...conclude that it is inspired? . . . by God through His Holy Spirit? The four gospels vary in their accounts and recall Jesus' exact words differently without causing a contradiction of the principles. It seems to me that such an argument only divides believers and this division suggests to the unbeliever that they are not a representation of anything like a body of Christ.
I say this, because I would have no reason to believe people who claim to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit, that are alleged by themselves, in light of the Bible, to represent God on Earth, are indeed what they claim to be.
If there is a Holy Spirit, I would think it would cause the one who has it to agree with the Bible, so as to conclude that one should set aside their differences for the sake of unity in Christ.
I find very few Christians who appear to be imbued by the knowledge of God and the obedience that truly believing the scriptures ought to bring about - as though this life is of no concern in the face of an eternity. I cannot imagine Joshua of Nazareth (Aka. Jesus Christ), being the Son of God, would cut his body to pieces and that He would continue fighting with Himself out of spite for each of His parts.
I have many questions concerning the conduct of Christians, and here are only a fraction of them:
Do you realize how this looks to atheists?
Why is there a debate amongst Christians over things that are irrelevant to whether or not Jesus was the Son of God and was crucified for the purpose of forgiving all those who would repent and believe the Gospel?
Why does one church distance itself from another over a doctrinal difference when they agree that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was crucified for the forgiveness of sins, and then ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father?
"Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.." - 1 Corinthians 12:3
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only begotten Son, so that whosoever should believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
One reason I had doubts about the validity of the Bible, and continue to, is that I could not find unity in the Church or likeness of mind on a scale much larger than a few people. Along with other reasons, this moved me one step closer to disbelief.
I can recall only one Christian so convinced that this life is nothing but a brief sojourn and that everything of the world is of no value without obedience to God that he did not concern himself with where he would live, what he would wear, or what he would eat. He seem so dedicated to the task of obedience to the Holy Spirit that he would lie down and die were God to ask him to. As a Christian, I was inspired to become like that, and indeed I felt I had been ordered to a place where I would most certainly lose my life. If I, who finds myself in serious doubt, would do such a thing, then why do those who claim great faith appear to have a faith that is dead, that is, devoid of the sort of action that suggests they really do believe these things?
If you do these things, why do you do them?
I say this, because I would have no reason to believe people who claim to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit, that are alleged by themselves, in light of the Bible, to represent God on Earth, are indeed what they claim to be.
If there is a Holy Spirit, I would think it would cause the one who has it to agree with the Bible, so as to conclude that one should set aside their differences for the sake of unity in Christ.
I find very few Christians who appear to be imbued by the knowledge of God and the obedience that truly believing the scriptures ought to bring about - as though this life is of no concern in the face of an eternity. I cannot imagine Joshua of Nazareth (Aka. Jesus Christ), being the Son of God, would cut his body to pieces and that He would continue fighting with Himself out of spite for each of His parts.
I have many questions concerning the conduct of Christians, and here are only a fraction of them:
Do you realize how this looks to atheists?
Why is there a debate amongst Christians over things that are irrelevant to whether or not Jesus was the Son of God and was crucified for the purpose of forgiving all those who would repent and believe the Gospel?
Why does one church distance itself from another over a doctrinal difference when they agree that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was crucified for the forgiveness of sins, and then ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father?
"Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.." - 1 Corinthians 12:3
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only begotten Son, so that whosoever should believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
One reason I had doubts about the validity of the Bible, and continue to, is that I could not find unity in the Church or likeness of mind on a scale much larger than a few people. Along with other reasons, this moved me one step closer to disbelief.
I can recall only one Christian so convinced that this life is nothing but a brief sojourn and that everything of the world is of no value without obedience to God that he did not concern himself with where he would live, what he would wear, or what he would eat. He seem so dedicated to the task of obedience to the Holy Spirit that he would lie down and die were God to ask him to. As a Christian, I was inspired to become like that, and indeed I felt I had been ordered to a place where I would most certainly lose my life. If I, who finds myself in serious doubt, would do such a thing, then why do those who claim great faith appear to have a faith that is dead, that is, devoid of the sort of action that suggests they really do believe these things?
If you do these things, why do you do them?