The Universality Of God

Etagloc

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I just wanna say that I don't think God really cares if we write with our left hand or our right hand or if we're Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, whatever....

The entire premise of "THIS IS THE TRUE RELIGION AND ANYONE OUTSIDE THE LITTLE STONE EAST DAKOTA NEIGHBORHOOD BAPTIST CHURCH SLASH ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETING-PLACE IS GOING TO HELLLLLLLLLLL!!!" is merely a rationalization for colonization.

If anyone who attends the LITTLE STONE EAST DAKOTA NEIGHBORHOOD BAPTIST CHURCH SLASH ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETING-PLACE thinks anyone who is outside their little club is going to hell and is God is only with their little club...... then they're crazy and liable to cause trouble. They could definitely get God's attention but God's attention is upon the whole earth.
 

JoChris

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I just wanna say that I don't think God really cares if we write with our left hand or our right hand or if we're Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, whatever....

The entire premise of "THIS IS THE TRUE RELIGION AND ANYONE OUTSIDE THE LITTLE STONE EAST DAKOTA NEIGHBORHOOD BAPTIST CHURCH SLASH ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETING-PLACE IS GOING TO HELLLLLLLLLLL!!!" is merely a rationalization for colonization.

If anyone who attends the LITTLE STONE EAST DAKOTA NEIGHBORHOOD BAPTIST CHURCH SLASH ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETING-PLACE thinks anyone who is outside their little club is going to hell and is God is only with their little club...... then they're crazy and liable to cause trouble. They could definitely get God's attention but God's attention is upon the whole earth.
As a Christian my opinion has no status. I am servant, Christ is King. Therefore if Jesus/ the Bible says something I have to believe what is says, no matter how much my flesh (sinful side) hates it, or how it is the polar opposite to popular opinion.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him (Thomas) "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me".
Therefore if Jesus says He is the only way, I have to accept He is the only way to salvation.
 

Lisa

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But God does care about the way we come to him. God says He sent His only begotten Son that whomsoever believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life!

You could join the club...it's exclusive in that one must believe on Jesus but not exclusive on who can join :)
 

Etagloc

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But God does care about the way we come to him. God says He sent His only begotten Son that whomsoever believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life!

You could join the club...it's exclusive in that one must believe on Jesus but not exclusive on who can join :)
So Jesus is the only way, right? And anyone who doesn't believe must go to hell, right? What about the Indians who lived in the Americas before Europeans came and brought Christianity? Did they go to hell?

I know tone does not translate over the internet so please know that I mean my question in an inquisitive way, not an accusing way.
 

Etagloc

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And then there is this matter- why should I believe the Christians over the Muslims? Both say "this is the only way!". Both will tell me "because God said so". If both say "God said so" then how am I to say which side God is with. The Christian will bring out Bible verses and the Muslim will bring out verses from the Quran. The Bible is true because the Bible says it's true. The Quran is true because the Quran said it's true. If I am to devote my life to one set of doctrines then I would need something more objective than circular reasoning.
 

Todd

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So Jesus is the only way, right? And anyone who doesn't believe must go to hell, right? What about the Indians who lived in the Americas before Europeans came and brought Christianity? Did they go to hell?

I know tone does not translate over the internet so please know that I mean my question in an inquisitive way, not an accusing way.
Jesus is the only way to the Father, but that does not mean that everyone who doesn't believe in him during this lifetime will spend eternity in hell. Jesus is the savior for the whole world, not just those who believe. Christ will reconcile everything and everyone to God in the ages to come. Don't believe those who bring scriptures from English bibles trying to prove that punishment in hell is for eternity. The greek word that is most often translated as "forever" or "eternity" in the English Bibles actually means a "a period of time with a beginning and an end". It's the Greek word we get the English word "eon" from. A long duration of time with a beginning and an end.

Fire in the Bible represents the purification process of God. God will purify everyone by fire whether in this lifetime or in ages to come.
 

Lisa

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@Etagloc

It sometimes is hard to know someone's tone in a post, thanks for clarifying:)
I think that reading Romans in the Bible is a good start because Paul talks about the law and faith.

The problem is “there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). People reject the knowledge of God that is present in nature and in their own hearts, and instead decide to worship a “god” of their own creation. People are responsible to God for what God has already revealed to them. The Bible says that people reject this knowledge, and therefore God is just in condemning them to hell. Even though I copied that little bit from another site, I believe that is what Paul tells us in Romans. People are responsible for what God reveals to them and whether they believe or not.

I don't agree with Todd that there isn't a hell for the Bible does tell us there is a lake of fire that people will be tossed into.

Also, why believe the Bible over the quran? God said He inspired the Bible. He is the One behind the Bible being written. It starts out with how the world began and how people began...the Bible says that this world is proof that the Bible is the truth and that God also wrote His laws in our hearts...when you go against those laws then your conscience is pricked. You know when you've done wrong.

The Bible also tells us the resin there are problems in the world...Adam and Eve sinned and it's carried through to all of us, we are all separated from God because of sin. When you look around this world you can see it's pretty messed up and I seems to be getting worse and worse. The Bible tells us these things are going to happen the closer we get to the end times.

But the Bible also tells us there is a way to be reconciled to God and that is through His Son and we are told it's the only way to be reconciled to Him and there is no other way. Which is were the division comes between Christianity and all other religions. I know it is confusing because some other religions claim to know Jesus and be the way, but if the way they state isn't the way God tells us in His inspired word-the Bible then it's not true. I hope this helped answer your questions :)
 

Red Sky at Morning

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The way I picture things is like a city under siege. Imagine a crowd outside, guns loaded, bashing at the gates. Inside there is a military grade series of armoured trucks about to burst out of the doors, just waiting to leave.

You don't have to get into the armoured trucks, you could try to escape on foot...
 

Etagloc

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The way I picture things is like a city under siege. Imagine a crowd outside, guns loaded, bashing at the gates. Inside there is a military grade series of armoured trucks about to burst out of the doors, just waiting to leave.

You don't have to get into the armoured trucks, you could try to escape on foot...
It's safer on the armored trucks but what if they turn on me? I'd rather go on foot. Plus the armored trucks could be a target. They could be bombed. I'd rather go on foot.
 

Etagloc

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@Etagloc

It sometimes is hard to know someone's tone in a post, thanks for clarifying:)
I think that reading Romans in the Bible is a good start because Paul talks about the law and faith.

The problem is “there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). People reject the knowledge of God that is present in nature and in their own hearts, and instead decide to worship a “god” of their own creation. People are responsible to God for what God has already revealed to them. The Bible says that people reject this knowledge, and therefore God is just in condemning them to hell. Even though I copied that little bit from another site, I believe that is what Paul tells us in Romans. People are responsible for what God reveals to them and whether they believe or not.

I don't agree with Todd that there isn't a hell for the Bible does tell us there is a lake of fire that people will be tossed into.

Also, why believe the Bible over the quran? God said He inspired the Bible. He is the One behind the Bible being written. It starts out with how the world began and how people began...the Bible says that this world is proof that the Bible is the truth and that God also wrote His laws in our hearts...when you go against those laws then your conscience is pricked. You know when you've done wrong.

The Bible also tells us the resin there are problems in the world...Adam and Eve sinned and it's carried through to all of us, we are all separated from God because of sin. When you look around this world you can see it's pretty messed up and I seems to be getting worse and worse. The Bible tells us these things are going to happen the closer we get to the end times.

But the Bible also tells us there is a way to be reconciled to God and that is through His Son and we are told it's the only way to be reconciled to Him and there is no other way. Which is were the division comes between Christianity and all other religions. I know it is confusing because some other religions claim to know Jesus and be the way, but if the way they state isn't the way God tells us in His inspired word-the Bible then it's not true. I hope this helped answer your questions :)
Why believe the Bible over the Quran? The Bible is true because the Bible says the Bible is true. This is circular reasoning. Plus the Muslim says the same thing about the Quran.
 

Red Sky at Morning

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It's safer on the armored trucks but what if they turn on me? I'd rather go on foot. Plus the armored trucks could be a target. They could be bombed. I'd rather go on foot.
I guess we all make our own mind up who we put our trust in!!! Lol
 

Todd

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Universal reconciliation.
Yes sir, indeed!
It was a common accepted theology in the Church of the first two centuries. It wasn't until Constantine merged the Christian Church with pagan religions that eternal torment won out over universal reconciliation.
 

Yahda

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Read my post again...I never said there wasn't a hell or a Lake of Fire. I just dispute the idea that God would punish people infinitely for sins committed in a finite world.

Where did God ever mention a lake of fire ? Hell is equivalent to death/grave/pit. The only lake of fire mentioned by God is the hell fire he will rain upon this earth on the day of darkness and gloom.

So can you show where GOD mentioned a lake of fire ? He mentioned a fire/flames but it was a fire that would consume the earth.
 

Todd

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Where did God ever mention a lake of fire ? Hell is equivalent to death/grave/pit. The only lake of fire mentioned by God is the hell fire he will rain upon this earth on the day of darkness and gloom.

So can you show where GOD mentioned a lake of fire ? He mentioned a fire/flames but it was a fire that would consume the earth.
You are right....God never mentioned a lake of fire. God himself is the consuming fire!

The apostle John did mention a Lake of Fire in the book of Revelation, but I realize you don't accept that as the word of God. I agree with you that most instances of the word "hell" in the English Bible, are actually refering to death/grave/pit in the orginal text.
 

DisenfranchisedDespot

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You are right....God never mentioned a lake of fire. God himself is the consuming fire!

The apostle John did mention a Lake of Fire in the book of Revelation, but I realize you don't accept that as the word of God. I agree with you that most instances of the word "hell" in the English Bible, are actually refering to death/grave/pit in the orginal text.
Sheol?
 

Karlysymon

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@Lisa
can you please clarify which type of hell you actually believe in. Lake of fire (people are consumed instantly) or the Sisyphus type.
 
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