If I am right it matters a lot. It seems logical but I feel that it lets one believe in God for the wrong reasons but reason cannot prove God's existence, only faith. A pastor said something along these lines once and I felt that it was a message to perhaps do the bare minimum but in the Bible this isn't the right approach. If i am to be a good Christian I should believe in God and Jesus, obey their commands and life a life of servitude and love. If, after all, their is no God then I guess I just wasted my time. What do you think? Do most christians love God out of fear of Hell, or because God is a good God worthy of service, faith, and love.
2006-12-21 08:35:58 · 24 answers · asked by kevinhoegle 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Faith to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God is given from the Father who draws people, who are seeking God, to Jesus. The Father draws through Love. One can feel the love of God. But some are saved through fear of hell though too. Better to be drawn by the Fathers love. Read http://www.fathersloveletter.com .
To believe there is a God doesn't save anyone. One has to confess ones a sinner needing a savior, and confess Jesus Christ Lord and believe in ones heart (God looks at the heart) in the Resurrection.
But you need to start seeking. God has a bible for you to read. There are Bible Faith Churches out there that teach the Truth found in the written Word of God. Every true Church believes in the virgin birth, Jesus Christ is Lord, is the Son of the Living God, is the Atonement for sins and is the Resurrection.
Salvation (eternal life) is the gift of God through faith and not of works or of $ or of being good enouph. What Jesus did for us on the cross is sufficient.
2006-12-21 09:02:05 · answer #1 · answered by t_a_m_i_l 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. You sound like you have some real good insight about religion. I wonder the same thing but I have come to the conclusion that believing in a higher power gives people a sense of hope and belief in something better than the immidate reality of their situation. Ive heard people say things like "leave it in God's hands and it will work out". It is almost like a form of therapy. We aren't ever going to know for sure if there is a God and an afterlife until our death, but in the mean time, if praising God and following the life of a christian gives you a sense of hope and peace of some sort..then keep on worshiping. Just make sure it is the right thing for you and not for everyone around you. Make it your choice. Its isnt a waist of time if it does you some good while you are alive.
2006-12-21 08:45:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your pastor is using Pascals Wager on you. It sounds logical, but is far from it.... After all, an omniscient God would KNOW you only beleive to save your own hide - and thus off to the eternal fire pits with you....
A better idea than becoming a "good Christian" is to, simply, become a better PERSON. Live by the Golden Rule, and you cant go wrong. If, in the unlikly event that God is real, He will either a) truly be loving and will acknowledge that you lived a good life and reward you justly, or b) he is evil and hateful and could care less whether you were good or not - he cares only that you didnt worship him - in which case, would you want to spend eternity with such an egotistical maniac?
2006-12-21 08:41:27 · answer #3 · answered by YDoncha_Blowme 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A fire escape is not the usual way to enter a building, but it can be one way. Many people do approach God as nothing more than a fire escape, but after they are inside, they realize there is much more to Him than they thought. It's a funny thing about God. If you make a move to approach Him, He will run to meet you. Turn toward God and give Him some leeway in your life and see if your thoughts and beliefs don't change and strengthen. Like you said, if there is no God, you have wasted your time, but if there is a God, and you don't believe, you lose e v e r y t h i n g.
2006-12-21 08:43:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just be a good person. How you react with other people will have a greater impact on the world than what you're opinions are about God. You shouldn't follow a religion "just in case." Also, if you're a good person, that doesn't waste your time. What you do with your life can influence generations to come.
Go to the library and read about all the religions you can. Not all of them hold a dogma that belief in their Deity or way of life is required for eternity, nor do they threaten horrible things for non-believers.
2006-12-21 08:39:48 · answer #5 · answered by Mrs. Pears 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God is everything! He is everyone's salvation. A person asks God into their hearts and lives and then from that day forward tries to honor Him with everything that they have. And then one day when God calles them Home they will go and be with Him forever in heaven. If you do not recieve Him you will die and go to Hell where you will eternally be seperated from God forever. that's a very scary process for me. My aunt and uncle (my FAVORITE aunt and uncle) are not Christians in fact they're athests. And that's so sad for me because I want to be with them forever in heaven one day and because they don't believe I won't so whenever I see them I try and set a good example and talk about God whenever I can so maybe they'll ask questions. I can't imagine life without God. Like how can you see something like the Grand Canyon or something and not believe!!??
God sent His one and only son to die for everyone. He paid a debt that He didn't owe cause we owed a debt that we couldn't pay. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:32. And "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." -Ephesians 2:8 and 9
Jesus (God's son) came as a baby, lived, preached, taught, healed and delivered people before he was then crusified on the cross to pay for everyone's sins.
I would suggest getting a Bible and going to a church and talking to a pastor if you have such amazing questions like that. I wish I could have you email me or something but I'm not allowed to so...I hope you do pick up a Bible it may change your life and maybe someday I'll meet you!! :)
2006-12-21 08:58:42 · answer #6 · answered by Pony 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was just thinking about this yesterday. My conclusion: Believing in God and living the life he has given me makes me happy. It makes me happy to help and love others. So in the end if there is a God i'll be super super super happy. And if there isn't (I really believe that there is God) I wouldn't regret it. I was happy in my life. I serve God because he is worthy of service, faith, and love.
Do something that makes you happy. I'm talking the real happy. Not the happy you get when you drink till you drop or something. The happy you get from doing something simple (Like playing with children, doing a sport, helping someone,etc.) (Unless you are some pshyo and it would make you truely happy killing people...that would be scary) And that's great if you believe in God and try to connect him to it. Even if it turns out he doesn't exist you can still say you lived a happy life.
God's love is not something that is just given out like free cookies. You have to return God's love with love for others, etc. One shouldn't take His love just to get to heaven.
2006-12-21 08:42:18 · answer #7 · answered by Natalya 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you're touching upon Pascal's Wager, it is logical for us to believe in God, because if we do, and he exists, we haven't missed out on anything, if we donm't, and he exists, we'll go to hell - we loose out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_Wager and look at Decision-theoretic arguments.
Problem is - we therefore aren't believing in God, because he's entered our lives and we let. We're only believe in him for our own selfish reasons, simply because we need someone to look after us - which I don't believe is a suitable reason at all - not for a religion such as Christianity which preaches to us about love and God's goodness. We should believe in God because we love him.
However, I don't believe in God, and certainly not Christianity, so my opinion isn't very....factual???
2006-12-21 08:44:10 · answer #8 · answered by Luchia 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ask yourself this, if you found out that god did not exist what would you do then? Would you abandon the ideas of peace and love? Think hard on what you would do under those circumstances, that's where the answer to your question lies.
2006-12-21 09:17:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
All I can say is do you ever feel good about doing bad things. An act of kindness towards others will always be the popular most rewarding thing and put smiles on others faces
2006-12-21 08:39:40 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋