My experience is that more study yields more knowledge and less faith.[/QUOTE
Study or biblical research should yield more accurate biblical knowledge and information and MORE faith.
Faith is 'confidence' in Scripture just like the confidence the people of Hebrews chapter 11 had.
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How faith alone changes the word of God
- Thread starter actsfourthirty
- Start date
So you're defining faith as "confidence?" But how can 'confidence' test anything or yield any wisdom, insight or knowledge?
Q: Confidence based on.... what?
Truthseeker
Non-debating member when I can help myself
Nothing wrong with spreading the word, as I see it, as long as there is a receptive heart there, and you know that by what the other person says to you first.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I don't know. I'm not christian. I just know that the practice of witnessing isn't welcoming to many people but witnesses (regardless their denomination) doesn't see that cause of divine justification.
Scripture doesn't help because it doesn't add validity to what you're saying, just adding context. In order to add validity to your point is to find sources we both can agree on the authenticity of it.
Not too much in a good mood, but scripture quoting is another witnessing technique and faith and witness does less to change the world than actions and working together does. I'm sure we don't need one person's scripture to change the world. God isn't owned by one religion.
Interesting question ^ above ^ because ' saved by faith ' means saved by having 'confidence' in God.
Judgement Day ( Jesus' 1,000-year day ) will be ample time for a person to choose.
Remember: only God's kingdom government (Daniel 2:44) will govern over Earth with Christ as President (aka King)
So, what a person does ' after ' they are resurrected is what will determine their everlasting life or not.
Remember: ALL who died before Jesus came did Not have the opportunity to put faith/confidence in Jesus.
After they are resurrected then they will have that opportunity.
And since conditions on Earth will be as described in Isaiah 35th chapter conditions on Earth will be wonderful.
You might want to reformat your post. There's a glitch. 
You said (I think):
Confidence? Confidence, ideally, should be based on something. What is biblical, or Christian 'confidence' based on? Can it be tested, or even researched? -- before death, I mean.
You said (I think):
I find that biblical research, by qualified scholars, linguists and historians, yields a great many inconvenient truths and insights mainstream Christians would be uncomfortable with.
Confidence? Confidence, ideally, should be based on something. What is biblical, or Christian 'confidence' based on? Can it be tested, or even researched? -- before death, I mean.
Interesting.
So the dead will have the chance to make their religious choices after resurrection?
Convenient. Presumably they'll have more to go on, at that point.
Wow, you can underscore and say that again that witnessing isn't welcome !
Just as Jesus said his followers would be hated BIG time - Matthew 10:21-22; Matthew 24:9; Luke 21:17.
I think we can agree about Jesus' New commandment to have self-sacrificing love for others.(John 13:34-35)
In other words, consider others as superior just as Philippians 2:3-4 says.
Although one is hated, it is love of neighbor that keeps bringing God's Word to others.
God desires No one to perish, and that is why He wants His message declared - Romans 10:14-15.
The good news message that God's Kingdom is coming and Jesus, as King of God's Kingdom, will Not only usher in Peace on Earth among people of goodwill, but will bring ' healing ' to Earth's nations as per Revelation 22:2.
You might want to reformat your post. There's a glitch.
You said (I think):
I find that biblical research, by qualified scholars, linguists and historians, yields a great many inconvenient truths and insights mainstream Christians would be uncomfortable with.
Confidence? Confidence, ideally, should be based on something. What is biblical, or Christian 'confidence' based on? Can it be tested, or even researched? -- before death, I mean.
Biblical research can be done by everyone just like the common people of Acts of the Apostles 17:11 who searched or researched the Scriptures daily to see if what they were hearing was really what the Bible teaches.
Sure, Jesus taught to have confidence in something, that something is Scripture just as he had confidence in Scripture.
We can all research Scripture. Because Scripture is Not written in ABC order we need to study or research Scripture by subject or topic arrangement in order to get a clear picture of what the Bible really teaches.
A comprehensive concordance puts the Bible in alphabetical order for us.
Jesus warned that MANY would ' come in his name, but prove false ' according to Matthew 7:21-23.
As far as mainstream please notice the many 'woes' Jesus pronounced against those 'mainstream Pharisees', so to speak, of his day in the 23rd chapter of Matthew.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
It isn't. I'm in a complex where soliciting and door knocking isn't allowed. We have mostly LDS here though.
The problem is once someone says the magic word, smiles, or shows little interest in the bible that's the door to open for scripture quotes and this is what god says.
Have you asked others what their religion or worldview is?
How it helped them.... And comment how they have found what "they" are looking for?
Yes, interesting because during Jesus ' 1,000-year governmental reign over Earth that Not only will there be more to go on, but Earth will be transformed into a beautiful paradisical Earth as Isaiah 35th chapter describes that time.
We'll all have our own homes, etc. as mentioned at Isaiah 65:21-25
Very interesting post ^ above ^ .
Yes, many are satisfied or Not looking.
Sure, especially years ago I worked at a big company with many co-workers of different religious backgrounds.
( I recall one saying to me Christians are worse than Jews ! )
Outside of work I would meet people and ask which church they attended.
Often I knew one of my co-workers from that same church.
I would point out what I liked or admired about that church member.
Since most co-workers were nice it was easy to have something good to say about them.
I even learned to say, " How do you say ___________ in Italian ? " and then share a Bible thought in Italian.
However, when the Vietnamese came over all I could do was hand them a printed tract in Vietnamese for them.
My last job before I retired I noticed that people were No longer open as co-workers were years back.
So, it was No longer easy to engage in conversation, but more like a direct yes or no.
Or, often they would just reply, " I'm set " .
Is there anything in particular you'd like me to know about your religion or worldview ?
How has that helped you________ and how did you find what you were looking for ?
I'll look for your reply tomorrow. Good day for now.
rational experiences
Veteran Member
Man egotism explained as owner first is the Christ consciousness.
Returned by gods stone earth saviour wandering stone. Self aware human advice. CH gases lost before had re massed since.
Stone burning releasing it's cold gas in space travel as mass had put back into earths heavens mass of gas previously burnt out by science as God stone gases.
As it constantly passes close by earth saving it's heavens.
Taught.
As cold gas heavens re massed a known wisdom.
Life improved evolved healed. Radiation DNA mutations disappeared as if by magic. Suffered by humans in natural life.
A medical heaven advice in evolution of causes. Said the known science discussion was proven real. Was witnessed as human body's magical healing.
Heavens radiation fallout was changing.
Humans said what we previously were medically suffering as a DNA problem was bodily removed.
A medical advice reasoned. Termed a science teaching was not a special human. It was scientific.
Dying before a hundred year life span says God cycles by 10 taught us 10 X 100 Idealises life living surviving where it took 1000 years of cycles in space before life healed.
Reason a sun cycle was 12.
About 1000 years ago life was sacrificed as the hit returned. Shroud Turin evidence. As science would not stop using nuclear temple pyramid model. One thousand years before.
Life re sacrificed teaching titled Jesus. A study model.
It had ended when temple blew up and pyramid toppled like mountain disintegration had. Science never chose to stop practicing science it was forced.
Ignoring pre advised reason to stop science they had caused and set alight the wandering star saviour to release hotter gases instead of a cooling slow burn.
So it came back swiftly hitting earth.
Rome was actually set on fire as it came swiftly.
Known by science in science as science caused it. Human choice.
Therefore the asteroid wandering star saviours coming close into a radiating science heated gas heavens earth space trail can activate that form of attack.
A science known warning to scientists.
From Egyptian Moses fallout life healing was notated medically. But was miraculous to see it occur. Yet the heavens was owner of causes.
Life being re sacrificed notated also when science occult nuclear was re practiced.
Ark giant human angel image was caused a long time ago. All life died. In ice cooling images in records was re seen and studied.
Human images as giant images as angels in clouds. Reason all life had been recorded destroyed by giant signals UFO returned.
How new human man images were then also seen in cloud image in smaller bodies as science practice was no longer using origin giant pyramid all life destroyed. Moses event.
Moses taught.
Jesus life image in clouds life sacrificed re taught. Known by men in science.
Knew it was why the phenomena man's image in cloud was caused.
All human life first eradicated by giant angel reasoning. Why it already was seen. To reason giant life image of a human represented all humans who died as the mass of humans.
In the origin scene of humans science crime A crime A America continent.
As a human in real life is small bodied.
What a heavenly miraculous recorded image event meant. And why it has been witnessed since Multi times as reality.
Not special. It was known as humans had caused all reasons.
Returned by gods stone earth saviour wandering stone. Self aware human advice. CH gases lost before had re massed since.
Stone burning releasing it's cold gas in space travel as mass had put back into earths heavens mass of gas previously burnt out by science as God stone gases.
As it constantly passes close by earth saving it's heavens.
Taught.
As cold gas heavens re massed a known wisdom.
Life improved evolved healed. Radiation DNA mutations disappeared as if by magic. Suffered by humans in natural life.
A medical heaven advice in evolution of causes. Said the known science discussion was proven real. Was witnessed as human body's magical healing.
Heavens radiation fallout was changing.
Humans said what we previously were medically suffering as a DNA problem was bodily removed.
A medical advice reasoned. Termed a science teaching was not a special human. It was scientific.
Dying before a hundred year life span says God cycles by 10 taught us 10 X 100 Idealises life living surviving where it took 1000 years of cycles in space before life healed.
Reason a sun cycle was 12.
About 1000 years ago life was sacrificed as the hit returned. Shroud Turin evidence. As science would not stop using nuclear temple pyramid model. One thousand years before.
Life re sacrificed teaching titled Jesus. A study model.
It had ended when temple blew up and pyramid toppled like mountain disintegration had. Science never chose to stop practicing science it was forced.
Ignoring pre advised reason to stop science they had caused and set alight the wandering star saviour to release hotter gases instead of a cooling slow burn.
So it came back swiftly hitting earth.
Rome was actually set on fire as it came swiftly.
Known by science in science as science caused it. Human choice.
Therefore the asteroid wandering star saviours coming close into a radiating science heated gas heavens earth space trail can activate that form of attack.
A science known warning to scientists.
From Egyptian Moses fallout life healing was notated medically. But was miraculous to see it occur. Yet the heavens was owner of causes.
Life being re sacrificed notated also when science occult nuclear was re practiced.
Ark giant human angel image was caused a long time ago. All life died. In ice cooling images in records was re seen and studied.
Human images as giant images as angels in clouds. Reason all life had been recorded destroyed by giant signals UFO returned.
How new human man images were then also seen in cloud image in smaller bodies as science practice was no longer using origin giant pyramid all life destroyed. Moses event.
Moses taught.
Jesus life image in clouds life sacrificed re taught. Known by men in science.
Knew it was why the phenomena man's image in cloud was caused.
All human life first eradicated by giant angel reasoning. Why it already was seen. To reason giant life image of a human represented all humans who died as the mass of humans.
In the origin scene of humans science crime A crime A America continent.
As a human in real life is small bodied.
What a heavenly miraculous recorded image event meant. And why it has been witnessed since Multi times as reality.
Not special. It was known as humans had caused all reasons.
I'm sure your "confidence" in this is sincere, but I question the source of your confidence.
Please support the authenticity of your sources. Anyone can list quotations. That doesn't speak to their correctness.
Very nice -- but have you any real, observable, testable evidence to support this?
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Actually no. I was asking the question about whether you do or not. For example, if someone was wiccan would you show interest in her belief and how it helps her.
I try to be direct. Wasn't talking about me. At work we can't even ask "are you okay, I heard you were sick..." It's more "how are you. It's been awhile (hint hint)." Liability issues.
But, the point is asking me my belief isn't genune as asking someone else about their views without being prompted perceived or actual.
I think people witnessing need to spend less time about the info they want to share and more time getting to know the person Not. to witness but genuine interest...and say goodbye and leave.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Each and every character in the stories had one type or another, a supernatural interaction and or meeting, negating any need for faith.
I am wondering what supernatural interaction or meeting for Rahab ______
They all had 'faith' according to Hebrews 11:39. They all died in 'faith' as per Hebrews 11:13
So, they still had to exercise their faith or confidence in God's promises.
Yes, how are you and what would you like me to do for you?
When someone at the door says they aren't feeling well I always offer to go the the store or pharmacy for them.
If someone says they just lost a loved one in death, I return with a small bouquet of cut flowers for them.
Yes, I met a Wiccan many years back in Florida named Barbara (I think from Michigan) and when we were introduced (camp site) at one point we were left alone, just the two of us. Nothing about witnessing but asking about her day, etc.
Since she did Not respond back to my interest in her, I decided to just be quite, thinking that chatting would help pass the time. Then, after a while for some reason she turned towards me smiling and started chatting back.
I gather from Barbara that the fact that her mother and grandmother helped her was a reason for her belief.
She shared her detailed art work with me. I told her how much I like detail in pictures.
From time to time I still keep Barbara in mind through prayer for her.
I find the Pharisees of Jesus' day were sincere, dead serious, sincerely wrong.
The source of Jesus' confidence was the old Hebrew Scriptures.
Jesus had No reason to question his source because Jesus could explain or expound the Scriptures for us.
Yes, anyone can list where Bible verses or passages are located.
The showing of corresponding cross-reference verses or passages shows biblical harmony or correctness.
Since all Jesus said has come to pass at this time, to me that is observable, testable evidence to our disabled world today. What is casual or commonplace and acceptable in the world does Not mean it is Not serious.
Serious enough to consider what we can learn from the Bible.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I can't remember which denomination you follow or if you do, but I dislike door to door (or bus stop to bus stop) evangelism. It's different than asking someone how they are. The latter has a motive.
I mean, what stranger would just walk up to a person (like myself) waiting at the stop and ask if they found god?
Yeah. I like that. A lot of witnessers (couple I used to know before they moved), when they see or hear a slight interest, they zone in. On RF too, many times. For example, I can say I'm (I don't know) Wiccan and then ask the other about their god, and I get pamphlets and invitations because somehow I deviated from satan's religion to the truth.
In a general sense, it's not individual, but highly denominational. Many baptists do it, and nondenominations. Catholics do it to an extent but won't push one into it-not into catholicism, just to find christ since they believe all baptized people under FSH are christians.
Which is interesting. My co-worker is christian and I told her when she had a family problem that I'd pray for her. She said she wouldn't feel comfortable since I wasn't praying to god.