| Subject: Re: religious question |
Author:
Relo from StL
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Date Posted: 06:03:11 06/27/01 Wed
In reply to:
Farmgirl
's message, "religious question" on 19:41:29 06/26/01 Tue
Liza has done well to depict God's plan for us through Jesus Christ, so I need not elaborate on that. The point is this:
1. God has declared that no person is worthy enough to know and fellowship with Him.
2. This condition of unworthiness is called "sin" and God has declared that the penalty for sin is death.
3. We CANNOT save ourselves, no matter how hard we try.
4. God has recognized this fact and has provided a way we can remove our sin, through Jesus Christ.
Study any other religion in the world, and you will see in it a plan by which a person can work his/her way into fellowship with (or acceptance by) a holy God. It is human nature to think that we must do something to earn God's favor, and each of these religions cater to that idea.
Christianity is different. It recognizes the reality of point (3) above. We CANNOT earn God's favor. It does not make any difference what we do, we all alike are guilty of sin and God cannot have fellowship with sin.
God could condemn us all, and be perfectly justified in so doing. However, He loves us so much that He provided a way to have sin's penalty paid by allowing his own Son (Jesus) to come to earth and die. His death satisfies the penalty for our sin, and God can look upon us as if we had never committed a sin in our lives.
But it is not automatic. While it is available to everyone, not everyone has it. Someone may offer you a gift, but it is not yours unless you accept it from that person. In the same way, God's gift is not yours until you accept it from Him. As Nicodemus discovered in John 3, you must be born again, which means you recognize that Christ's death is God's gift for you, and you recognize that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and worthy to be followed.
What about the Buddhist (correct spelling) or Hindu? God has said that if any person truly seeks after Him in his/her heart, then he/she shall find Him. Some among those people HAVE earnestly sought for the true God. God HAS revealed Himself to them. Someone came along and introduced that person to Jesus Christ, and the Buddhist (or Hindu) received Christ's gift of salvation.
But that is irrelevant to you, unless you are a Buddhist or a Hindu. God deals with each person as an individual. You are responsible for your sin. It does not make any difference what anyone else does or believes in, you have to make your own choice. What will you do with Jesus?
Historians concede the evidence is overwhelming He lived on this earth 2000 years ago, there is little doubt about that. He lived. He died. He rose again, just as He said. He said he was the Son of God. The people of that day knew what He was saying, and sought to kill Him for it. He could not just be a good teacher, for if He was not who He said He was, then He was a liar and a blasphemer.
Knowing all that, how will you respond? Will you deny it, thus spurning God's gift to you, or will you embrace it, and know the joy of God's presence, as I do?
Farmgirl, I leave it to you to find out God's love for yourself. Get your Bible and find the Gospel of John, and read it all (it will take a couple hours at one sitting). No Bible? Then yes, I'll send you one, just as I did to Amy this past week. Just let me know. Read the Gospel of John and ask yourself: Why did Jesus say and do what He did, finally allowing himself to be killed after a travesty of justice was perpetrated on him? What does it all mean for me? Then return to chapter 3 and seek to understand how Nicodemus responded, and seek to do likewise.
>First let me start out by saying I am sorry if I
>offend anyone by this question, that is not my
>purpose, I don't know much about the bible and would
>like to know what others think.
>We were talking at work today and the comment was made
>that if you have been saved and believe in jesus then
>you will go to heaven, then a young man asked what if
>you are budist(SP?) or hindu will you go to heaven,
>one girl said no that you have to be saved and believe
>in jesus.
>I would like some opinions please.
>thanks
>Farmgirl
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