How do I convince myself to just believe the Bible?

Question

I've never read the entire Bible and I've never been what most people consider "religious". I've always believed there is a higher power, I just wasn't sure the Bible/Christianity was the whole story. But now I'm at a point in my life where I'd like to attend church and commit to being a believer in God. However, now that I'm reading the Bible, I'm finding it harder than ever to believe what I am reading. How does a person just put aside all the skepticism and just believe?

Answer 1

"You" don't! The reason you are finding it so hard is because you knew the "truth" about God and the Bible when you were younger but instead of letting the Holy Spirit have His way with you and teach you, you were too busy and refused to listen.

Now "you" are ready and you are going to have to do alot of praying for strangth in order to accomplish what "you" want.

Just like the Bible teaches once a person has known the truth yet turns away from it, how can you ever get that joy and excitment back that you once had?

You must repent and turn to God and show that you are sincer in wanting to know and learn...*Not just because you are getting older and you are worried about the future.

You must ask the Holy Spirit to come and teach you and give you peace, you will never get it by yourself.

"SOMEDAY SOON" I have no idea what made you so upset, all I was trying to do was to point out that we as humanbeings sometimes want our own way and don't let the Holy Spirit work in "His" time...then we have to prove that we are sincer in our repentance...
If you are upset because you feel guilty that is your problem but be man/woman enough to attach in public instead of trying to keep it quiet.
If you mis-understood then why jump to attack mood instead of asking me to explain?

By the way below is what was emailed to me by "SomeDay Soon" if anyone else thinks I was trying to be mean please give me a thumbs down so I can try to re-word next time.
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From: Someday Soon

Subject: Your Pathetic Comment to My Question

Message: It's rude, judgmental jackasses like you who give Christianity a bad name and cause DECENT people like me to wonder if we even want to associate with people like YOU.

P.S. You might consider praying to God to send you back to school so you can learn to spell and punctuate.

Answer 2

If you are having that problem, then you are not understanding the text. You will probably need to do some some credible research into the historical, cultural and linguistic paradigms of the Bible. Unlike most mythological texts, most of the Bible describes mundane events - there are very few miraculous events described in the Bible. Unfortunately, most people don't understand the literary genres, idioms, or historical events surrounding Biblical events, so they interpret it in ridiculous ways.

Case in point. The Bible does not teach that a flood covered the whole earth, that Noah took two of every animal on board, or that the human race was destroyed. People who believe that Adam and Eve were real people, that a flood destroyed the earth, that God commanded the destruction of ancient civilizations, that Moses parted the Red Sea, etc. are not reading the Bible - they are forcing a traditional interpretation onto the text.

Some resources:
1) Read the commentary to the Anchor Bible
2) Get a basic knowledge of Greek and Hebrew
3) Study ancient near-eastern and Hellenistic literature and religion
4) Read up on the Documentary Hypothesis and redaction criticism
5) Study the actual history surrounding the Biblical narrative

Answer 3

It is not something you can force yourself to believe. You already believe in a higher power, the world around us validates there is a higher power. It is something you have to study without the disbelief. Had someone told people 350 years ago that 350 years later a machine called computers would exist and all the wonderful thing you would have been able to do on them, they would have not believed you. So you pretty much have to take this approach to the Bible, a willingness to believe the unseen and unworldly acceptable. Today's' society is anti-religious mainly because every one want to do rude things and feel there is no consequences to them, so you won't find what you are looking for here in a open forum. It would be wise to find a religious bible study group near you to study with you and learn the Bible because you need to start at "In the Beginning" before you go to higher level of understanding it. Below is an on line group that goes into depths about the Bible the monitor is great at working with those just beginning to learn about the Bible.

Answer 4

First off, you must be "Born Again." You need the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, to live in you also. He will help you read and understand the Bible, because He was the one who wrote it.

Here is a challenge for you. When you are all alone and by yourself, pray the Salvation Prayer out loud. Then read your Bible. I believe that you will see it in a different light. Here is the prayer that I told you about.

"Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and that I deserve Hell. I believe that you sent your Son, Jesus, to pay for my sins by dying in my place, and that you raised Him from the dead. Please come into my life so that I can have the power to turn from my sins and receive your eternal life, in Jesus name I pray, AMEN!"

By doing this prayer, even if you do not have much faith, you have given God the authority to come into your life. His Word says that He will manefest Himself unto all those who receive Him.

Answer 5

It's really hard to force yourself to believe in something just because you want to. Don't give up though, when you read the bible ask lots of questions, look for answers, ponder, and pray to God. You can ask God to help you know if what you are reading is true. He can help you build your faith. Remember that faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things, it is to hope for things which are not seen which are true. Also, if you want you can visit www.mormon.org I found lots of helpful information there. Good luck!

Answer 6

There is a book by Lee Strobel,a former atheist that might help. It is called "The Case For Christ" It might be helpful in seeing what the facts are behind Christianity and how he came to be a believer.

Answer 7

The first thing that you need to accept is that you cannot put skepticism aside and "just" believe.

God gave us a brain and does want us to use it. Read it, study it, pray about it, ask for understanding of it. Repeat over and over again until you are convicted ( convinced) that it is easier to believe than not to believe.

We do not get to choose God, he chooses us. We get to accept the invitation or reject it, but we never get to invite ourselves.

Answer 8

That is where Jesus comes in. If you ask him to forgive you of your sins , and believe he is the Son of God, that he was born of the virgin Mary, he died for your sins and on the third day he rose from the dead. If you truly believe this with all your heart and soul, he will come into your heart and save your soul, you will be born again. Then God will take the blinders off of your eyes, and you will understand. And Believe.

Today is the day of SALVATION. God Bless You

Answer 9

Read the bibe and look in you heart. If you are not feeling it, belief in what the bible has to say, then maybe Christianity isn't your path. I was raised Christian and had the same problem. Do some research on other religions, maybe through that you will find your true path. I know that's how I found mine.

Answer 10

first of all, good for you for searching for Truth. Second, why do you wan tto just sluff off all of your questions and skepticism when the greatest thing to build your faith in Father/Jesus IS your skepticism and questions fully answered and your questions etc will be a foundation of what your faith is built on. If you have any questions that you are unsure of, that you don't know how to answer, feel free to send me an email. [e-mail].