I see Pastor Roger, how sad.

Oh well, I'll just try to reconstruct it from what I remember...

Thanks a lot...

Hi DreamWeaver,

I'm sorry but I can't find my first post...it shows my second post (I think) on April 21, 2003....

Many thanks,

lex 

Greetings!

I would just like to ask how do I access my earlier posts. The site just gives me my recent ones.

My earlier posts were old....about two years old..

Thanks

I'm sorry if it took so long for me to reply......busy with work and all......and I really wanted to understand and digest all of your answers.

Thanks for all of your replies and concerns.

Basically, from what I have read....Salvation is given upon those who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and not on the deeds you do because ultimately, no one is worthy.

Scriptures can support this - Rom 3:10-12, Rom. 6:23, John 3:16, Eph.2 8-9 etc.

However, one posted Rev 20:11-15 - and in it was the implication that the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they have done.

Why then would our good works be of any merit?

Also, what purpose is there for the Ten Commandments if following or breaking it plays little part in our personal salvation?

Thanks

[Saved_4ever]

Saved_4ever

Again though I will tell you.  You ask of things beyond your current ability.  You can not even begin to discern spiritual things until you have been saved.

This is a serious problem I have regarding the inability of humans to answer questions that are supposed to be reserved only for God. He gave us logic and reasoning right? We should use it......

How can I be sure that I am on the right path to salvation if I do not comprehend its nature?

Sower

Also, if people's prayers are contradictory, which one does God answers?  
 
Prayers which conform to God's will, His character, and His Word will receive answers according to His good pleasure. Prayers which fail these tests will not be answered.

What if two prayers conform to God's standards, yet they contradict each other (A poor man praying for rain for a good harvest to feed his family and a poor man praying not to rain because it will destroy his house)?

"Be content with what you have." Isn't this a tenet of Xtianity?  
 
Yes. It applies to our own personal material possessions. This means that greed should not motivate our prayers. Need should be the motivator. As to God's kingdom and His righteousness, there should be no limit to our asking for the salvation of souls, the edification of saints, and the increase of His kingdom on earth.

Why are the poor still poor? Why do people die for no reason at all? Life is a basic necessity - why deny them of this?

Then by praying, however trivial (winning a contest) it may be or however life-changing (save the life of a loved one), it still is an indication that we want more than God gave us. We are not contented.  
 
This is a misunderstanding of the Word.  "Contentment" applies to our own material needs and wants. Everything else should be "discontentment" -- more souls, more righteousness, more unity, more maturity, etc..

Are you implying that we should all pray to be happy and righteous? Life is defined by problems and tests, isn't it? For if there was no evil, there would be no good. So all that is and all that was, good or bad, is God's will. If we wish to be happy forever, our humanity and would be robbed out of us - and the inherent abilities to make decisions and face problems. Why pray against it?

geralduk

So ur saying that prayer should not be about asking for something?

[Saved_4ever]

Saved_4ever

Again though I will tell you.  You ask of things beyond your current ability.  You can not even begin to discern spiritual things until you have been saved.

How then do I know that I am on the right path to Salvation if i do not fully comprehend what is its nature?

[Early 57:]

Early 57:

So I can get away with every bad deed that i have and will do so long as i beliv in Christ?

[Alinall]

First of all, sorry if i wasn't able to reply earlier. I was able to read all your messages but was so swamped with work that i wasn't able to respond right away. I wanted to digest what you have said and come up with intelligent and honest answers.

Alinall

Thanks for taking the time to include me in your prayers. And yes I am genuine in my posts that I want to believe. You can read my introduction at the "ABOUT YOU" discussion thread to see my basic dilemma.

Yes, i've thoroughly read it.

Early57

Basically, I want to know what to believe.

Saved_4ever

Actually, the validity of the Bible is something that i'm questioning too.....

[Forrest]

Forrest

I know u know what I mean by Xtianity but to avoid an argument and go back to my question - I'll state that it's obviously Christianity.

I think your post did not address my questions.

My quandaries include the nature of prayer to defeat God's foreknowledge of events and his Grand Plan, Prayers made by different people that are contradictory and prayer being an indication of discontentment.

Forrest:

Huh?! Salvation has nothing to do with being good and evil?! I think not.

Why bother with the Ten Commandments?

And what is it exactly that you need to do in order to be saved?

Well, I guess this is just an aspect of the irreconcilable concepts of God's omniscience and Man's free will.

If we were to pray, aren't we interfering what God has set?

Also, if people's prayers are contradictory, which one does God answers?

I've read a quotation - "Do not pray for easier problems, pray to be strongert men." This is an attempt to justify the power and extent of prayer. But where do you draw the line of the things that we can ask from God.

"Be content with what you have." Isn't this a tenet of Xtianity?

Then by praying, however trivial (winning a contest) it may be or however life-changing (save the life of a loved one), it still is an indication that we want more than God gave us. We are not contented.

If somebody could shed light into this.

Thanks

You said that you came here to be enlightened.  In Hebrews it says that if you are enlightened and you turn away you cannot renew the enlightened state.  Once you understand that you are in need of a Savior and do not receive and accept this savior you do not get another chance. You cannot crucfiy Jesus again.

So if am saved; then, I sin - my salvation will be revoked with no hope of claiming it back? Then no one enters heaven.

Or if I'm saved; then, I use my faculty of logic and reason given to me by God and by this I begin to question, I'm to be damned?

So Lex please be very careful and do what is right

Which is.....

Do not let a debate over Ghandi steal your hope of Salvation.

Actually, my issue on Gandhi is not at all trivial. Therein lies the whole concept of salvation. And it wasn't my only post - I questioned about the people who lived before Christ that had no chance of knowing Him, and those that due to their surroundings and environment (i.e. Man in an isolated island) didn't know Jesus. I asked whther they will be damned too.

And the issue of the exclusivity of salvation to all religions is not the only thing that bugs me...there are more...I just want to take it one step at a time.

[Saved_4ever:]

Saved_4ever:

I'd have to say from you answer and spelling of Christian as xtians and wording of things you aren't.  

You think?

God bless, (oh yes this is something I do to all because I am told to even bless those that curse me.  This I might add can be quite hard yet I do it anyway.  There is no greater a blessing a man can give then to ask God to bless him.

I'm not cursing anybody here. The reason why I joined was for me to be enlightened.

Alinall

Re ur question and Save_4ever's about my belief in God as my personal saviour, I want to - it would be so much easy to do this and it would be comforting; however, I'm doubtful - reason points me otherwise.

Do you?  Because if you do not my friend, the important question for you then is "What must I do to be saved?!"  And I for one, would love to tell you...

Kindly so....

Early57

So Gandhi's humanitarian acts will be for naught if he didn't belive in Jesus?

I'd like to add:

Waste of time to debate with me but GOD BLESS!?!?

If i were an agnostic searching for the truth here at xtiansunite.com; then, u give me that remark, i cud have converted to other religion or atheism just by answer.

You abandoned me just because i was in doubt.

I'm surprised by your answer. Should it matter if im a believer or not? If i was, you would feel at ease and would just quote the Bible. If i wasn't, then the hell with me, right? If im no xtian, then disregard my question, is this what ur implying?

I'm not generalizing the entire xtian lot sharing your animosity towards unbelievers. But, atheists i've debated with accepted my questions and answered it logically and rationally. I didn't hear them say - Are you an unbeliever? If you are. don't talk to us again.

Was this what would Christ would have done - reject unbelievers?

You have a serious problem if u think u are forever saved while carrying that attitude and belief.