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How do you know...
- Thread starter Rebel1
- Start date
Do you mean other than the Bible? Because it's full of teachings of an afterlife. Could you clarify if you mean Bible or not?
Good to see you again, Scarlett. It's been a while.
I mean experiential knowledge, not just knowledge about. I find too much of religion is just based on hearsay. Sure, we all know about, but do we and can we truly know? For example, I don't want to just know about Jesus, I want to know Him like the apostle Thomas knew Him.
By faith.
Some need more than that. I am one of them. I need something knowable, and tangible.
No one needs more than that. Jesus said, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign" (Mat. 12:39a). If you need something tangible, consider what the author of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 11. If that is not sufficient, prepare to be disappointed.
Your soul, or life force goes somewhere, so there has to be a place where it goes. Maybe we should be calling it "another life" instead of afterlife.
You are really not going to get that. As HankD said we believe it by faith, so just be patient, one day you will find out whether there is one or not.
I just thought of something, there is the phenomena of "near death" experiences that have been reported, maybe you will find your answer there?
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Unfortunately, to know "tangibly" would require having someone been to the afterlife and returned to tell us all about it.
I, myself, do not believe those stories. Some do. That's the only tangible thing I can think of.
I will give you this. When my grandmother, who died of Alzheimer's about 15 years ago, was getting close to that point, her doctor told my mother that there were some signs of an Alzheimer's patient with just hours or a day or two left.
One of them, he said, was that sometimes they would have seemingly rational conversations with people in the family who were already dead. Her doctor said that he had seen that enough to believe it was real. He said that he believed at the nearness of death that Alzheimer's patients had one foot here and on foot in the afterlife for a few moments or hours.
It happened to my grandmother just a day or two before she passed. She sat up in bed and looked across the room. We saw no one there. She smile, looking at nothing, and said, "Oh, it's so good to see you! Really? Ok." She smiled for a little while longer and then laid down. She was dead in less than 36 hours.
What happened? I don't know and have no authority to give an idea. So I won't.
Did that boost my faith in the afterlife? No, my faith in an afterlife was already at full throttle.
What's tangible to me is my Bible and it so vigorously teaches an afterlife. I have faith that it is true.
I'm sorry that I can't give you anything else.
I'm not talking about a sign.
What about Thomas? Jesus met Thomas's need and didn't criticize him.
Thank you.
You gave me something, and I thank you for that.
I beg to differ, healings and miracles happen in these present times. There might be no people raised from the dead by a touch of someone, but miraculous healings continue to occur after praying. My house was sold after 5 years of no bites and after incessant prayer a lady showed up and despite 3 problems on the property that occurred after she first looked at the home she still bought the place, and that my friend was certainly a miracle to me.
John 20:26-29 26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace bewith you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (emphasis mine)
Jesus did criticize Thomas, albeit with love. He did the same with Peter (Mat. 14:28-31).
And yes, any physical manifestation you request in order to strengthen your faith is asking for a sign.
I don't see any criticism by Jesus there.
That's because Thomas was actually taking heed to the Lord's warning of not believing someone if they said "Lo, there's the Christ." Thomas was not doubting, he was obeying the Lord. Hence why he said, "I'll believe it when i see him."
This is in error. Jesus did not criticize Thomas. See post #18.
Guess I am no help to you. Carry on.
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