Why did God create us and what did he do before he created us?

[Johnv]

Originally posted by xdisciplex:
But does God even though he is outside of time not also experience time in a way?

Can we, being three dimensional creatures, experience things that are two dimensional? We can, but it's not in our nature to.

I mean does God not also look back to things which are in the past?

In the same menner that God is in all places at once, God is in all points in time at once. SO there is no need for God to "look back" in in time any more than there is a need for him to "look into the distance" to see an object far away.

For example when God created Adam. This is long time ago. What is this for God? Is it past? Or present or what?

There is no past or present to God, not as we understand it.

I mean right now God is not at this point where he created Adam and this means that God also moves on and then thinks back to this day, right?

Right now, God is present at the end of time, present at the beginning of time, and present at this moment in time.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

Religion is not mysticism, Religion is works

And a true child of God does not place his or her faith in their religion, but in the Lord Jesus Christ.

One cannot hear the Holy Spirit unless one carries that Word of God to them. Once one hears the Word, the Spirit will convict and draw. Even then, one can deny the drawing and reject salvation.

In any case, The Word is to be preached to every nation, so one cannot say one can get saved without the Word of God.

The Bible does not contain the Word of God, it is the Word of God... from cover to cover.

 

[DHK]

Originally posted by Filmproducer:
DHK, I am sorry, but that is not fair. He just said that he focuses on the red letter, but does NOT exclude the rest of the Bible. That you may doctrinal differences is clear, but calling him a mystical gnostic is not being truthful.

If they burn all the Bibles tomorrow, the Word shall still live on through the Alpha and Omega.

What does this quote mean to you Filmproducer? It means that the Bible is not necessary. When Tyndale translated the Bible into English the RCC tried to burn all the copies of the Bible because they didn't want it in the hands of the common person. SB says that it doesn't even need to exist in the hands of the common person. It doesn't need to exist at all. Burn it. Put your faith in some mystical Jesus instead.
DHK

 

[DHK]

Originally posted by SuperBaptist:
Religion IS mysticism. if we could prove any of this, it wouldn't be faith, now would it? Leave FACTS to scientists. Otherwise, profess your faith and let the Holy Spirit burden the hearts of the unsaved.

Faith has an object. The object of my faith is the historical Jesus Christ. He lived, died, was buried and rose again the third day. These are indisputable facts. If you don't believe (have faith) in these facts you cananot be saved. This is not mysticism. These are the facts of the gospel. Paul says that if you don't believe in the fact of the resurrection as the basis of your salvation, then you of all people, are most miserable.
DHK

 

[Scott J]

Originally posted by Filmproducer:
DHK, I am sorry, but that is not fair. He just said that he focuses on the red letter, but does NOT exclude the rest of the Bible. That you may doctrinal differences is clear, but calling him a mystical gnostic is not being truthful.

You should educate yourself by reading more of SB's posts.

Calling him a "mystical gnostic" may in fact be a generous understatement.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

From reading the many posts that SB has posted, DHK, I would say you have grossly understated his title.

One who does not believe Paul's writings should be in the Bible, thinks the Holy Spirit will win souls to the kingdom without the written Word of God, is far more mistaken than a mystical gnostic.

IMO, and I am sure through the many years of studying God's Holy Word, God would tag him as worse than a mystical gnostic as well.

 

[SuperBaptist]

Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
From reading the many posts that SB has posted, DHK, I would say you have grossly understated his title.

One who does not believe Paul's writings should be in the Bible, thinks the Holy Spirit will win souls to the kingdom without the written Word of God, is far more mistaken than a mystical gnostic.

IMO, and I am sure through the many years of studying God's Holy Word, God would tag him as worse than a mystical gnostic as well.

Sounds like you'd crucify me for listening to the Holy Spirit in addition to reading the bible in its proper context, rather than literally.

 

[Filmproducer]

Originally posted by DHK:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Filmproducer:
DHK, I am sorry, but that is not fair. He just said that he focuses on the red letter, but does NOT exclude the rest of the Bible. That you may doctrinal differences is clear, but calling him a mystical gnostic is not being truthful.

If they burn all the Bibles tomorrow, the Word shall still live on through the Alpha and Omega.

What does this quote mean to you Filmproducer? It means that the Bible is not necessary. When Tyndale translated the Bible into English the RCC tried to burn all the copies of the Bible because they didn't want it in the hands of the common person. SB says that it doesn't even need to exist in the hands of the common person. It doesn't need to exist at all. Burn it. Put your faith in some mystical Jesus instead.
DHK </font>[/QUOTE]First of all, it is obvious that you have msunderstood what he meant. One does not need a "paper" bible to be saved. Our faith is not based in the paper pages of the bible. As Christians it is our duty to read and study the Word of God. If someone were to burn my bible tomorrow I would not lose my salvation or faith. The word of God would still live on. He is not denying the inspired word of God. Once again it is clear you have doctrinal differences, but claiming he is a mystical gnostic because you fail to at least try and understand what he is saying is false.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
... thinks the Holy Spirit will win souls to the kingdom without the written Word of God...

In all fairness, there are quite a few people on this baord who got saved befoer they even cracked open a bible. So I guess it could be said that they god saved without the Word. OTOH, their salvation was consistent with what is written in the Word, so along those lines, you have a point.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

They had to hear that word, did they not?

 

[Filmproducer]

Right SFIC. I have not seen where SB has said anything different. If every Bible were to be burned tomorrow we would still be saved, and be able to witness and share the Word of God with others. This is the point he was trying to make. He was not saying the word of God is not inspired of God. God would still be able to use us, as Christians, even if we could not physically show someone the Bible.

 

[DHK]

Originally posted by Filmproducer:
First of all, it is obvious that you have msunderstood what he meant. One does not need a "paper" bible to be saved. Our faith is not based in the paper pages of the bible. As Christians it is our duty to read and study the Word of God. If someone were to burn my bible tomorrow I would not lose my salvation or faith. The word of God would still live on. He is not denying the inspired word of God. Once again it is clear you have doctrinal differences, but claiming he is a mystical gnostic because you fail to at least try and understand what he is saying is false.

It is our duty to read and study the Word of God
You can't do that if you burn them all first.

--"You don't need a paper Bible to be saved."
True. But the message that you share comes from that paper Bible. If it doesn't you are giving out the wrong message. Where did John 3:16 come from? That paper Bible? or did it come from the paranormal?

He does deny the Word of God. His posts clearly say that the faith that he lives by does not need neither facts nor knowledge. He has clearly said that Christianity is mysticism. How much more evidence do you need. This is not Christianity that he is speaking of, though he is it calling it Christianity.
DHK

 

[standingfirminChrist]

That being said, DHK...

Does SB even have a right posting in the Other Christian Denominations board considering what he is clearly teaching is not of the christian faith by a long shot.

I'll leave that one up to the moderators and administrators to chew on.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
They had to hear that word, did they not?

They had to be stirred/moved by the Holy Spirit. IMO, I would accept that as being moved by the Word. Like I said, you do indeed have a point.

 

[Filmproducer]

DHK,

I'm sorry, but you are choosing to completely disregard what he has said and focus on a few choice key phrases. First of all, I have seen him post several times that he reads the Bible, the entire Bible. Secondly, he has also claimed that the bible is the inspired Word of God. Third, I have not seen him claim that he brings others to Christ without using the Bible. You are taking his words and splitting hairs. SFIC is accusing him of proselytizing when he was defending his beliefs against the obvious misconstruement of others.

 

[Johnv]

I submit that it's possible we're all arguing symantics here. Perhaps this would be a good time for a coffee break. Oh wait, I gave up caffiene for lent. Yikes!!

 

[Filmproducer]

Originally posted by Johnv:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
They had to hear that word, did they not?

They had to be stirred/moved by the Holy Spirit. IMO, I would accept that as being moved by the Word. Like I said, you do indeed have a point. </font>[/QUOTE]Yes, but it does not have to be with a physical Bible. SB has been accused of disregarding the Bible when all he has said, according to what I have read is that one does not need a physical Bible to be saved. He has not once stated that we should not use the Bible when we witness to others. The Holy Spirit can still work in the hearts of those who are not physically shown the Bible when they are saved. Our faith is not in the paper bible, but the living Word of God.

 

[standingfirminChrist]

I submit, if we did take all the Bibles and burned them as SB suggested, we would not have the full counsel of God.

Jesus said to search the scriptures. How is one to search that which one has destroyed? Now, it may be true that some have memorized the majority of the Bible, or just a few verses.

But if we get rid of the written Word, we do not have all the answers that God wants us to have. He had men to write that Bible for a reason.

God did not inspire men to pen His Word down on paper just so someone in the distant future could burn it. Come on folks...

 

[Filmproducer]

Originally posted by Johnv:
I submit that it's possible we're all arguing symantics here. Perhaps this would be a good time for a coffee break. Oh wait, I gave up caffiene for lent. Yikes!!

 

[SuperBaptist]

You know, I don't carry the Bible with me except to Bible study. I witness constantly, and I have never heard the unsaved ask me, "Where does the Bible say that?" They simply hear the Word as I have memorized from the Plan of Salvation. Then the Holy Spirit steps in. The next thing you know, they are sitting next to me in church.

I really wonder how many of these finger pointers have effectively led souls to Christ. I do it at the beach, coffee shop, on the train, and even in bars while I drink Perrier, offering a live testimony.

I don't usually sit around fighting off the attacks of other so-called Christians. I have met many kind, loving people here. And I have met some agents of the devil, haters, breathing anger and pounding their Bibles on my head.

I don't mind. I turn the other cheek and rely on the the Truth to set me free.

As to the thread, I am sure God is entertained with us and laughs thunderously at the glory he has created. Make a Joyful Noise, not a Screaming Attack. I have heard people characterize God in such an impersonal way today. I am sure he has a sense of humor, anger, needs, for which he can react. We are his children.

Children, get along and play nice.