Christians: how sure are you?

[an anarchist]

Hey there Christian, question for you.

How sure are you that Jesus Christ exists and is your Lord and Savior? Like, are you 100% sure? My family of Christians would say that they are 100% sure with no doubt in mind that Christ is God. How do they know? I'm not sure.

I'm curious if Christians on this site have the same level of conviction or confidence in their faith. If so, why? If not, why?

I used to think I knew 100% sure that the Bible was truth and Christ was literal God. But here I am.

 

[Nakosis]

Hey there Christian, question for you.

How sure are you that Jesus Christ exists and is your Lord and Savior? Like, are you 100% sure? My family of Christians would say that they are 100% sure with no doubt in mind that Christ is God. How do they know? I'm not sure.

I'm curious if Christians on this site have the same level of conviction or confidence in their faith. If so, why? If not, why?

I used to think I knew 100% sure that the Bible was truth and Christ was literal God. But here I am.

Ok, as a former Christian.
One can feel the presence of Jesus. Like you feel the presence of someone you love in the room.
Also you can feel the "burden of sin" being removed from you.

These experiences of course give you confidence in the reality of Jesus.

Maybe we ought to question the cause of these experiences but they happen.
What we are taught in our culture we don't think to question usually.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Ok, as a former Christian.
One can feel the presence of Jesus. Like you feel the presence of someone you love in the room.
Also you can feel the "burden of sin" being removed from you.

These experiences of course give you confidence in the reality of Jesus.

Maybe we ought to question the cause of these experiences but they happen.
What we are taught in our culture we don't think to question usually.

The first time a Christian talks to an ex-Christian who has had these experiences, it wouldn't make them question?
I guess some people are just wired differently.

 

[Nakosis]

The first time a Christian talks to an ex-Christian who has had these experiences, it wouldn't make them question?
I guess some people are just wired differently.

Maybe, sometimes.
As you said, people are wired different by their past.
Sometimes it clicks and sometimes it don't.
Just as likely to **** them off.

 

[F1fan]

The first time a Christian talks to an ex-Christian who has had these experiences, it wouldn't make them question?
I guess some people are just wired differently.

I notice the only people who claim to feel or relate to Jesus had heard others talk about Jesus first. We never hear how isolated people have miraculously interacted with Jesus. What a strange coincidence.

 

[idea]

Ok, as a former Christian.
One can feel the presence of Jesus. Like you feel the presence of someone you love in the room.
Also you can feel the "burden of sin" being removed from you.

These experiences of course give you confidence in the reality of Jesus.

Maybe we ought to question the cause of these experiences but they happen.
What we are taught in our culture we don't think to question usually.

As a former Christian as well, I will agree with that. Elevation is an interesting thing -

Elevation (emotion) - Wikipedia

This -

It isn't from God, it's a heard bonding instinct - like bees following a queen, group-think, hive-mind,

Characteristics of Groupthink

Rationalization of decisions to minimize objections. Belief in the absolute goodness of the group. Intense dislike of outsiders – stereotyped and misleading portrayals of outside members and those who have left the group.

Outsider = other religious faiths, other family types, ...

You leave when the absolute 'goodness' in the group is gone (pedophile protected by other group members in my case)

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Hey there Christian, question for you.
How sure are you that Jesus Christ exists and is your Lord and Savior? Like, are you 100% sure? My family of Christians would say that they are 100% sure with no doubt in mind that Christ is God. How do they know? I'm not sure.
I'm curious if Christians on this site have the same level of conviction or confidence in their faith. If so, why? If not, why?
I used to think I knew 100% sure that the Bible was truth and Christ was literal God. But here I am.

'Christendom' (so-called Christian but mostly in name only) teaches Christ is literal God, but Jesus did not.
Even the resurrected ascended-to-heaven Jesus still thinks he has a God over him - Revelation 3:12.
I am 100% sure Christendom's clergy are wrong and the Bible is right.
In the KJV there are two (2) LORD/Lords mentioned at Psalms 110
The LORD in all Upper-Case letters stands for the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) for God's name.
The Lord in some lower-case letters stands for Lord Jesus. No Tetragrammaton ever applied to Lord Jesus.
Jesus does Not declare his own name at John 17:6; John 17:26.

 

[Brian2]

Hey there Christian, question for you.

How sure are you that Jesus Christ exists and is your Lord and Savior? Like, are you 100% sure? My family of Christians would say that they are 100% sure with no doubt in mind that Christ is God. How do they know? I'm not sure.

I'm curious if Christians on this site have the same level of conviction or confidence in their faith. If so, why? If not, why?

I used to think I knew 100% sure that the Bible was truth and Christ was literal God. But here I am.

I tend to think that where there is faith there is doubt, or at least the possibility of doubt, and that most people do not believe 100%. But if you go to a church that makes you feel like you are doing something wrong by doubting then you might say you believe 100%.
You can still have confidence that Jesus is Lord and Saviour even if you have doubts, but it is hard to quantify.
You certainly don't have to be 100% sure to be a Christian.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I’m not 100% sure of anything. If we didn’t have doubts, we’d have no need of faith.

Pretty certain that if more people followed Christ’s message, the world would be a better place; but then, part of that message is that the riches of this world are not the things of enduring value.

 

[Brian2]

'Christendom' (so-called Christian but mostly in name only) teaches Christ is literal God, but Jesus did not.
Even the resurrected ascended-to-heaven Jesus still thinks he has a God over him - Revelation 3:12.
I am 100% sure Christendom's clergy are wrong and the Bible is right.
In the KJV there are two (2) LORD/Lords mentioned at Psalms 110
The LORD in all Upper-Case letters stands for the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) for God's name.
The Lord in some lower-case letters stands for Lord Jesus. No Tetragrammaton ever applied to Lord Jesus.
Jesus does Not declare his own name at John 17:6; John 17:26.

Jesus is a man now and so has a God over Him.
Heb 1:10 tells us that Ps 102:25-7 applies to Jesus, so Jesus is the God of Psalm 102:24. But that is not YHWH.
Heb 1:4 tells us that Jesus has inherited a name superior to that of the angels.
Eph 1:21 says Jesus is above every name that is named in this age and in the next. (I imagine this does not mean that He is above His own name however)
Phil 2:9 tells us that God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names. (Phil 2 is telling us that we should be humble towards those equal to us as Jesus was towards God before He became a man. He obeyed His Father and His Father exalted Him and showed everyone that He is YHWH, so that at the name of Jesus every knee would bow)
That sounds like YHWH to me. How about you?
What is interesting also is that Jesus said that everything that the Father has belongs to Him (Jesus) (John 16:15) This of course means that the name Jesus inherited (YHWH) belonged to Him even when He was alive in earth.

 

[Brian2]

As a former Christian as well, I will agree with that. Elevation is an interesting thing -

Elevation (emotion) - Wikipedia

This -

Interesting video.

It isn't from God, it's a heard bonding instinct - like bees following a queen, group-think, hive-mind,

Characteristics of Groupthink

Rationalization of decisions to minimize objections. Belief in the absolute goodness of the group. Intense dislike of outsiders – stereotyped and misleading portrayals of outside members and those who have left the group.

Outsider = other religious faiths, other family types, ...

You leave when the absolute 'goodness' in the group is gone (pedophile protected by other group members in my case)

It should be more than a bond to the people in the faith and a belief that those people are good. If it is that then you are bound to be disappointed when you find out that they are only human.

 

[stvdv]

How sure are you that Jesus Christ exists

100%

Christ exists and is your Lord and Savior?

I pray to Sai Baba
Christ is God, this I believe
Sai Baba is my Lord and Savior

I'm curious if Christians on this site have the same level of conviction or confidence in their faith. If so, why? If not, why?

Once I repeated a mantra given by Sai Baba for ca. 6 hours, then Jesus appeared to me, hence I am 100% sure Jesus Christ exists

 

[Kenny]

Hey there Christian, question for you.

How sure are you that Jesus Christ exists and is your Lord and Savior? Like, are you 100% sure? My family of Christians would say that they are 100% sure with no doubt in mind that Christ is God. How do they know? I'm not sure.

I'm curious if Christians on this site have the same level of conviction or confidence in their faith. If so, why? If not, why?

I used to think I knew 100% sure that the Bible was truth and Christ was literal God. But here I am.

I am 100% sure.

Sometimes, as children grow up, they live off of their parents faith and never graduate into their own faith.

They haven't had that personal experience or haven't had their personal questions answered.

My faith is based on:

1. Questions being answered
2. Personal experiences
3. Infilling of the dunamis of the Holy Spirit.

May your journey prosper.

 

[idea]

Interesting video.



It should be more than a bond to the people in the faith and a belief that those people are good. If it is that then you are bound to be disappointed when you find out that they are only human.

It really is just a bond to people though, not God. God doesn't exist, that sensation - elevation- isn't from God, it is from just feeling connected with other people.

All the different groups who misunderstand elevation, think their group is led by god because of it? They are all just following one another, all just feeling connected to their group.

 

[Brian2]

It really is just a bond to people though, not God. God doesn't exist, that sensation - elevation- isn't from God, it is from just feeling connected with other people.

All the different groups who misunderstand elevation, think their group is led by god because of it? They are all just following one another, all just feeling connected to their group.

Bonding with others is certainly a part of it.
Truly loving those people is from God imo.

 

[RestlessSoul]

It really is just a bond to people though, not God. God doesn't exist, that sensation - elevation- isn't from God, it is from just feeling connected with other people.

All the different groups who misunderstand elevation, think their group is led by god because of it? They are all just following one another, all just feeling connected to their group.

Who are you following, and who are you connected to?

 

[idea]

Who are you following, and who are you connected to?

SBNA/SBNR - the largest, and fastest growing group out there. Spiritual but not affiliated. I'm one of the many happy and free nomads. Not politically affiliated. Not religiously affiliated. No labels. Take what is good, leave what is not so good. No dogmas. Free to change as I learn more information. Free.

 

[idea]

Bonding with others is certainly a part of it.
Truly loving those people is from God imo.

Love is part of all life. Birth, death, supporting your family - it's part of all life, which is a beautiful thing. Elevation is cool, it's just not from an imaginary unseen being in the sky. It's from something real, its from one another.

 

[Brian2]

Love is part of all life. Birth, death, supporting your family - it's part of all life, which is a beautiful thing. Elevation is cool, it's just not from an imaginary unseen being in the sky. It's from something real, its from one another.

I remember someone saying that people come to a church for various reasons but they stay because of the people.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Jesus is a man now and so has a God over Him.
Heb 1:10 tells us that Ps 102:25-7 applies to Jesus, so Jesus is the God of Psalm 102:24. But that is not YHWH.
Heb 1:4 tells us that Jesus has inherited a name superior to that of the angels.
Eph 1:21 says Jesus is above every name that is named in this age and in the next. (I imagine this does not mean that He is above His own name however)
Phil 2:9 tells us that God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names. (Phil 2 is telling us that we should be humble towards those equal to us as Jesus was towards God before He became a man. He obeyed His Father and His Father exalted Him and showed everyone that He is YHWH, so that at the name of Jesus every knee would bow)
That sounds like YHWH to me. How about you?
What is interesting also is that Jesus said that everything that the Father has belongs to Him (Jesus) (John 16:15) This of course means that the name Jesus inherited (YHWH) belonged to Him even when He was alive in earth.

Before verse 15, I notice at John 16:14 it says, ' that one will glorify me ', so it is God who glorifies Jesus.
The resurrected ascended-to-heaven Jesus goes to the Father - John 16:16 B
Jesus appears in front of his God - Hebrews 9:24.
Even heavenly Jesus still thinks he has a God over him according to John at Revelation 3:12.

Before verse 10, at Hebrews 1:9 it says that God anointed Jesus. Jesus did Not anoint himself.
Thus, because the Son is the one who 'through his God' preformed his great works.
Jesus is the greater Solomon - Hebrews 1:5 B; 2 Samuel 7:14 - Not the Great or Greater God - John 17:3
I think we need to keep in mind that pre-human Jesus is part of the "us" at Genesis 1:26
So, to me it should Not surprise us that Jesus was there when earth's foundation was laid.
Pre-human Jesus acted in God's behalf - Colossians 1:15-16
Jesus gives credit to his God as Creator - Revelation 4:11
Jesus does Not commit all authority to himself but to his God - Matthew 28:18 - as Jesus represents his God.

After his God resurrected dead Jesus - Ephesians 1:20 - then Jesus became Head of the Christian congregation (KJV says ' church') and all authority would be over earth - Ephesians 1:21; Hebrews 1:4 - for salvation is through Jesus.
- Acts of the Apostles 4:12; Philippians 2:11 B - to the glory of God the Father. ( credit given to the Father )
Please notice where Jesus is located according to 1 Peter 3:22 ; Acts of the Apostles 7:55; Hebrews 10:12.
Which to me brings us back to Psalms 110.
The two (2) KJV LORD/Lords is about two (2) separate LORD/ Lords.
The Tetragrammaton LORD in ALL Capital letters YHWH.
And the some-lower-case Lord, No Tetragrammaton applied to Lord Jesus.