A personal, life-changing "mystical" experience of God, or believing certain doctrines to be literally true?
Please provide reasons for your answer. Thanks!
2007-06-16 08:35:11 · 21 answers · asked by jamesfrankmcgrath 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think of Martin Luther King, and his peace march. He showed kindness and compassion in spite of hatred towards him. To me that is the key characteristic of an authentic Christian, that you follow the verses of "bless those who despitefully curse you"
Martin knew how to turn the other cheek!
2007-06-16 08:38:40 · answer #1 · answered by Searcher 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Huh? These aren't mutally exclusive ideas.
An LCMS Lutheran, for example believes in objective doctrines (e.g. grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone, Christ alone), one of which is the true presence of Christ's body & blood in, with & under the bread & wine at Communion. We don't know how it happens, but we do know what Christ said & take Him at His Word (Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24). If this isn't a mystical (as in mysterious) or supernatural experience, I don't know what is!
It's not about subjective feelings, but the objective truth the God provides for us in His Word. Neither is it about taking everything in the Bible literally, but about taking God at His Word. They are two different things. Fundamentalism or so-called "literalism" is not at all giving God the respect He deserves, because if you examine the practice carefully it does not take God at His Word. It ultimately uses fallible & finite human reason to judge God's Word, just as the "higher critics" do. Taking God at His Word means learning to discern what God meant & letting Him tell us what He meant even when something seems to be impossible (accepting paradoxes & mysteries, but not contradictions).
A good article about magisterial v. ministerial use of knowledge gained from outside of God's Word: http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v12/i2/logic.asp
2007-06-16 09:11:03 · answer #2 · answered by Sakurachan 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
a personal life changing experience with God.
when you have a personal experience with the God of love, then all of the doctrines that are important fall into place.
a true Christian strives to be Christ like.
2007-06-16 12:10:35 · answer #3 · answered by Hannah's Grandpa 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
1 - It's just a book - books aren't evidence of anything in and of themselves, except that they're books. And, that hardly establishes the existence of a God thingy. written about things before they happen = evidence written in such a way that it is impossible to be written by man alone = evidence written by 40+ people over 1600+ years and in complete agreement = evidence 2 - It was written by mostly anonymous authors who WERE NOT WITNESSES TO THE EVENTS THEY DESCRIBED and no one can cross-examine them. some were witnesses to the events they write about, and some wernt, but because of the agreement in the writtings it shows that it must have been inspired. 3 - It never claims itself to be evidence of anything. It doesn't even claim itself to be the "Word of God." it does claim to be the Word of God in many places as given to man as inspired (of God). 4 - Absolutely NONE of the extraordinary claims it makes are consistent with anything any of us have ever experienced in our entire lives. yes miracles are not natural events and have to be done by the power of God. even Jesus said those in His future would wish to see the miracles but would still believe nonetheless. 5 - Many of the claims are obviously false (like claiming the Sun stopped in the sky - Joshua 10:13) this was in ancient times and was just an extending of the day time. it might be hard to notice since you don't have watches. even so, it might have been written about but was lost as a fluke event. in those days mostly anything preserved has to be carved in stone. very little other types of writtings are preserved.
2016-05-17 10:15:02 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a personal life changing experience with Jesus as he says "Repent from sins and be born again to see the kingdom of heaven." John 3
that is a doctrine of the bible that is literally true-now Jesus is my Messiah, savior and best friend too as a Jew along with millions of others too-this is how I came to believe the doctrine and got the life changing experience with Jesus="Jesus saith, I am the way the truth and the life, no one cometh unto heaven but by me." John 14:6
As a Jew I was born to believe that God lied and that I could be good enough to get to heaven without a blood atonement to forgive my sins.
Moses said "Without the innocent shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." "The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it upon the altar to make atonement for your sins." Leviticus 17:11
where is your forgiveness of sins?? can you be better than Jesus and earn your salvation. If you die and only told one lie-can you forgive your own lie-can your religion-Jesus says no=
"Except you repent, and be born again you can not see the kingdom of heaven." John 3
the words of Jesus from heaven Revelation 1:1&3:19&20 "I love you and ask you to repent quickly, Behold I stand at your heart door and knock, if you hear my word and ask me in, I will come in forgive your sins and be your friend."
Jesus is my righteousness, the person that changed my life in his doctrine of the new birth, now my savior and best friend,
wishing the best for you too, David and thanks for the good question
2007-06-16 08:41:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Someone claiming to be a true, authentic Christian should behave in a Christ-like manner. You would be amazed at how few do this. You would also be shocked to discover just how many non-Christians have Christ-like qualities.
Humility, acceptance, love, compassion, empathy, tolerance, patience. Those are all admirable qualities possessed by Jesus.
2007-06-16 08:39:46 · answer #6 · answered by iamnoone 7 · 4⤊ 4⤋
1. Faith in Jesus as your savior.
2. Living a life consistent with that faith (ex. loving your neighbor as your self, ten commandments, giving of yourself for others, being harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind hearted and humble in spirit).
3. Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all did that?
2007-06-16 08:39:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
A true Christian is someone who' first ties up his camel, then puts his trust in God'.
2007-06-16 08:41:10 · answer #8 · answered by Prof Fruitcake 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Ignorance
2007-06-16 08:47:20 · answer #9 · answered by carlos d 2 · 1⤊ 4⤋
"Woo-woo "feelings do not a Christian make.Belief in His word and believing the doctrines as laid out in the Bible(not by man)is a better test.
2007-06-16 08:42:17 · answer #10 · answered by AngelsFan 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋