Questioning my Christian faith, Christians, please help...?

Question

My concern in genuine in that I have been a Christian my whole life, but upon a lot of reflection I am slowly coming to conclusions that have me believing less and less in the Christian version of God. I do believe in a higher power, but I find it harder and harder to rationally come to the same conclusions that Christians come to.

One big issue I have is the basis that the Christian God puts more emphasis on belief than good actions. Specifically, a good person who does not believe in God is supposed to be condemned to hell for all eternity, yet a bad person can repent at the end of their life and as long as they believe in God and Jesus they are accepted. This system of judgment seems perverse.

Secondly, is it not more moral to help a person out of genuine concern rather than feeling that God wants you to help, or even worse that not doing so would condemn you to hell. Those spurred into action only as a result of fear truly are not unselfish. The is conflicting to me.

Answer 1

never be scared to question anything. if someone says you are wrong to question it maybe because they dont want you to know the truth. this does not mean you have to lose your faith for faith starts within you.

Answer 2

I would agree with both of your counts. My personal opinion is that it is usually the church that puts those ideas into peoples heads ... fear and repenting. As long as you repent after you sin, you're okay. At least that's my impression. Although I read the Bible from time to time, I try to let my own personal relationship with God be my cornerstone. I don't go to church because I find most people there to be a little judgemental, or uninviting.

The Bible says, however, that those who have not been taught about God or Jesus are not exempt from needing to believe in God ... that God ought to be evident in every day life. Which is what brought me back to Christianity after a few years of looking at other religions/ways of thinking.

I keep in mind this quote from Hamlet: "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go." I think that's how a lot of people are.

Sorry if this didn't really answer your question. Just throwing some stuff out there.

Answer 3

Majority of the people today, including those from the churches and other religions, are mistaken when we are told to fear God. This fear is NOT the morbid fear that says that we would be condemned to hell fire/torture if we don't believe in God. Rather, it is the wholesome fear, where we put God in front of all we do and follow His commandments closely.
His commandments are given to us to safeguard ourselves, they are not burdensome like many think so. Jehovah God is a God of Love, so why should He want us to suffer over and over again even in death. Because Death itself is already THE punishment for our sins.

Another deception in the teaching is the 'deathbed conversion'. If you were God, would you forgive someone who only repents when he's about to expire? Worse still if this person had been a non-believer or into other religions when he's well and kicking? Jehovah God wants us to worship only Him and no other gods, that's the first commandment. Repentance means a complete turnaround from your old self and set your whole heart, soul and mind towards Jehovah God and serve only Him. Worshiping and serving Him can only be done when we are alive, not when we're asleep in death because in death our thoughts and actions perish together. If like you say, a bad person can attain heavenly life once he/she repents at deathbed, accept God and Jesus at the last minute, then what is the use of Christians working so hard to bring the Good News by preaching it in hot days or cold winters like the Jehovah's Witnesses? They could just sit home and wait for their end to come, accept God at the last moment be saved. Why the trouble? Because they know God's system doesn't go like this.

If you really want to know more about the Truth, you should give the Jehovah's Witnesses a chance to explain their religion the next time they knock on your door. They can answer all the questions that you have been looking for. Trust me.

Answer 4

I read this differently then most...I think because I have actually been in a lot of plays when I was a teen. Being a member of a group is different then befriending someone OR ministering to them, OR being gracious to them. You don't have to disassociate with her, or never go to a play. But specifically JOINING a group.. is a bit different. I think most people are looking to narrowly at it. At some level I think you realize this... or else why the question? Not discriminating against her/them, not being cordial, a friend, etc. is bad. But I think specifically joining a GROUP is a horse of a different color. IF the group is truly a gay/straight group..why do they even mention sexual orientation? That seems weird to me. Why isn't it just called a "youth group"? Is it a gay youth group that happens to not mind if you are straight?...and therefore has 1 or 2 straight people in it? Which is entirely different in purpose and function then a youth group which a bunch of gay/lesbia youths ended up attending? The REASON for the group makes all the difference. IF a group is specifically formed for a purpose..then it has EVERY right to expect its members to be in agreance with that stated purpose. Otherwise, why would they form THAT group in the first place? So, whether or not they require you to believe a certain way OR condone their lifestyle.. merely by joining their group...and not another.. you are in essence, completely condoning their lifestyle and claiming no contradiction with Christianity. IF it were merely a regular youth group which happens to have a few gay members.. fine. But, when you join a group which is first and foremost about a particular lifestyle and don't agree 100% with it....then you can understand if they don't like that too much or down the road...you feel pressured to say "Its OK" -- which is compromising some christian principles. Kinda like crashing someone else's party PERSONALLY.. I'd keep things simple and avoid EVERYONE potentially getting their feelings hurt by not joining their group..BUT still supporting them by going to the performances. Take it from someone who was into drama many years ago.. Once you are part of a theatre group...it is very nature to become very close, very quickly. I think it's the nature of theatre. This makes it even harder to keep the distinction between supporting them, personally, and supporting their lifestyle...ESPECIALLY...if that's one of the founding reasons for the group. So since it is an organized group.. I think it all hinges on the "purpose" or "charter" of the group. -- This is as much about their feelings as yours...maybe more so.

Answer 5

Hmm...you might want to do some Bible studies because your concept of what God wants from you is a bit flawed.
Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Faith without works is dead.
Read the gospels again, especially Matthew chapter 5. Jesus is more interested in your HEART.
Example - if you give a thousand dollars to charity but do it with resentment, it will not mean as much to God as the widow who gives 5 dollars and does it with a glad and grateful heart.
If you are a true Christian and love God, your life will reflect that love in the works that you do, yes?

Now, as for judgment - read the parable of the workers. A man went out and hired a worker and promised him a set wage, then he went out and throughout the day hired more and more workers. At the end of the day they were all paid the same. Is it really fair for you to get mad at God because He decides who and when to call believers to Him? That's like telling the man who hired the workers what he must do with his money.

Answer 6

I was a Christian too for many years and was at the place where you are now. You are becoming spiritually aware and beginning to look for real answers to your questions - not just swallowing what you are told in the hope of avoiding hell. Believe me, God is bigger than that.
I wish you well in your searching. Read, think things through but above all be open minded. When the student is ready, the Teacher will appear. Blessings.

Answer 7

Christianity is based on faith. Without faith it is impossibe to please God because He is a God of faith. What does that mean? It simply means that all of us have faith in something, whether it's God or not. But God wants us to have faith in Jesus to take away our sin, shame, and every other evil thing there is.
Salvation is about forgiveness which is based on God's love for us. God's forgiveness isn't based on how good or bad we've been but on his love for us. That means His grace(His unmerited favor) and His mercy are ours through the shed blood of Jesus. We can't earn our salvation, we can only receive it as a free gift from God. God set it up this way because He wanted to show us how sinful we were and just how much we needed Him to make it right. That's why we can do all this "good" stuff and yet still go to hell because we didn't receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. That's also why someone on their death bed can receive Jesus as Lord and savior and go to heaven. They realized they were in need of a savior and by faith received the forgiveness they needed to be right with God.
God is always more interested in our motives than the outer appearance. We can do good things yet have the wrong motive. We can also do the wrong thing and have the right motive.
Those who are motivated by fear to do good works don't understand the love of God. They don't have the full revelation of His love since perfect love casts out all fear.
People who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and have a genuine desire to fellowship with God will be motivated to do good works because they love God and love people, not because they are afraid of condemnation or punishment. "For there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit.." Rom. 8:1

Answer 8

You are either not a Christian, or you are some sort of cult sect. Your question reeks. I am afraid it is not genuine or sincere.
I could quote a dozen verses to debunk everything.
Talk to your spiritual representative You need help on faith AND doctrine.
Try John 3:19-21. Ask someone what this means if you cannot figure it out to mean that doing good is good and doing evil is evil.
What others pronounce about disbelievers is really their attempt to judge. Trust God to do that. The evil will not escape judgment, and the good will not lose their reward.
Love of others is love of God. GEEZ!

Answer 9

Go to the source of our faith. The Holy Bible. There you will find the answers to your questions.
You will need to know the Old Testament to understand a lot of the New Testament.
Furthermore history lessons are required. The world two thousand years ago was a lot different than it is today. What the Christ taught to us is as valid today as it was then but you have to understand a lot of the mental and social atmosphere of the Hebrews in the times our Lord lived amongst us. The politics of the times had a lot to do with what the Lord did as well.
For instance...few people realize that when the Pharisees asked Jesus about the reasons for divorce they were looking for a release valve to assauge the guilt they had. They were divorcing their old wives for a new and younger wife, leaving the old wives out in the cold so to speak. What the Christ said to them was that they could not divorce their wives for no reason but adultery. Jesus was talking to the Pharisees specifically.
Because Jesus knew what they were doing! Jesus was not talking to all of us at the time He was talking to those specific men who were abusing their old wives to the point of throwing them out in the street! Our Christ said you can't do that!! But in those days divorce was legal. For instance; a woman who married a tanner could petition for a divorce when she found that she could no longer put up with the stink and the mire of pig dung that came with her husbands trade. She was usually granted her divorece by the priest. There was always a good reason for permitting a divorce, but throwing out the old wife for a more young and nubile female was not one of them! If there were no solid reasons for a divorce then a divorce was not granted. As well a divorce was a very rare thing. Marraige was taken seriously, and seriously worked at by both man and woman.
These days that passage is applied by pastor and priest to maintain a marraige regardless. If the wife or husband has not commited adultry then there is no cause nor case for divorce! Regardless of the abuse one of the partners are suffering, or the rapes the woman takes form her husband, or the psychotic beatings the man takes from his wife, very few pastors or priest will allow a divorce. Yet our Lord would condone it on these premisis, as He did two thousand years ago.
In the Bible is all our answers to our questions. but you really have to work on it to find the answers. I've been with the church in one denomination or another since the early sixties. It is only recently that a lot of my questions have come to fruition, and I've found that my answers would not have come without a lot of work in studying the Bible.
You have to do this as well. Answers don't just magically appear. They come with a lot of work. If you find yourself slipping into apostasy; then now is the time to go back to the basics and start again.
I was in my late thirties when I clued into the reason for why we exist?! It was a result of my studies of God's word, and when it happened it was one of the few epiphany's I've ever had; and it was like the Holy Ghost had pushed it out of the deepest parts of my guts, because it just popped out of my mouth when I was asked the question. The woman who asked is now my wife.
Go to the Bible with your questions, for your answers. And stay there!

Answer 10

Join. My email is at my profile. I congratulate you on examining your own beliefs. This is the first step to TRUE faith.