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1) Are you saved?

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2) Why are you saved? Do you have a scripture to back up your thought?

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3) Do you feel like you live according to the Bible to the best of your ability?

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I am searching for truth beyond my current knowledge and perhaps beyond yours. If you clai to be a Christian then you of course are required to help a brother in need. I need your answers.

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We all need answers, but the Bible is easy to understand, even a child can understand it, I thought the number one kinji rule was K.I.S.S(keep it simple stupid)

We all need answers, but be careful what you might do to get the answers, because sometimes the pursuit of them can bring you to places that you never wanted to go. You can easily find yourself lost, with no way home

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Jon 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

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We all need answers, but the Bible is easy to understand, even a child can understand it, I thought the number one kinji rule was K.I.S.S(keep it simple stupid)

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I'm just gonna stay out of this one...

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1) Are you saved?

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Yes, I think so, but I'll tell you for sure, once I make it there.

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2) Why are you saved? Do you have a scripture to back up your thought?

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Hebrews 9:13-14
The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

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3) Do you feel like you live according to the Bible to the best of your ability?

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Yes, I've been "programming" all my life.

I started learning C-Script from the "Master Kinji" back in 2002.

I'm trying to use that programming ability every day and work on games, to make things that glorify God. Is that living? Yeah, I think so?

Or maybe I'm just dieing at my keyboard?

AAGGHHH, I HAVE TO FINISH IT!!!

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Just to make clear the statement above.. I believe the Word is all we have that we can hold true. Mans interpretation is not trust worthy. Read it, live it and youll be ok. In this day.. who is willing to live it?

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Isn't the Word an "interpretation" of man too because it was written down? It was written down by man in man's language and not by God. Can we write down God's thoughts? If not, the Bible, if you believe in it, doesn't even come close to the real truth.

As for 'willing to live it', perhaps you're talking about something different, but I think a lot of religious people are not willing to. Instead, they're searching for an escape, a happy end and really seem to be more involved with their after-life than with their current lives.

I can understand that religious people think it's important, since they believe their after-life will be eternal, but when it comes to living, religious people seem to have a radically different view about what's truly important and thus are not willing to live it, instead they seem to be waiting for their time to come. Do you guys ever reach spiritual peace?

Cheers

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1) Are you saved?

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2) Why are you saved? Do you have a scripture to back up your thought?

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3) Do you feel like you live according to the Bible to the best of your ability?

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This is a double-edged question, really. Do I feel I do? Definitely not. Do I try? Yes. And this is where I'll elaborate

Generally, in relation to the Christian community as a whole, I tend to disagree with some common schools of thought on controversial subjects. A lot of Christians would say I'm a terrible representation of Christianity: I curse, I am pessimistic, I'm not uplifting to others, I don't go witnessing to people, I don't even go to church much these days. And honestly, I agree wholeheartedly- I'm terrible. But I would also point the finger right back; there is no Christian in this world that is "good," nor are they a shining example of Christianity. We all are fallen people and we all screw up.

The fact of the matter is that it isn't about pointing the finger. It isn't about comparing yourself to other Christians in your "walk with Christ" to tell if you are a "good Christian." It's about your relationship with Christ- and that's between just you and Him, not anyone else.

The priest at the church I've attended on and off for the last few months has become a good friend of my Fiancee and I, and over lunch we were talking about this very subject. He put it different than I had heard before, but it struck home. He explained how much time we could put into "following the rules." Not swearing, uplifting others, going to Church, reading your Bible regularly, etc. Not that these aren't things you should work on, but when it becomes the focus of Christian life, there is a disconnect. He continued on, saying that instead of trying to achieve these things, decide what is moral, that he thought it was better to first try to do the best you can with what you're given. If I swear, so what? That's God's place to judge, and if it isn't hurting anyone, so be it; forget about it unless it becomes a problem and instead focus on helping the poor, being there for your friend who needs someone to talk to, and other things that are focused on others rather than yourself.


Another person that had a great number of things to say was one of my favorite authors, Donald Miller. I saw him last fall for a talk he gave, followed by a book signing; he talked about how "free market economy" had been infiltrating everything in society. Sounds a like an odd way to start talking about God. Then he asked the question,"How many of you have heard that Jesus would fix all your problems?" Everyone raised their hands. Then he asked, "Is there anyone here that doesn't have any problems?" Noone raised their hand. Even Christianity is being marketed, "Jesus will fix your problems, Jesus will make you happy" just like a new car will make your happy, or a new cleaning solution for your kitchen will fix all your family's problems and everyone will walk around with smiles on their faces (you know you've seen the commercials). That's advertising, sell people things saying they will fix all kinds of problems that aren't even related to the product. The he made his point "Jesus is one shitty product." Silence. "Face it, he isn't a cure-all, he isn't a magic product that fixes all of life's problems. In fact, he said that the road would be hard. He never said it was a cake walk." Jesus can't be marketed, he can't be sold. He isn't a product. He's the solution to a gap man created between themselves and God, not a genie. This doesn't mean Jesus won't fix those problems, that he won't help you overcome obstacles put in front of you, but that isn't his first concern. His first concern is loving you, you loving Him, and Him taking you to a life of eternity with Him. Christianity isn't a utopia, it's more like the front-line of a war. You may be persecuted, you will be misunderstood, you'll be ridiculed, and so on.

We're saved because we believe, not because we do good works, or because we follow the Law. It's because we believe.


Disclaimer: I know a lot of Christians will disagree with some of what I said, I've heard the arguments before- just know that this is only a small tidbit of the whole picture.. and is probably firstly difficult to fully understand, and also still probably contrary to you what you believe.

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Another person that had a great number of things to say was one of my favorite authors, Donald Miller. I saw him last fall for a talk he gave, followed by a book signing; he talked about how "free market economy" had been infiltrating everything in society. Sounds a like an odd way to start talking about God. Then he asked the question,"How many of you have heard that Jesus would fix all your problems?" Everyone raised their hands. Then he asked, "Is there anyone here that doesn't have any problems?" Noone raised their hand. Even Christianity is being marketed, "Jesus will fix your problems, Jesus will make you happy" just like a new car will make your happy, or a new cleaning solution for your kitchen will fix all your family's problems and everyone will walk around with smiles on their faces (you know you've seen the commercials). That's advertising, sell people things saying they will fix all kinds of problems that aren't even related to the product. The he made his point "Jesus is one shitty product." Silence. "Face it, he isn't a cure-all, he isn't a magic product that fixes all of life's problems. In fact, he said that the road would be hard. He never said it was a cake walk." Jesus can't be marketed, he can't be sold. He isn't a product. He's the solution to a gap man created between themselves and God, not a genie. This doesn't mean Jesus won't fix those problems, that he won't help you overcome obstacles put in front of you, but that isn't his first concern. His first concern is loving you, you loving Him, and Him taking you to a life of eternity with Him. Christianity isn't a utopia, it's more like the front-line of a war. You may be persecuted, you will be misunderstood, you'll be ridiculed, and so on.

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Yeah, that's mainly why I don't like organized religion, or at least why I don't like churches. What's that famous quote again? I think it was:

"How much money does Jesus need anyways, I thought he was in the saving business?"

Pretty much enough said, I agree that it's about what you believe in, not what you do. Some are physically limited in what they can do, so it would be unfair in respect to this equal love. Or does Jesus love some more than others?

Cheers