally posted by debbiejo
The church is Pauline, made by Paul not Jesus. And it excluded the teachings of the Jews. What they had followed for thousands of years....All of a sudden here comes Paul and makes major changes. He never even met Jesus.

Jesus was also a devout Jew who very definitely had no intention of replacing his faith with another. Paul just got miffed cuz his fellow Jews didnt by his shpeil of Jesus-is-Messiah, and for good reason. Paul further sweetened the deal by claiming 1) you didnt have to do all that studying of Torah and educate yourself; all you had to do was "have faith" (much easier); and 2) Jesus provided a concrete figure, also easier to grasp than some invisible spirit.

Originally posted by Mindship
Jesus was also a devout Jew who very definitely had no intention of replacing his faith with another. Paul just got miffed cuz his fellow Jews didnt by his shpeil of Jesus-is-Messiah, and for good reason. Paul further sweetened the deal by claiming 1) you didnt have to do all that studying of Torah and educate yourself; all you had to do was "have faith" (much easier); and 2) Jesus provided a concrete figure, also easier to grasp than some invisible spirit.

Originally posted by debbiejo
Go read the "Grace" thread again, you'll see we ALL get grace.

Yeah, if you humbly ask Jesus for it.