Subject: Where should I turn?????? |
Bible Note: 2Fedex, No criticism. I promise. I would just like to point out a couple of things to you, if I may, in response to your post to humbledbyhisgrace since it will follow up my response to you earlier also. You said: “but we must not discount people too quickly when they ask questions that require physical proof(Jesus certainly didn't seem terribly offended by the Apostles wanting to touch Him)” John 20:29 Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed and happy and to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me. See, we weren’t going to get the hands on proof (and didn’t get it) that the disciples were privileged to receive. But we did get the Holy Spirit and Scriptures. You also state: “but how can a person who is apparently lost and without the Holy Spirit to illuminate them know what a particular verse means?” Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. We can’t give anyone the Holy Spirit we can only point them to the Scriptures. And then you stated: “God knows our hearts and can and will provide all we need to have faith.” Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. We need faith. That’s why I asked where faith fit into a certain line of reasoning. Without faith why would anyone believe? And where can we get that faith? We get it from God through hearing His message. That’s why I know that the Bible can be used to prove God’s existence to someone who does not believe, because it contains God’s message to us and we cannot concoct anything better than that. If we are seeking the truth, we’ll find it in Christ. We’ll find the eyewitness accounts of Christ in the Bible. Luke 11:9,10: 9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. My point is this: If one is truly and honestly seeking the truth, they’ll find it in Scripture. We can only lead them that far and then God will do the rest. That's all I wanted to point out. In love WOS |