I see the word "receive" all over the place, as a gift from God, but nothing at all about accepting our faith. If it's just given, how can you "decide" not to believe if you can't help it? "Receive" doesn't have to mean issuing a receipt. If you find the word "accept" in the Bible, I'd like to get some scripture proof of how man gets the opportunity to rip out the new heart that God Himself has given us.
2006-11-30 02:14:37 · 9 answers · asked by ccrider 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Kathryn, I am curious about this issue, because with no scriptural proof, I believe that most people on YA R&S are believing in propagating a fabrication.
John the Baptist, I would like to see scriptural proof that we must accept Christ. The Bible does say receive, but never does it mention a return transaction of acceptance. We just believe.
WGH, you're expanding this into the negative, but even if we call it "force" there's no hint of any rejection of what God has done out of love for those that simply receive.
Father K, Faith first, then baptism. Two separate events, otherwise every atheist dunked would receive faith, yes?
2006-11-30 03:39:00 · update #1
Cbooth151, you're looking at "exercises faith" as acceptance? I'm using the NKJV translation that just says "believe". But noted, thank you.
Philo, hang on, you're asking me to believe Buddhist concepts and my own experience, but disregard the Bible as proof?
Djmantx, I agree with your second sentence only as being scriptural. However, you've at least identified receipt and acceptance as the same thing. I don't see a matching concept in the Bible.
2006-11-30 03:39:47 · update #2
Djmantx, quick addendum, "matching concept" meaning the words receive and accept should be interspersed, or translated that way from Greek.
2006-11-30 04:06:40 · update #3
In order to receive one must accept. If one rejects he has not received. We accept Jesus as atonement we also receive the atonement of Christ. If you send a package and I receive it. It would clearly imply that I accepted it unless I'm not understanding the word game we are playing. To recieve or accept neither needs a receipt...and to me thay have pretty much the same meaning so I guess I'm not understanding your question.
2006-11-30 02:33:51 · answer #1 · answered by djmantx 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Faith is not just given, but must also be accepted. The Japanese have a simple symbol, looks a lot like the Greek letter Ï. It is a gateway, a torii. Understanding of Buddhism is often called the gateless gate, because like a gate, it takes a deliberate act of will to pass through it. It is gateless in the sense that it has no location. Any place, any moment, the "gate" is open and ready for you to pass through. So it is with faith. The opportunity is always and everywhere present, but the acceptance is an active choice.
Why so ready to accept the Bible as "proof"? Don't you have any experience of your own?
2006-11-30 02:24:30 · answer #2 · answered by Philo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good point. While Jesus DID say "I am the way the truth and the life" - "receiving" Christ is not anything WE can do for ourselves - that would be a "work" - the actual "work" is done by GOD alone when we are truly "born again" by water and the spirit (John Chapter 3) in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
"Receiving Him" is an act of God in the water of Baptism:
John 1: 12-13 But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, BUT OF GOD.
2006-11-30 02:21:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
John 3:35, 36. There it says: "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. So he that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him."
2006-11-30 02:22:37 · answer #4 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you mean receive by force, then no God wouldn't want you to receive Jesus by force, God has all Given us a free will, thats means we can choose not to receive if we don't want to. In Romans it says that we all fall short from the glory of God, meaning that we all have to pay a price for our errors on earth.
2006-11-30 02:18:15 · answer #5 · answered by world's greatest hero 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your question is not clear enough for me to respond. Can you rephrase it, with fewer words.
2006-11-30 02:17:53 · answer #6 · answered by DATA DROID 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
meh. He just says hes right.
2006-11-30 02:16:14 · answer #7 · answered by Mayonaise 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesnt.
2006-11-30 02:18:24 · answer #8 · answered by HijabiMuslimah 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't.
2006-11-30 02:16:02 · answer #9 · answered by X_YELLOWJACKET_X 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋