What Do You Believe? Like or Dislike

[Q.E.D.]

Just a little survey for fun. Not trying to trick anyone or get into a big argument. Please answer yes or no if you think this sounds good or not. If there is anything you like or dislike about it, let us all know.

Q.E.D.

Do you believe the following?

God desires for us all to go to heaven. He doesn't judge us, or condemn evildoers to hell. Those who choose evil condemn themselves to hell by choosing to withdraw from the Lord's love and mercy. The Lord God Jesus Christ saved us by showing us how to live our lives. His entire life on earth was about overcoming evils and temptations, and his death was the conclusion of that struggle. Just as we are faced with evils and temptations in our lives, Jesus struggled against those same temptations as a human. In overcoming them, He taught us the way to live.

We are saved when we open ourselves to the Lord and his love, and draw nearer to the Lord; and we do that by living our lives loving him. What does that mean? It means obeying his commandments (avoiding evil), being of use and loving others. We may have been taught that believing in the Lord is enough to save. But belief (or faith) without actively living that faith is not truly believing. Certainly, we cannot earn our way to heaven by our works. But we only truly believe or have faith when we actively work to do God's will. Love (or charity) must be united with faith in order for either to be real.

Jesus saved us, not through his death, but through his life. He overcame evil and restored a sense of balance in the world, leaving us in freedom to choose good or evil. He taught us how we should live our lives; in fact he showed us how to do it. It is only by so doing that we can be truly happy. Jesus set the stage so that we are free to choose. We must do our part to choose good, which will draw us closer to the Divine. This is how Jesus saves.

[Q.E.D.]

O.E.D.

THIS makes a lot of sense to me

dgrimm60

Thanks Dgrimm60,

It does sound good doesn't it!

Q.E.D.

[M. T. Cross]

Yes and no

[Igakusei]

God desires for us all to go to heaven. He doesn't judge us, or condemn evildoers to hell. Those who choose evil condemn themselves to hell by choosing to withdraw from the Lord's love and mercy.

No.

[Q.E.D.]

Yes and no

Thanks EmptyCross,

What part do you not like?

Q.E.D.

[Q.E.D.]

Originally Posted By: Q.E.D.

God desires for us all to go to heaven. He doesn't judge us, or condemn evildoers to hell. Those who choose evil condemn themselves to hell by choosing to withdraw from the Lord's love and mercy.

No.

Thanks Igakusei,

Good point!

Q.E.D.

[M. T. Cross]

Originally Posted By: EmptyCross

Yes and no

Thanks EmptyCross,

What part do you not like?

Q.E.D.

I actually just don't agree with parts of it. I do think that this God does want his followers to be with him.

But:

a) define evildoers?

Jesus, if he was the son of God had a foot up on us in regards to temptation.

c) Jesus is a great example, but I don't think one needs to follow him in order to choose good.

[phkrause]

The one thing I see missing is that the Bible says to be saved we need to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Having said that, that doesn't mean that the many you have never heard or been given the chance to except him, and have lived a good life, will not be saved.

[phkrause]

But:

a) define evildoers?

Jesus, if he was the son of God had a foot up on us in regards to temptation.

c) Jesus is a great example, but I don't think one needs to follow him in order to choose good.

You bring up a few interesting points EC.

a-I would define an evil doer as one that doesn't follow Gods moral Law.

b-I don't believe that for one second. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in all points as we are.

c-I agree only to a certain point. And that is those that have never heard of him, obviously will never have that chance. As the Bible says, we can do no good without him. So it seems by that statement, I have to believe that anyone doing good is being influenced by the HS, even if they don't what to believe that or are aware of that. That is my opinion EC. And I believe that opinion.

[cheddar]

Do you believe the following?

We are saved when we open ourselves to the Lord and his love, and draw nearer to the Lord; and we do that by living our lives loving him. What does that mean? It means obeying his commandments (avoiding evil), being of use and loving others. We may have been taught that believing in the Lord is enough to save. But belief (or faith) without actively living that faith is not truly believing. Certainly, we cannot earn our way to heaven by our works. But we only truly believe or have faith when we actively work to do God's will. Love (or charity) must be united with faith in order for either to be real

[M. T. Cross]

Originally Posted By: EmptyCross

But:

a) define evildoers?

Jesus, if he was the son of God had a foot up on us in regards to temptation.

c) Jesus is a great example, but I don't think one needs to follow him in order to choose good.

You bring up a few interesting points EC.

a-I would define an evil doer as one that doesn't follow Gods moral Law.

b-I don't believe that for one second. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in all points as we are.

c-I agree only to a certain point. And that is those that have never heard of him, obviously will never have that chance. As the Bible says, we can do no good without him. So it seems by that statement, I have to believe that anyone doing good is being influenced by the HS, even if they don't what to believe that or are aware of that. That is my opinion EC. And I believe that opinion.

a) So does that mean any non Christian is an evil doer? (honest question so that I am not assuming what you mean )

I am sure that he was tempted for sure. But he if he was the son of God then he had just a bit of a natural inclination to resist it. I also think he was programmed from birth that he was the Son of God and that made things easier for him - in that regard. Probably harder in others

c) Fair enough and I should hope you believe your own opinion!

Thank you for sharing it.

[phkrause]

a) So does that mean any non Christian is an evil doer? (honest question so that I am not assuming what you mean )

I am sure that he was tempted for sure. But he if he was the son of God then he had just a bit of a natural inclination to resist it. I also think he was programmed from birth that he was the Son of God and that made things easier for him - in that regard. Probably harder in others

c) Fair enough and I should hope you believe your own opinion!

Thank you for sharing it.

a-LOL, I have no problem knowing what your saying, don't ask me why. I couldn't tell ya.

I would say no, I would include Christians as well. God gave his 10 Commandments to the whole world not just Jews.

b-I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Because, and here are my thoughts, if Jesus is going to be the Savior for each and everyone of us, than he needed to be tempted as we are. Otherwise its not a sacrifice at all. I'm not sure what you mean by programmed at birth. Again something we will have to agree to disagree on.

c-

Have a dude. :)

[M. T. Cross]

What I mean by programming is this. His parents were told by God who Jesus was to be. I think they raised him with that goal in mind. I am sure they told him. I would bet that they did not raise his brothers the same way. So I would imagine growing up being told you are the saviour, well it would change your perspective on a few things. I also think that in itself would make things harder in other ways.

[Windsor]

Originally Posted By: Q.E.D.

God desires for us all to go to heaven. He doesn't judge us, or condemn evildoers to hell. Those who choose evil condemn themselves to hell by choosing to withdraw from the Lord's love and mercy.

No.

It's not arbitrary like that at all, Igakusei.

QED: You really appreciated his comparison of God to a robber or a corrupt government?

"In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:3. But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God. Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart. It is not in harmony with God, and finds no joy in communion with Him. The sinner could not be happy in God's presence; he would shrink from the companionship of holy beings. Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him. The spirit of unselfish love that reigns there --every heart responding to the heart of Infinite Love --would touch no answering chord in his soul. His thoughts, his interests, his motives, would be alien to those that actuate the sinless dwellers there. He would be a discordant note in the melody of heaven. Heaven would be to him a place of torture; he would long to be hidden from Him who is its light, and the center of its joy. It is no arbitrary decree on the part of God that excludes the wicked from heaven; they are shut out by their own unfitness for its companionship. The glory of God would be to them a consuming fire. They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them." - Steps to CHrist

[Q.E.D.]

Originally Posted By: Q.E.D.

God desires for us all to go to heaven. He doesn't judge us, or condemn evildoers to hell. Those who choose evil condemn themselves to hell by choosing to withdraw from the Lord's love and mercy.

No.

[BobRyan]

In Romans 5 God says that we justified and reconciled to God by the blood of Christ - and then saved by His Life for "he ever liveth to make intercession for us".

Christ is the "One mediator between God and man" according to the Bible.

The idea of our atheist friend is if mankind is facing a Rev 20 lake of fire - due to our own sins, and if God offers away of escape that satisfies the Law of the Universe - where the 2nd death penalty is "paid for us" - then God is mean.

I find his logic illusive just then.

in Christ,

Bob

[Woody]

The curse of the Law is a death sentence for us. For which only the blood of Jesus is the cure,

[BibleOnly]

Not at all. It seems to me to be a description of salvation by works, although I'm sure you don't intend it that way, and it ignores the fact that Jesus died to send the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is the key to being a Christian, and to being able to live a life that truly follows Jesus.

[Q.E.D.]

The following is about Emanuel Swedenborg and is sourced from Wikipedia.

Emanuel Swedenborg,(born Emanuel Swedberg; January 29, 1688 – March 29, 1772), was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian. He has been termed a Christian mystic by some sources, including the Encyclopædia Britannica online version, and the Encyclopedia of Religion (1987), which starts its article with the description that he was a "Swedish scientist and mystic." Others have not used the term, e.g. He termed himself “Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ” in True Christian Religion, one of his published works.

Swedenborg had a prolific career as an inventor and scientist. In 1741 at the age of fifty-three he entered into a spiritual phase in which he eventually began to experience dreams and visions beginning on Easter weekend April 6, 1744. This culminated in a spiritual awakening, whereupon he claimed he was appointed by the Lord to write a heavenly doctrine to reform Christianity. He claimed that the Lord had opened his spiritual eyes, so that from then on he could freely visit heaven and hell, and talk with angels, demons and other spirits.

Swedenborg was dining in a private room at a tavern in London. By the end of the meal, a darkness fell upon his eyes, and the room shifted character. Suddenly he saw a person sitting at a corner of the room, telling Swedenborg: "Do not eat too much!". Swedenborg, scared, hurried home. Later that night, the same man appeared in his dreams. The man told Swedenborg that He was the Lord, that He had appointed Swedenborg to reveal the spiritual meaning of the Bible, and that He would guide Swedenborg in what to write. The same night, the spiritual world was opened to Swedenborg.

He said that the Last Judgement had already occurred, in 1757, though only visible in the spiritual world, where he had witnessed it. That Judgement was followed by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which occurred, not by Christ in person, but by a revelation from Him through the inner, spiritual sense of the Word to Swedenborg. In fact, Swedenborg said, it is the presence of that spiritual sense that makes the Word Divine.

For the remaining 28 years of his life, he wrote and published 18 theological works, of which the best known was Heaven and Hell (1758), and several unpublished theological works. Some followers of Swedenborg believe that, of his theological works, only those which Swedenborg published himself are fully Divinely inspired.

In Life on Other Planets, Swedenborg stated that he conversed with spirits from Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Venus, and the moon.[14] He did not report conversing with spirits from Uranus and Neptune, however, which were not discovered yet. This lack is seen by some to raise question about the credibility of all his reports on this matter.

"Very interesting. . .But what does it mean?"

Q.E.D.