I am not religious and will never be and just went to church because my grandfather wanted me to go with him. The pastor was going on an on about what a loving god we serve. Then he said this, "He didn't choose everybody. He only chose some of us. Tonight you look at yourself and you say 'wow! god chose me! and he didn't need to choose me either' god doesn't need us. But think about it. Out of everyone, he chose me. All the people he didn't choose but he chose me.' When I heard that, I didn't say to my self "what a loving god the christians serve?" I said what an excluding god they serve. I think it's pretty obvious that a loving person includes everyone know matter what and doesn't exclude them and throw them in Hell because they have trouble believing in some entity that has never shown itself before but makes u rely on some book
2007-12-13 10:31:08 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The pastor was wrong. God chose EVERYONE.
For God so loved the WORLD (that is everyone) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The question is NOT "Does God choose you?" - Because He has. The question is, "Will YOU choose God?"
God bless you!
2007-12-13 10:37:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 3⤋
I am a christian and don't make it to church as much as I should but our pastor never said anything like that. He believes that God will touch everyone at some point in their lives and that going out and spreading word of God is the best thing a Christian can do during their lifetime. Give back to their community and help people find God. That was my understanding of my church anyways. There were times though when our pastor said that those who did not accept Jesus would be sent to hell. I accepted Jesus but if someone is a Buddhist and lives a good life I don't think they should go to hell. We're all trying to be good people while trying to make a spiritual connection and I don't think it's that black and white. God is supposed to be loving of all kinds of people because he made us all in his image right? I don't believe people who aren't Christians will go to hell or should be excluded or put down.
2007-12-13 18:40:29 · answer #2 · answered by arthompson0705 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Unfortunately, the rule is this: DO NOT SCHOOL YOURSELF ON THE CHRISTIAN GOD BY THE ACTIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE!
This SHOULD NOT be the rule; because the Word of God tells us that the world will know us by the LOVE we produce; a Christian should not be acting contrary to the Will of God by teaching others that wicked theory of "some being destined for destruction"!!!
If you really want to know the TRUE character, the real ATTRIBUTES, and all that matters to God, and all the values that make up the Christian GOD.....then you need to read the King James Scriptures for YOURSELF!
This church you attended has that doctrine ALL wrong; and this left God looking horrible, and drives away people from the TRUTH. The Lord, Yeshua (JESUS) died for the atonement of ALL of humanity, for ALL sin, and for all of time! IF you do not use the faith that the Lord has given you, then how can you receive HIM? If you do not receive Him into your heart by faith, you will thus be CHOOSING to not be "chosen"....I dont know how else to say it, you have to KNOW that scripturally: apart from being born again, there is NO WAY that you will actually be able to discern the WORD of GOD (the bible)--and even if you read the good book from cover to cover, you will still miss the discernment that can ONLY come by trusting Him as your personal Savior. The awesome thing about DISCERNMENT is that it is supernaturally given, as you seek the Lord, and study the Word....you will be able to decifer FALSE doctrines, false teachers and preachers, and be able to stand up and speak out against these who lead unbelievers and believers alike....away.
YOU can have a real, personal relationship with GOD, but you do not believe this; and this is what will impede you from ever getting saved. You have to step out in faith, and seek God according to His Word, NOT according to the behavior of His "believers"......as you have seen, many are unlearned in the Scriptures and lead others to falsehood. It shouldn't be this way, but it is.
Please SEEK HIM for yourself, so you can seperate the truth from the lies being preached all over the globe. Leave it to the Lord to deal with these people who harm the walk of others...He will deal with them. God Bless you. 7
2007-12-13 19:17:09 · answer #3 · answered by º§€V€Nº 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a minister and I think that one needs his head examined. Jesus died for you and for me because all of us are sinners, even the minister who said that. He is no more specail than you or me. All we have to do is ask Christ to forgive us and accept Him as Lord and Savior and then find a real church.
God is real and if you make an honest search and do some homework, you will find God. The sad thing is Christians are supposed to reflect Jesus and we do a bad job and may God forgive us. You are loved with an everlasting love and that love comes from the one true God. These days we have faith in a lot of stuff....we have faith that the sun will come up tomorrow and set tomorrow night....we believe a lot of stuff by faith if we ponder it. I believe in the Lord thru faith but I know what I believe is true and I am so thankful He "saved a wretch like me."
2007-12-13 18:44:51 · answer #4 · answered by agnes 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I hope the congregation takes your pastor up on this frightful example of exclusion.
Churches tend to be frightfully exclusive. Everyone may be welcome but also must come over to their way of thinking.
I never saw, in the Anglican church I was raised in, anyone ever stand up and challenge the priest. I always wonder what would happen.
When I frequented various Catholic churches I never witnessed this either.
It does, also, say in the Bible that the Jews were the chosen people. Jesus does contradict this however. It is written.
JBT -- If God knows what we will choose than we have no will but His.
If God knows that one will commit murder, we have no will but His.
2007-12-13 19:00:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your pastor is right to say that....but he missed the important point. God chooses everyone ever born on earth 100%. The Book of Life contains the name of everyone on earth and not add into it only when we accept Jesus. The name is cancelled only when on death, we still refused to accept Jesus. Can you see the love of God? His plan is for everyone to go to heaven, but He respects our free choice.
Cry out in your heart that you wanted to know His true nature, and He will inconvenient a pastor that really knows Him to come and preach to you. Read all the gospels concerning Jesus, you will know how God is like. Jesus always tell his disciples "Do not be afraid"......and this is our God, the Daddy God.
2007-12-13 18:45:48 · answer #6 · answered by Stef 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus died on the cross so that you may enter into salvation. He died for everyone of us, no one excluded.
Not all pastors are good pastors. Be careful not to loose your sense of direction because of something that is taken out of context. God is an all loving God and he loves you too.
Also, was he reading from the King James?????
2007-12-13 18:44:54 · answer #7 · answered by Carol 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have good questions and make some good points.
Some people believe that the Bible indicates that God chooses who will respond to Him. This view, initially popularized by John Calvin, says that people are predestined to go to Heaven or Hell.
Others believe that only our own free will decides whether or not we'll respond to God's calling. There is also scriptural evidence to support this claim.
While this may appear to be a contradiction, it's really not. Neither viewpoint is clearly supported in scripture. A third view, Molinism, says that God knows us, knows what we'll choose, but that we're free to make that choice on our own, without His intervention. To me, this seems to be the only viewpoint that is supported by all of scripture.
The bigger point is not who will be forgiven for their sin; it is will YOU be forgiven for your sin? The Bible is pretty clear on this point: it says that Jesus was sent to be our access to God, the doorway to forgiveness and fellowship with our creator.
As for showing Himself, I'd direct you to look at the amazing things around you. Life itself, the very existence of our Universe, the wonders of the size of subatomic particles -- all are evidence of God's existence. Science continues to determine just how unlikely the Universe really is, and how finely tuned it is to permit life. The more we learn, the more there is to support belief in God.
God doesn't want anyone to perish; the Bible says this explicitly. He loves you and wants us to love Him in return. He loves us so much He's unwilling to force us to love Him back.
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To BrunoGiordano, below: Knowledge of an event isn't the same thing as causing that event. Any foreknowledge that God has does not determine whether or not you choose to do something. If I know you'll respond angrily to some bit of news, I am not causing you to be angry. The same is true of God's foreknowledge.
2007-12-13 18:43:03 · answer #8 · answered by The Former Dr. Bob 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Look at it this way...You go to church to make your grandfather happy. Your grandfather enjoys your companionship & your love for him. You need not even pay attention to what the pastor says just focus on your grandfather & maybe say prayers for the pastor that he learns to write more meaningfull sermons. Don't take his sermons personal. Just think of the good deeds you are doing for your grandfather. Enjoy him while you have him.
2007-12-13 18:46:51 · answer #9 · answered by simplesimon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most Christians reject the Calvinism or "Calvinism-lite" that so many Fundamentalist Protestants profess. Don't judge all Christianity from the teachings and attitudes of a minority whose teachings in the area of"double predestination' or the view that all those who do not believe particular theologies are damned are as repulsive to us as they are to you
and to the God of Eternal Love also.
Please don't judge God by the blatherings and vices of many of us who do believe His Creeds but do not really believe that He is the God of mercy,Justice and Goodness and so do not really have faith in Him and in the Love of Jesus.
2007-12-13 18:41:46 · answer #10 · answered by James O 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, that's completely a matter of preference... it leads to the old "Predestination" and "Free Will" debates. Personally, I'm on the side of "Free Will"; we chose God, he did not choose us. I'd say this is probably about the most controversial subject within Christianity.
2007-12-13 18:41:27 · answer #11 · answered by Sam 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋