Lol Piper is spot on! but Grimthingymagig or whatever yer name is, your a spot! hah not worth debating my friend just you stick to reading the man who failed to debate Lane Craig.
The Lord gives and takes. Who are we to judge God on whose life He takes nor the events that occur? As Piper stated, even if there was an earthquake, the message would still be to-repent! He is righteous and many are called but a few will find it! Repent, seek earnestly, and believe!
This is all crazy talk. This John Piper guy is insane. How could he believe in a god? That's the
dumbest thing I've ever heard of. And to then go on to blame this god for sever weather... ridiculous!
The Flying Spaghetti Monster was the real culprit that day. He kicked over the tents and snapped the cross in half. He was after Cindy Robinson's spaghetti sauce recipe, as it was better than his own. So he destroyed half the town until he finally found it. He made some for me. It tastes good!
So, God creates us and takes some sort of pleasure in condemning us to some form of eternal punishment? I'm sorry, I don't buy it. I tend to think that consequences for our sins (from God) are more immediate... hell on earth (and heaven on earth) might be a real thing. But I'm sure you don't agree with me, as you seem to have a fairly narrow view of a fairly constitutional scripture.
I believe in god, and I have long believed that I have accepted him into my heart. Yet as I grow up, I start to feel like i'm more of a homosexual. Do I want to be? No. I want to be normal and have a wife and children, a family. Yet, I do not have strong feelings toward women. I want to. I've actually prayed that got help me if not fix me. Is all I can do is pretend that i'm normal? Why can't I have those feelings toward women? Am I to live life cursed to never actually loving a woman? I pray no
@JarxHead69 none of us are sinless, we each have our sins, if it isn't homosexuality it would be addiction to porn, being a back biter, being a drunk, a liar, or any number of things. If you can't stop those feelings maybe your were meant to be celibate? Would God be worth it to you, to give up that kind of intimate relationship with another? Do you believe God would make up for your loss, for an eternity with Him in complete fulfillment and happiness? Can you believe that He can do that?
regrets, have a change of mind/heart, wishing that you had made a different decision/choice, feeling grievious for doing wrong, confession to God, acknowlegement of mistakes / evil / sin,
What does Repenting do for you?
Repenting will change God's mind from judgement to forgiveness & mercy towards you. Repentance will remit sin.
Is Repentance Salvation?
It is the first step to salvation but not the last.
Funny the god I believe in loves everyone no matter who or what they are, gays and lutherans are not sinners,they are god's children like everyone else man and deserve to have as much joy and happiness in this world as we do whatever happen to "love thy neighbor", the world would be a better place if people didn't live there lives by the bible and started to become more tolerant and open-minded
@devilshomie Who said we don't love our neighbor, but if they haven't repented and asked and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior then they condemn themselves to God's wrath, we are supposed to tell them the truth of God's Word. No hating involved its just the truth and understanding that by living your life in sin you condemn yourself to God's Wrath, it is only disheartening to see comments such as yours because it means you are not saved, and have created your own God to rationalize your sin
@kewlazpewp Oh okay so if there doing something you don't agree with then their going to hell? Fuck you man I live a good life and I don't need to ask my god to forgive me.
@devilshomie It is not whether i agree with it or not that is the problem, it is God whom you must please and ultimately ask for repentance from, and his Word states he has a problem with the very points we are discussing. Well your god will not ask of you to repent , because he is deceiving you, your god is not a god at all but a beast hellbent on taking you down with him. I pray that maybe you will one day open your heart to the Lord and let him in so that you may be saved from such a fate
@kewlazpewp I don't need to "repent" for anything man, I live a good life I don't need to ask forgiveness from a sweaty man in a box and pay him afterwards
@devilshomie Nowhere did i say that you must repent to a sweaty man in a box, because you do not need to confess your sins to a priest and ask forgiveness , only to God must you confess and repent. It doesnt matter whether you believe you live a good life, God doesn't work on scales and balances - one sin unrepentant for through Jesus will ultimately lead to damnation, our judgement is not based off works at all.
@kewlazpewp Okay I am not a sinner, I have good morals and values and live a good life I think people need to enjoy their lives while they have and not worry so much about what happens after they die
@devilshomie Your not a sinner? Have you ever lied to anyone? Have you ever stole anything no matter how small it was? Have you ever acted selfishly and didn't share or give? Think lustful thoughts of wealth, sex, hate? Have you ever gossiped or defamed another? Have you treated someone in a way that you wouldn't treat yourself? If so that makes you a liar, a thief, selfish, lustful, a backbiter and only thinking inwardly. We are all guilty of being sinners
@kewlazpewp Um yeah but I'm not going to hell for any of that, hon everyone lies at some point in their lives look at parents telling their kids about Santa Clause are they gonna go to hell for that? Doubt it, and once you hit puberty sex is generally all you think about.. So I doubt god would send you to hell for something you couldn't control. I think the only true sin is if you hurt someone or think hateful thoughts towards them, or get in the way of their own happiness
@devilshomie I guess theres absolutely nothing i can tell you for you to see how you are deceived. Happiness of worldly things is never satisfying or fulfilling, all i can do for you is pray for you to open your heart and try to see God's truth on your own, good luck and God bless
@devilshomie You're exactly right. Thats why God said that there is noone righteous in the world, not one person, and that all have fallen short of the glory of God. ONE lie is enough to condemn a person to hell. The love of God is this. He came in the form of a man, lived a life without ever sinning, then got executed and sent to hell for 3 days for the sins of all the world. Now all he asks is for us to turn from sin, and believe in Jesus and obey his words.
@MnSPictures Well I don't think that you need a religon to be a good person nor do you need to obey someone, you should think for yourself. People don't need a religon to have values and morals. You can just be a good person for the sake of being a good person not because your afraid of a punishment, I don't think you should obey anyone I think god just wants us to be happy with who we are and live a life trying to better ourselves and others
@devilshomie being a good person is not the main point of it. Because of sin, we are eternally separated from God, and that is not what he wants, therefore he has told us what we must do to be rid of sin. You can know exactly what God thinks. Read Matthew Mark Luke and John. God was with us on earth in the person of Jesus Christ, and he spoke the will of God for all people, and accompanied it with miracles for proof, just as he enables us to do today.
@MnSPictures Okay well I was taught that the main goal of our lives is to be happy with who we are so long as we are not hurting anyone or anything else, so many people are concentrating on life after they die that there not living there lives god gave them, and the bible was written by man as away to explain why the world works the way it does, I just view it as a story nothing more nothing less, it shouldn't be taken so literally
@devilshomie The thing is, when you do take it literally, you will see miraculous things happen I myself am a 16 year old believer, currently working to become a pastor. God, through me, has cast demons out. Healed sick people, and warned people of things that will happen to them later on. My pastor while in ecuador met a lady with a paralyzed and deformed arm. She was crying when she approached him, and all he did was wipe her tears and say in the name of Jesus and her arm was completely healed
@devilshomie I know a lady that was healed of blindness by a preacher. My pastor has healed paralytics. The lymph node under my left arm stopped working, and caused me to have boils under my arm. He touched my arm and prayed, and the boils left that day, and never came back. My lymph node is functioning perfectly now. One of the signs of a believer filled with the spirit, is healing the sick.
I hope John Piper dies in an earthquake! He and other like-minded people are the true EVIL in the world. You'll never hear an unbeliever, a Buddhist, a Quaker say EVIL stuff like this. Die and we'll see you in HELL.
Every time a tragedy happens God is saying repent? This is absurd. The goodness of God in tragedy is amazing.God is not looking for repentance but powerlessness of man under all conditions, regardless of how careful men are Maybe God saved those people taking them home and it was deliverance?
@BuyaahKazan Thank you for your comments but as a believer agreeing with God about my sin is not the same as admitting powerlessness, agreeing with God can admit wrong but not total surrender to all I must do NOT .I can stall sin 's action but not its power to be effective again. The sad truth is God Himself can use sin to teach.Because of so many self righteous repentance never admitting powerlessness .Powerlessness is not the same as repentance though it could be
@polopowers1 :) I didn't say it's the same but part of repenting is admitting you're powerless against sin and need GOD's grace through the blood of CHRIST and guidance and strength through the SPIRIT.
@simcult Scientists claim that the universe had to have a designer because there is a design. There are regular, consistent and predictable laws of physics. If you've ever looked at something as simple as a bird feather, pick it up and look very closely. In between the long fronds located on the spline (or stem), there are hundreds of almost microscopic hooks. The hooks are located at regular intervals from each other. It is orderly, there is a pattern. It isn't random, it isn't by chance.
@skypilot5973 Scientists claim that? You know we can TEST claims don't you? That's how we decide if a claim is true. How do you TEST if there is an invisible man in the sky reading our thoughts? By looking at a bird feather?? You know nothing of evolution if you think it relies on "random chance". "Random chance" is a straw man creationists use to make you think evolution isn't worth a pinch of salt. Try actually reading a BOOK on the subject by a reputable scientists before you spout such crap.
5:06 "Something horrific is happening every day, and I could find it on the Internet."
This is what upsets me so much about Christian leaders. If something horrible happens every day, then we can't reach a general conclusion about it. He's just putting his interpretation on it.
It's not very different from saying, "We have to make sacrifices to appease the gods."
God told you to repent when he sent that rapist to scar you for life and infect your ass with AIDS... yup... repent... you should have thought twice before existing in god's wonderful world. (Satire intended)
I'm from the town of Wethersfield, CT, and last summer we had a small tornado strike us, which was strange and unlikely enough, not to mention that a tree fell and literally split one house in half. Two women lived in that house together. Do you see where I'm going with this? Their lives were spared.
@janeym Good grief, what next? I guess the barely alive mothers pulled out of Haiti with their dead children were given Jehovah's (or Jesus') infinite mercy? Gee I guess the children were dead because god aloud it -- not due to real life physics and the fact that children are less likely to survive. Get repenting you lucky ladies, you just might get to spend eternity in heaven, while your children rot in hell, due to god's frivolous ways. ~Dum dum dum ditty dum~ God(s) bless!
@Chibithy The crazy thing about the tornado that hit Minneapolis that day was that it could not be explained by science. I was driving during it and the meteorologists kept saying over and over that they could not explain this tornado. It was really strange. I don't normally believe in supernatural intervention, but I believe that in this particular instance there was supernatural intervention.
@MrsSarb Yes there is always that tiny chance that something is genuinely supernatural, but not being able to understand a event doesn't automatically warrant a "God Done It" sticker :/ The cold hands of science will dissect the tornado ordeal in due time.
@Chibithy I believe this was supernatural for other reasons as well. Scripture is very clear on this issue. I agree with you that not everything we can't explain is an "act of God" but this particular day and event was just too much to be simply coincidence if you ask me.
@MrsSarb I would say that the Bible teaches that everything is an act of God, all things will show Gods glory. God is over all things from how our best laid plans work out to the casting of a lot, God is in all things. Everything is supernatural. I am naturally not into supernatural things but when you believe the Bible you have no choice but to see that these powers control all things. All events have a purpose in Gods plan from the greatest sin to the greatest storm to the greatest act of love
@bigjohnjo That line of reasoning goes into a whole area of theology that people have been arguing for centuries. It sounds like you are talking about Calvinism which is something I don't believe in. I'm a believer in free will whereas Calvinism says that everything is pre-ordained by God. The reason I don't believe in it that we would simply be puppets of God if that were true. I believe God wants us to have free will so that we can freely choose whether or not to love Him.
@MrsSarb trouble is bible says we are unable to make that choice. The bible says we are dead, and in my experience of dead people, which is not very extensive, but I have some and dead people cannot make too many decisions that will change their circumstances. See Col 2, Eph 2, Rom 8, John 5. Without God acting on us we are incapable of saving ourselves, we have the ability of making choices and are responsible for them, NO ONE has an excuse for rejecting God. His grace is evident everywhere!
@bigjohnjo You are a hardcore Calvinist which is fine. Honestly, I'd prefer to avoid arguments about theology. I'm not a theologian. I'm just a simple Christian. But there is some really cool information about Calvinism vs Arminianism on the web if you are a theology nut.
Piping up 4 Pontificated Pride Index Pumped Polemic Postulation-Plumb full of Ignorance Idioms & Inanity Ill will Innuendoes, Piper Pushes Pathetically Simplified Bible Plucked Passages. Of course-he forgets Ps/Qs of Pharisitic Proof-texting Prankstering as to Psalm 59-all but v:12 focus. Plus Luther says: "I think abundant satisfaction has here been afforded for the godly man who is willing to yield to truth without stubborn resistance." My earthQuake Quandary 4 JP: Proof less-understand more.
So 9/11, the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, and all natural disasters are God's initiatives to scare the crap out of the people on Earth into repenting? Obviously if it didn't work the first time, the great omniscient lord should realize that it probably isn't a great idea. Nevertheless, this is delusional talk coming from a delusional man and it is morally repugnant. Why? God is punishing people for sins although he basically "created" us to be this way. It's not my fault I'm a sinner by default.
The delusion is in those who think they have ideas that are better than God's..Either you have realized the reality of God's existence..and therefore would realize the utter futility of questioning him..or you reject the reality of God's existence..in which case you have no grounds to declare anything morally repugnant because you have no basis for morality at all..
I disagree, I have the same grounds for the basis of morality as you: our society, history, and laws. Don't tell me you have moral objectivity based off the bible unless you're willing to systematically walk me through all those moments in the OT in which God shamelessly flaunts his "moral superiority." Why don't you explain Judges 11 where God takes a human sacrifice? Or how about the verses that advocate dashing infant heads against rock? Or how about the advocation of slavery?
Society, history, and laws are not grounds for morality..they derive FROM morality..
It would take a while to get to all the examples you gave..I will get to them eventually. But an easier route would be to say this. Every human being has intrinsic rights before his fellow man..he does not have the same rights before God. Also God transcends time..so his ways of punishing evil are impossible to understand for those who are..
Which reference of infanticide are you speaking of?
Derived from morality? How are you so sure other than believing in the bible? History has revealed that man has had different standards of morality throughout the ages. Do we kill children for talking back to their parents? Different cultures even today have different moral systems. Ah yes, the great cop-out: "God is too big and great for our feeble minds." I guess God is excused when he breaks his own commands since he's God. And yes, "which" reference of the MANY am I referring to? Psalm 137:9
Precisely..man has different standards of morality..what if a society said that murdering children was ok? Would it be ok? If you think it would be ok then you aren't really in a position to accuse..if you don't think its ok then why? What do you base it on? We are not allowed to kill children for sinning..because we are also sinners..we are not God and therefore need to be restrained because our judgment is flawed. God says the wages of sin is death..
And in that society God ruled directly..he could judge rightly and therefore people died for things that they do not in our society...I realize you don't like this and I have a hard time with it to..but it makes sense that sinners would not like sin being judged..
"The Psalmist is not rejoicing over the dashing of babies. Rather he is rejoicing over the retributive justice of God that would ultimately return the cruelty of the Babylonians upon them as a just punishment for their crimes. The Babylonians had treated the Hebrews and theri children with just such acts of brutality. Ultimately God would bring the Medes and Persians to inflict judgment upon Babylon. In the hands of God, the armies of the Persians would
So an eye for an eye? Kind of doesn't jive with Jesus' teachings. And God watching all of this and not lifting a finger during the cruel acts is OK? That society that murdered children thought it was OK, so why are their morals so different? It's subjective. You and I can say it's wrong today because our moral grounds have improved over centuries. Back then, it was seen as normal. And really, you can't make God look "good" and "just" in light of your scriptures.
If morality was subjective you would not be taking issue..we both know that some things are just wrong..the question is why? I can't agree with you that moral grounds have improved..look around. People are as malicious, deceptive, and bloodthirsty as ever. We have made some "progress" where morality has been derived from God. God is not "watching all of this and not lifting a finger." He made the world good, the sin of humanity brought evil and suffering, and in the end of Time he will purify
What we know as wrong is due to centuries of moral "evolution", so to speak. And yes, we HAVE improved morally; look up Steven Pinker's "A Brief History of Violence." You see man just as evil as ever due to the fact that you're most likely a Calvinist and a strong adherent of total depravity. The rest of your post is just preaching rather than discussing or debating. I was once a Christian so I know where you're coming from; take a hard look at what you believe and tell me it's "moral" or true.
Moral Evolution? In which century have the most people been killed by other people? Being a Calvinist is a non- issue. You could believe what you believe "just because" you are an evolutionist and a strong adherent of "moral evolution". Lets put it this way..we both know that we live in a world of evil and suffering. Not believing in God does not change that, nor does it provide a solution. What is the skeptic's response to suffering? God's response is Jesus Christ..it is not false because you
I have taken a hard look at my beliefs and I find them to be bother moral and true..why? Because God is the reference point for both truth and morality. Again I assert that morality is an illusion without God.
Once again, I direct you to Steven Pinker's lecture on the subject of violence. I will say, however, that more people died in the past century because we have MORE people. The population spiked in recent times because of the advancement of medicine and science. Also, our weapons became more sophisticated, and as such, it would make sense that more people died in the past century. Compare 145 of 1000 people dying in a civilization to 96 of 100 members of a tribe killing each other. What is worse?
As for the issue of suffering, I agree that suffering is a problem for both you and me. But believing in God doesn't change that either, does it? Maybe it makes you feel safer, but your God certainly hasn't done much to alleviate it. You're just waiting for Jesus to return and fix things. The skeptic will accept reality as it is and do his or her best to help those who are suffering and better the world that we all share.
Finally dannyfreedom3, our impasse really comes to our beliefs or lack thereof. I just can't accept Jesus Christ as savior anymore because the gospel just doesn't make sense nor does it check out historically. The bible as a whole is a horrible book and if God inspired it, he is a twisted fiend. If your beliefs make you a better person, that's great. Unfortunately, you and other Christians stick your noses in other people's lives such as with gay marriage. That is what I have a problem with.
I as well have to wonder what century you were living in when the 20th century was raging on all around us. And I'm sorry, living on this side of The Willenium isn't much better.
the world from evil and it will all be in accordance with His character. God is love. And they are not my scriptures. They are God's. He is good and just regardless of what you and I think of Him or what he does..or sense of goodness and justice only comes from Him anyway. You are right to bring up Jesus. He is the answer to evil and suffering. God himself comes to earth and experiences the epitome of evil and suffering. He was the truly innocent one...I
@mmaman00 You are simply taken modern views on morality and projecting them on times where the cultures, not just the Israelites, practiced the killing of infants on a regular basis. You don't seem to understand what the Babylonians did to the Israelites ( God's chosen people). This verse refers to the punishment that God would have on the Babylonians for their sins committed which he would have to do in order to be just, since he cannot leave sin unpunished. Where does God break his commands?
@mariuspieter So with all of God's infinite wisdom, he compiled a book filled with modern immorality in order to convey his message to this current generation? Are you also conceding that at that time, it was OK to gut pregnant women? And are you conceding that just because the other cultures were WAY worse, it was OK for the Israelites to play dirty too? What kind of wise king do you serve? Also, sin is the result of God's intentions.
@mmaman00 No I'm not justifying the Israelites behavior, and also the bible wasn't written for our generation exclusively (obviously) but the principles that it conveys are meant for all generations of man. The events of the OT was not written to show us that God endorses genocide, it was meant to show us that God hates sin and in relation to His character he will not tolerate sin. You see you present just the human side of the coin, but you obviously don't understand justice.
@mariuspieter How do I not understand justice? Do you? God hates sin, yet he willed into existence by watching Adam and Eve mess things up for everybody. What was the point of that? And every holy book as principles that can be applied to all generations. Congratulations. Of course, all holy books are also filled with messages that are despicable in today's modern era and should be left behind in the bronze age. BTW, I used to be a Calvinist Christian so I know full well what you're saying.
@mmaman00 The reason why you don't understand justice is because you can only have justice if the judge is impartial and can be objective outside of the parties being involved. No human being can claim this since we have all been influenced by another human being. If we look at justice that we see that only God qualifies that criteria. Adam and Eve allowed themselves to be deceived by Satan. God did not force them to follow Satan, but they did so of their own accord, thus not allowing for God.
@mmaman00 What makes humans have the right to determine what principles apply to them and which ones don't since they are deceived by their own presuppositions. Its like saying that you and all other non religious people have never been influenced by anybody, which is simply not true since most of the atheists that I meet happens to reflect a lot of Dawkins' teaching. You see the bible says we are all wicked by nature, this is true since the world show it every single day.
@mmaman00 The other thing about modern evidence that is not clear to me in terms of science is why atheist scientists are not willing to acknowledge the different interpretations they have of the same evidence, I don't see how this is any different than having different bible translations. The point being if we look at anything from a human perspective there is bound to be errors because humans make mistakes. God is not human, he looks at the full picture of everything that happens, we don't.
@mariuspieter First off, you're also presupposing that God exists and using that to determine your views. Why should I even listen to you talking about how God's vantage point is so much different from meek man? You haven't proven God to me.
Saying that the world is messed up therefore man is messed up is some terrible inductive reasoning. No matter how much I argue with you on how the bible contradicts its own supposed virtues, you'll make excuses by saying God's way is higher than ours
@mmaman00 No, I am not presupposing anything, my life was a living hell before I met Christ in my room one Thursday night, my family was torn apart like most peoples families in the world. I was an atheist before I met him, constantly fascinated by science and the stars and how they moved mathematically. But one question that no atheist could answer me.
@mariuspieter Why can science only define and explain things? You see the world needs more than just being able to explain how it works, it needs a solution to all the violence and corruption that is in it, why do we live only to die? Science didn't provide me a solution to my problems it only explains to me the chemical make-up and components of my brain, never how it got messed up. Christianity explains why it got messed up. So until science tells me why, why should I go back
@mariuspieter O of coarse, how do you explain the many thousands of Christians through the ages having similar experiences, no people to watch them no people to judge, just them and God coming to visit them telling them the same story he told me, his gospel, his salvation what he did so that I might live and not die in my filth and sin and the sin of my parents and all my friends.
@mmaman00 O the testimonies of these people are accounted for in books, so you can read about them, read the puritans, read some Christan work, go and study some of their biographies, there is plenty of material to go around. You seem to forget what the bible says about people, they are all wicked at heart, there is no good in them, that is why Jesus had to die for your sins and he took it upon himself to save you from this world and give you a new life, reason why you don't believe?Romans 1&2
@mariuspieter Also, chimps also share a lot of our special values and morals. And finally, science is nothing like theologians interpreting a bible. When one scientist views a cell through a microscope in Germany, another scientist can see the same cell in America. That same cell with its mitochondria and nucleus will be viewed by everyone. When there are human errors, they get rooted out because so many different people scrutinize scientific works.And please prove God before you use him.
@mmaman00 He has proven himself to you through nature, go read the book of Romans again. I do not need to prove God, he can prove himself. And don't use that argument of scientists agree on everything, you know as well as I do they have camps, just like theologians are trying to understand the more difficult passages in the bible so scientists are also trying to make the best possible sense of the evidence that they have before them. How do you prove a God that is NOT material?material evidence?
@mariuspieter I'm sorry that you had to go through so much hardship but you should be careful to not equate "atheism" with "science" as they are not the same. Science is a method to explain the world we live in through with consistency and has done an exceptional job up until now. Science isn't meant to explain the meaning of life or the problem of evil. In any case, just because life doesn't have the answer, Christianity is not automatically right by default.
@mariuspieter Christians have similar experiences to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. And also, Christians have similar experiences to each other because they read the same book and absorb the same ideas. The concept of being "born again" is shared because they read and heard about it. Speaking in tongues is shared because of Acts and Corinthians. Nothing too profound there. Just proximity and a shared textbook.
@mariuspieter Finally, God most certainly has not proven himself to anybody. Your explanation for the problem of evil is brittle. If you want to defend the God that allowed the Israelites to brand their slaves and beat them down, go ahead. But don't give me the whole "you can't understand God's ways" bullcrap cus then I can use that on you too. What makes you think YOU know God in any way then? If our justice isn't god's justice, perhaps neither is his love. Or grace. Or anything.
@mmaman00 He has proven himself to many people, who live by the power of his death and resurrection and who are living by his Holy Spirit, their testimonies tell the story. I know God because of my relationship with him every day, he speaks to me since I am his child, just like he says in the bible. And you are right his justice is not our justice, nor his love our love, his ways are not our ways, his ways are better than the feeble ways we have, contradicting ourselves everyday.
@mariuspieter you are looking for physical evidence, I understand why, but think for a second about the fact that you need spiritual revelation to understand spiritual things. You can't use material things to prove a God that is not material. There are documents written by the historians Philo and Josephus that speak about Jesus Christ, but depending on how you look at that kind of evidence is going to influence your interpretation. The same applies to scientific evidence.
@mariuspieter You're wrong. Plain and simple. There are no reliable contemporary sources about Jesus. If there was, wouldn't the churches be jumping on that all the time? Yet, historians have found nothing that can 100% be qualified as proof. You also seem to have not understood what I said about science. Very different stuff there. Presuppositions have nothing to do with what is actually there when it comes to historical evidence.
@mmaman00 This is an assumption at best about the reliability of people's testimonies, you also seem to forget that many of the messages that Jesus conveyed were orally given since this was the way of the time he lived in, based upon that we are not likely to find these oodles of documents that Jesus wrote to people, it was not the nature of his messages. Also presupposition have everything to do with the evaluation of evidence, how do you explain different views in science.
@mariuspieter OK! What different views in science? Seriously, do you even know what you're talking about? Give me an example for that instead of reasserting it over and over like a broken record. Second, Jesus lived in 1st century Palestine. This was a very well documented era in which false messiahs were written about all the time. How can Jesus, the man who drove people out of the temple, not have been written about at ALL by any Jewish contemporary INCLUDING Josephus.
@mariuspieter Next, the three great monotheistic religions are indeed linked. You're the one that needs to do a little homework. As for religious experiences, they are the same throughout practically all religions. That's because the physiology of the brain is the same for all people when it comes to emotions. Also, God has never healed amputees. God must love cancer patients more than people who are missing limbs.
@mmaman00 you are misunderstanding me, I only used cancer as one example, First of all Christianity is not explicitly Monotheistic because of the concept of the trinity. My point with saying that the religions are not the same, I am referring to their Gods not being the same beings, therefore very distinct from each other in terms of who believes what. As for God never healed amputees, that's your opinion and nothing better.
@mariuspieter As for the the similarities of the Gods, they are the same being. It's just that each religion has taken the concept of Yahweh and twisted in their own direction. The trinity wasn't even mentioned by the Paul or Peter and was later conceived through a council. In any case, it's well known that all three share the same God. You can view it from your bubble and see all the differences but from the more objective standpoint, it's all the same.
@mmaman00 Your ignorance of Christianity is blinding, you have no idea what you are talking about, more objective, that is a joke, you believe what the real scientists tell you to believe, if you are not a scientist yourself then you are being told what to do, and to answer your previously asked question about different interpretations of scientists, there exists different positions in terms of fossil dating, origin of life, and also basic theories of the biological flagellum's origin.
@mariuspieter As for the science comment, you are showing your ignorance of basic scientific literacy in neon lights. There are no "camps" and there is no dispute. You need to stop listening to Michael Behe, Ben Stein, Lee Strobel, and the other naysayers. I'd recommend Francis Collins to you. He's a Christian and a very distinguished scientist and he'll be the first to admit that evolution is entirely real and there is no denying it.
@mmaman00 You will get no Muslim to agree with you that they have a different twist on Yahweh, their attributes are completely different, Islam does not specify how many Good works you have to do to get to heaven, they base everything on whether the good deeds you do outweigh the bad things that one does. Christianity only has one way, and given the fact that you don't know this makes me doubt if you were ever Calvinist as you claim, and that is through Jesus Christ and what he did.
@mariuspieter Once again, you argue from the inside; you spout how your religion is not about works but about Jesus' love and sacrifice for you. That doesn't change the fact that Islam came from Ishmael, son of Abraham. I'm not talking about all three religions being theologically identical because let's face it: even Christianity is filled with tons of denominations because of theological differences. I was indeed a Calvinist and a strong adherent of TULIP. Not anymore.
@mariuspieter And truthfully, I'm a biology major. I've viewed cells with my own eyes. I've seen what scientists all around the world have seen. Unlike theology, science is objective and verifiable by ALL people. Why do you think medicine works so well? It's not a coincidence; it's science. Your GPS, TV, internet: all your conveniences are powered by science. Stop being so anti-science and face the fact that you might be wrong on this topic.
@mariuspieter Finally, there is NO dispute on fossil dating. Source me where you got that information. There is NO consensus on the origin of life because there is no solid evidence as of yet. So yes, no scientist will say he or she knows how the first cell appeared. As for your flagellum dilemma, you need to stop reading Behe. Pick up Francis Collins. In all sincerity, it would give me great pleasure if you were able to come to agreement on something as pivotal as evolution.
@mmaman00 The concept of the Trinity is mentioned multiple times by Paul and Peter, sure the word "trinity" is not in the bible, but within many passages the Father , Son and Holy Spirit are mentioned in the same context. Once again you show ignorance in this matter, you should have been well aware of this if you were a Calvinist. More objective? your highest authority is reason, mine is divine revelation, and by that we are both presupposed, so don't make yourself something that you are not.
@mariuspieter Yes, I am fully aware of the "appearances." Most notably, the baptism of Jesus is used as a great example. Yet, it takes quite a great leap of logic to say that Jesus and God are the same and yet different. This trinitarian concept wasn't preached by Paul or Peter. If it is, SHOW ME. Paul barely even talks much about Jesus' life, let alone something as vague and perplexing as the trinity.
@mmaman00 About Paul, Peter, and the Trinity: Look at Colossians 1:19-20, which talks about the fullness of God in Christ. You must also take into consideration these two apostles' view of the end times. They both thought that Christ's return would happen soon, within their lifetime. This influenced their writings: they felt urgent about expositing the Gospel and reaching sinners, and so they spoke less about matters such as the Trinity. This doesn't mean that this is a contradiction.
@mmaman00 The doctrine of the Trinity states that God is Triune: Three in One. Three distinct persons and one being. You have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They each perform different functions, and yet they are one. We have no examples of this in our world. We can use metaphors to help explain Christ's death, the punishment of sinners, and the love of God, but we can't explain the Trinity. I would encourage you to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis: he does a good job.
@tdhigg01 If God doesn't stop the sacrifice, he's accepting it. You can go ahead and sugarcoat it all you want. It's what it is. Also, no matter how much I tell this over and over again, you don't get it: if you go by the Calvinist doctrines, GOD is responsible for sin. It's not man's fault. It's the creator's fault. Now, I know you're definitely against what I just said, but think about it for a second.
@mmaman00 I have thought about it, many times, I used to be an atheist and didn't have any good reason to believe in Him. But by my personal circumstances God brought me to a place of brokenness and spoke to me in my mind while I was contemplating suicide, he saved me that night pure and simple.
@tdhigg01 Yes, I agree. The trinity is a concept that is baffling by our logical standards. For instance, Jesus and God are one, yet Jesus is not aware of the hour of his return while the Father is. I have read "Mere Christianity" along with many of Lewis' other works. My qualm is still with the entirety of Christianity. It has no real evidence for itself nor does it make any sense. I don't mean any disrespect to you as a person but I must disrespect what you believe in.
@mmaman00 Of coarse it will not have material evidence, most of the Jewish culture that Jesus lived in conveyed their message orally, it was only the governments that conveyed letters to one another. What do you expect to find? a whole heap of letters signed by Jesus to various people telling them how much they mean to him? As far as God goes, like I said before, how is one to understand a transcendent being by material evidence? Only through the revelation of the Holy Spirit.
@mariuspieter That is not true at all. The Bible says that all creation testifies to the great glory of our God. He has left His mark throughout all creation. In John 1, the beloved apostle tells us that nothing was made except through Christ by the Power of God. God speaks through creation. It is a physical, material masterpiece. Like a painting or the computer screen you see now. God made all things, and they speak, metaphorically, of His glory.
@mmaman00 Just because something doesn't make sense to us doesn't mean it doesn't make sense in eternality. I don't know how Jesus can be one with the Father and the Spirit, but what I do know is that God is also a lot more than we make Him to be, Just don't try and make Him fit material evidence which is not sufficient to even begin to prove Him. He is Holy and his standards is not ours. It really depends on the perspective you have. Ask Him to help you understand.
@mariuspieter Once again, you seem to prove to me that you don't ever absorb anything I'm writing. First century Palestine is one of the most well documented eras of ancient antiquity. No, I don't expect Jesus to be writing letters to various people; if Jesus was a carpenter's son, then I highly doubt he would be literate much like most people in that time. Yet, scribes and Jewish sect leaders seem to have forgotten about him completely. Josephus, who was a contemporary of Jesus Christ.
@mariuspieter Also, you should consider the possibility that your vulnerability made you easily susceptible to the Gospel message: the message that God loves you and has a plan for you and died for your sins. Indeed, I have a similar testimony. I was broken and felt overwhelmed by my sinful choices and was on my last rope. That's when I gave my life to Jesus. Of course anybody would. How much easier is it to give in to something that sounds that nice rather than living life on your own?
@mmaman00 yeah only one problem, there was no-one human present that night to manipulate me, anyway, we are not getting anywhere so I will pray for your salvation.
@mariuspieter There was nobody there to manipulate me either. You seem to not understand that the message is alluring. It feeds on people who are broken? Why do missionaries see thousands of converts in third world countries? Why do people seek God after tragedies? Why do people look for God when they're in financial struggle or relationship crises? It's easier to go through life imagining you have a sky father who loves you unquestionably and is preparing a home for you in another magical land.
@mariuspieter Finally, if God wants to communicate with material people, he should leave sufficient material evidence. In all of his infinite vast wisdom, he should realize the best approach on reaching his created people. We aren't spirits. We have carnal bodies. And quite frankly, his bible is filled with incredible inconsistencies that can be easily ignored if you have incredible blind faith and a heart that has totally thrown away any logical integrity.
@mmaman00 Unfortunately you are in no position to dictate what God should or should not do, you just don't understand, because like the bible says you are suppressing the truth, just because it doesn't make sense to you.
@mariuspieter Also, you can't come out with a real good explanation so you have to use the "God's ways are higher" method which is unfalsifiable and therefore moot to me. If God wants to care about penis skins, blood sacrifices, mass genocide, and other such atrocities, that's fine with me. Just don't defend him for them saying "you can't understand his ways." Truth is, you're uncomfortable about it too. There's no good answer and that's why you'll give God the "get out of jail free" card.
@mmaman00 Neither does evolution. Where is the missing link? In the biology textbooks, most of the links are drawn in by artists who draw what scientists say should be there, and yet, we still have no missing link. Also, does evolution make sense? It cannot be the origin. Where did the first being come from? Why haven't we ever witnessed evolution with our senses? Gravity you can test, molecular theories, for the most part, you can test. Not evolution.
@tdhigg01 Evolution explains the diversity of life, not the origin. That is a separate field called abiogenesis. The whole "missing link" debacle is extremely outdated as there are now plenty of links to substantiate evolution. You should look it up and do some research instead of just regurgitating what you hear around you. Look up the Australopithecines and Homo Habilis, Homo Erectrus, Homo Ergaster, etc.
@tdhigg01 As for witnessing evolution and whether it is testable or not, it indeed is or else science would have nothing to do with it. DNA evidence alone is solid proof of evolution but if you really want to see the evidence, there are plenty of cases where one species diverges into two new species---this phenomenon is known as speciation and is in actuality, macroevolution. Also, if paintings and computers are created, what created God?
@mariuspieter I never said I don't make presuppositions. We all do. But like you also said, mine is based on reason and rational logic while yours is based on a holy book riddled with blatant contradictions and a God who breaks his own rules for his own self-appeasement. By your divine authority, we should own slaves, we should kill our enemies with no mercy, and we should stone adulterers. We're talking about the same God who takes a human sacrifice in Judges 11 yet is disgusted by them.
@mmaman00 The situation in Judges 11 is where Jephthah makes a vow to God, which was a foolish vow to make that he will sacrifice the first thing that cam out of his house. How do you draw the inference that God makes a human sacrifice here, it was the foolishness of Jephtah that caused his daughters death and God gave her peace to be able to accept it. You see , your allegations is based on ridiculous conclusions that you make from something that the biblical text doesn't even say.
@mariuspieter Actually, this just shows how much you WANT me to make ridiculous conclusions. I never said God MAKES a human sacrifice; i said god TAKES a human sacrifice. BIG DIFFERENCE. When Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, God spared him. Yet, with Jephtah, he was silent and allowed Jephtah to give his daughter up to him in burnt offering. And thanks for cherry picking this particular story rather than addressing all the other ones I've been offering up.
@mmaman00 which other ones did you bring up? and I'm sorry for my mistake about the "makes" part. I still say the same thing, it was Jephthah's vow and because God is just he held him to his vow.
@mariuspieter Once again, you scapegoat God. If God is ALL KNOWING, he should have known that Jephtah's daughter would come out first. Yet, he let Jephtah make his mistake and was silent as he sacrificed his daughter to Yahweh. Now, I guess God is good at making you keep your promises, even ones that make him look like a total hypocrite.
@mmaman00 First, you are reading far too much into the text. Nowhere do we see that God is taking, accepting, this sacrifice. All we see is that it happens. Earlier, in Leviticus 10, we see God consuming Nadab and Abihu in fire because they offered unauthorized wave offerings. These were the sons of Aaron, the brother of Moses.
@mmaman00 Obviously, God does not accept these sacrifices. Yes, God allowed it. He also allows all people to live, even though are guilty of rebellion and worthy of immediate and eternal death. As the sovereign of the universe, He is able to do as He sees fit (Romans 9). Creation is under subjection to the Creator, just like the sandwich I make is in subjection to me.
@mariuspieter Finally, God is INDEED responsible for evil and sin. He may have started everything off perfect, but he allowed Lucifer to become a force of evil on Earth. He allowed Adam and Eve to be tempted. He allowed sin to spread across the world. He didn't destroy everything and start over; instead he created a plan to save people but not everybody. In fact, most people that have ever lived on this planet will go to hell according to Christianity.
@mmaman00 well, actually he did start everything over, remember the flood of Noah, he was a righteous man serving God and he and his family was the only ones who were spared. The rest were destroyed according to the punishment for sin criteria that I explained earlier. Again Lucifer's own sin of pride and evil got him kicked out of heaven same with Adam and Eve and they persevered in sin, it was through Gods grace that they were even allowed to exist, this is grace
@mariuspieter You keep scapegoating God. I mean, first of all, Adam and Eve didn't even have a knowledge of good and evil when they were tempted by the serpent. Yet, they were punished as if the full crime deserved to be placed on their heads. How does that make any sense? Also, amputee healings is not just my opinion. There is no case of that kind ever mentioned in any medical journal while there are plenty of miracle cancer healings and such.
@mariuspieter I don't care if he has proven himself to you or other people. He certainly hasn't lifted a finger for children with cancer, African people suffering from malnutrition, victims of war, etc. Many of them will die and go to hell for all eternity according to your religion. And why? Because they are wicked and depraved due to Adam's sin. If a manufacturer produces broken cars, are you going to blame the car for breaking down or are you going to blame the manufacturer?
@mmaman00 That is an invalid point, because the car manufacturer (God) made us perfect to begin with, then after that man followed the deception of Satan, God didn't make them do this, they did it of their own accord. So God is not responsible for us sinning in the first place, instead he provided a way to reconcile us back to Him through Jesus Christ.
@mmaman00 God has healed people from cancer before, I have heard and personally experienced this to be true, when doctors have not given these people any hope of living.
I totally agree with John Piper! Repent, repent! We can make a god like what we want it. But it is not the true God. Is a god done according to sin image.
I AM that I AM said: "And the Devil who deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were. And he will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (verse 10, MKJV). Done!
They have lied about the LORD; they said, "He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine. The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.
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Embrace me darkened one, strengthen my soul. Spew thy darkness into our world. And through the rotting gates heaven. Shadowy wisps will heal my wounds. Shadowy wisps will wound their prayers. Send me the loving peace of Lucifer. Send me the battered pieces of jesus christ. It is now time, we begin to move forward. Hordes of terror are waiting to strike them. Following a great leader into his war. With hoofs of steel, he'll crush thy body. You will give in to the might of Satan.
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
1Co 6:9 Know all of you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
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phens123, You close minded shit, you are already convinced that homosexuals are deviants and they lead demonic lifestyles. The moment you compare a murderer to a gay person, it shows your level of understanding when it comes to social issues. You may choose to phrase your sentences like an oxford student but honestly,there is NO substance.
Lol Piper is spot on! but Grimthingymagig or whatever yer name is, your a spot! hah not worth debating my friend just you stick to reading the man who failed to debate Lane Craig.
EDL070207 2 hours ago
The Lord gives and takes. Who are we to judge God on whose life He takes nor the events that occur? As Piper stated, even if there was an earthquake, the message would still be to-repent! He is righteous and many are called but a few will find it! Repent, seek earnestly, and believe!
meejlis7 1 week ago
This is all crazy talk. This John Piper guy is insane. How could he believe in a god? That's the
dumbest thing I've ever heard of. And to then go on to blame this god for sever weather... ridiculous!
The Flying Spaghetti Monster was the real culprit that day. He kicked over the tents and snapped the cross in half. He was after Cindy Robinson's spaghetti sauce recipe, as it was better than his own. So he destroyed half the town until he finally found it. He made some for me. It tastes good!
Grimtheorist 2 weeks ago
So, God creates us and takes some sort of pleasure in condemning us to some form of eternal punishment? I'm sorry, I don't buy it. I tend to think that consequences for our sins (from God) are more immediate... hell on earth (and heaven on earth) might be a real thing. But I'm sure you don't agree with me, as you seem to have a fairly narrow view of a fairly constitutional scripture.
jumponit125 2 weeks ago
I believe in god, and I have long believed that I have accepted him into my heart. Yet as I grow up, I start to feel like i'm more of a homosexual. Do I want to be? No. I want to be normal and have a wife and children, a family. Yet, I do not have strong feelings toward women. I want to. I've actually prayed that got help me if not fix me. Is all I can do is pretend that i'm normal? Why can't I have those feelings toward women? Am I to live life cursed to never actually loving a woman? I pray no
JarxHead69 4 months ago
@JarxHead69 none of us are sinless, we each have our sins, if it isn't homosexuality it would be addiction to porn, being a back biter, being a drunk, a liar, or any number of things. If you can't stop those feelings maybe your were meant to be celibate? Would God be worth it to you, to give up that kind of intimate relationship with another? Do you believe God would make up for your loss, for an eternity with Him in complete fulfillment and happiness? Can you believe that He can do that?
kvash3154 4 months ago
What is Repentance?
regrets, have a change of mind/heart, wishing that you had made a different decision/choice, feeling grievious for doing wrong, confession to God, acknowlegement of mistakes / evil / sin,
What does Repenting do for you?
Repenting will change God's mind from judgement to forgiveness & mercy towards you. Repentance will remit sin.
Is Repentance Salvation?
It is the first step to salvation but not the last.
Mark 1:5 Repent and believe the gospel
Luke 15:7 1 Kings 8:47
wilby1414 5 months ago
This message just rocked my world. Praise God.
Peace.
darthnozo 6 months ago
If you want to hear a true idiot, just listen to the first speaker. Well, maybe listen to all of them. Talk about giving Christianity a bad name!
For an intelligent, scientific analysis, look up "Lutherans, Tornadoes, and Gays! Oh my!" by ProfMTH on YouTube.
RCSVirginia 6 months ago
Funny the god I believe in loves everyone no matter who or what they are, gays and lutherans are not sinners,they are god's children like everyone else man and deserve to have as much joy and happiness in this world as we do whatever happen to "love thy neighbor", the world would be a better place if people didn't live there lives by the bible and started to become more tolerant and open-minded
devilshomie 6 months ago
@devilshomie Who said we don't love our neighbor, but if they haven't repented and asked and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior then they condemn themselves to God's wrath, we are supposed to tell them the truth of God's Word. No hating involved its just the truth and understanding that by living your life in sin you condemn yourself to God's Wrath, it is only disheartening to see comments such as yours because it means you are not saved, and have created your own God to rationalize your sin
kewlazpewp 6 months ago
@kewlazpewp Oh okay so if there doing something you don't agree with then their going to hell? Fuck you man I live a good life and I don't need to ask my god to forgive me.
devilshomie 6 months ago
@devilshomie It is not whether i agree with it or not that is the problem, it is God whom you must please and ultimately ask for repentance from, and his Word states he has a problem with the very points we are discussing. Well your god will not ask of you to repent , because he is deceiving you, your god is not a god at all but a beast hellbent on taking you down with him. I pray that maybe you will one day open your heart to the Lord and let him in so that you may be saved from such a fate
kewlazpewp 6 months ago
@kewlazpewp I don't need to "repent" for anything man, I live a good life I don't need to ask forgiveness from a sweaty man in a box and pay him afterwards
devilshomie 6 months ago
@devilshomie Nowhere did i say that you must repent to a sweaty man in a box, because you do not need to confess your sins to a priest and ask forgiveness , only to God must you confess and repent. It doesnt matter whether you believe you live a good life, God doesn't work on scales and balances - one sin unrepentant for through Jesus will ultimately lead to damnation, our judgement is not based off works at all.
kewlazpewp 6 months ago
@kewlazpewp Okay I am not a sinner, I have good morals and values and live a good life I think people need to enjoy their lives while they have and not worry so much about what happens after they die
devilshomie 6 months ago
@devilshomie Your not a sinner? Have you ever lied to anyone? Have you ever stole anything no matter how small it was? Have you ever acted selfishly and didn't share or give? Think lustful thoughts of wealth, sex, hate? Have you ever gossiped or defamed another? Have you treated someone in a way that you wouldn't treat yourself? If so that makes you a liar, a thief, selfish, lustful, a backbiter and only thinking inwardly. We are all guilty of being sinners
kewlazpewp 6 months ago
@kewlazpewp Um yeah but I'm not going to hell for any of that, hon everyone lies at some point in their lives look at parents telling their kids about Santa Clause are they gonna go to hell for that? Doubt it, and once you hit puberty sex is generally all you think about.. So I doubt god would send you to hell for something you couldn't control. I think the only true sin is if you hurt someone or think hateful thoughts towards them, or get in the way of their own happiness
devilshomie 6 months ago
@devilshomie I guess theres absolutely nothing i can tell you for you to see how you are deceived. Happiness of worldly things is never satisfying or fulfilling, all i can do for you is pray for you to open your heart and try to see God's truth on your own, good luck and God bless
kewlazpewp 6 months ago
@kewlazpewp I don't ned your prayer hon but thanks anyways
devilshomie 6 months ago
@devilshomie You're exactly right. Thats why God said that there is noone righteous in the world, not one person, and that all have fallen short of the glory of God. ONE lie is enough to condemn a person to hell. The love of God is this. He came in the form of a man, lived a life without ever sinning, then got executed and sent to hell for 3 days for the sins of all the world. Now all he asks is for us to turn from sin, and believe in Jesus and obey his words.
MnSPictures 5 months ago
@MnSPictures Well I don't think that you need a religon to be a good person nor do you need to obey someone, you should think for yourself. People don't need a religon to have values and morals. You can just be a good person for the sake of being a good person not because your afraid of a punishment, I don't think you should obey anyone I think god just wants us to be happy with who we are and live a life trying to better ourselves and others
devilshomie 5 months ago
@devilshomie being a good person is not the main point of it. Because of sin, we are eternally separated from God, and that is not what he wants, therefore he has told us what we must do to be rid of sin. You can know exactly what God thinks. Read Matthew Mark Luke and John. God was with us on earth in the person of Jesus Christ, and he spoke the will of God for all people, and accompanied it with miracles for proof, just as he enables us to do today.
MnSPictures 5 months ago
@MnSPictures Okay well I was taught that the main goal of our lives is to be happy with who we are so long as we are not hurting anyone or anything else, so many people are concentrating on life after they die that there not living there lives god gave them, and the bible was written by man as away to explain why the world works the way it does, I just view it as a story nothing more nothing less, it shouldn't be taken so literally
devilshomie 5 months ago
@devilshomie The thing is, when you do take it literally, you will see miraculous things happen I myself am a 16 year old believer, currently working to become a pastor. God, through me, has cast demons out. Healed sick people, and warned people of things that will happen to them later on. My pastor while in ecuador met a lady with a paralyzed and deformed arm. She was crying when she approached him, and all he did was wipe her tears and say in the name of Jesus and her arm was completely healed
MnSPictures 5 months ago
@MnSPictures Well I don', in my opinon everything has a scientific reason behind it
devilshomie 5 months ago
@devilshomie well i'll agree with you when you give me a scientific reason why I have seen blindness commanded to leave a lady and it left
MnSPictures 5 months ago
@MnSPictures Um what?
devilshomie 5 months ago
@devilshomie I know a lady that was healed of blindness by a preacher. My pastor has healed paralytics. The lymph node under my left arm stopped working, and caused me to have boils under my arm. He touched my arm and prayed, and the boils left that day, and never came back. My lymph node is functioning perfectly now. One of the signs of a believer filled with the spirit, is healing the sick.
MnSPictures 5 months ago
I hope John Piper dies in an earthquake! He and other like-minded people are the true EVIL in the world. You'll never hear an unbeliever, a Buddhist, a Quaker say EVIL stuff like this. Die and we'll see you in HELL.
marcohorowitz8 6 months ago
@marcohorowitz8 But what you just wished upon him is loving?!
88momart 6 months ago
very well said bro Piper
swordseller1 10 months ago
whats Chipotle?
Pacslyf 10 months ago
JOHN PIPER LIKES CHIPOTLE! YES!!!!
LukeoXx 11 months ago
john piper likes chipotle! yes!
cats9900 1 year ago 12
Every time a tragedy happens God is saying repent? This is absurd. The goodness of God in tragedy is amazing.God is not looking for repentance but powerlessness of man under all conditions, regardless of how careful men are Maybe God saved those people taking them home and it was deliverance?
polopowers1 1 year ago
@polopowers1 Everytime anything happens good or bad GOD's saying repent.
isn't repentence saying "yes GOD I am powerless to do good on my own and need your grace?"
HE did not maybe saved those people he purposely saved them.
Listen to the message again, I think you miss interpreted it.
BuyaahKazan 1 year ago
@BuyaahKazan Thank you for your comments but as a believer agreeing with God about my sin is not the same as admitting powerlessness, agreeing with God can admit wrong but not total surrender to all I must do NOT .I can stall sin 's action but not its power to be effective again. The sad truth is God Himself can use sin to teach.Because of so many self righteous repentance never admitting powerlessness .Powerlessness is not the same as repentance though it could be
polopowers1 1 year ago
@polopowers1 :) I didn't say it's the same but part of repenting is admitting you're powerless against sin and need GOD's grace through the blood of CHRIST and guidance and strength through the SPIRIT.
BuyaahKazan 1 year ago 7
I find it hard to accept the fact that most people believe there is an invisible being in the sky reading our thoughts and controlling the universe.
simcult 1 year ago
@simcult Scientists claim that the universe had to have a designer because there is a design. There are regular, consistent and predictable laws of physics. If you've ever looked at something as simple as a bird feather, pick it up and look very closely. In between the long fronds located on the spline (or stem), there are hundreds of almost microscopic hooks. The hooks are located at regular intervals from each other. It is orderly, there is a pattern. It isn't random, it isn't by chance.
skypilot5973 7 months ago
@skypilot5973 Scientists claim that? You know we can TEST claims don't you? That's how we decide if a claim is true. How do you TEST if there is an invisible man in the sky reading our thoughts? By looking at a bird feather?? You know nothing of evolution if you think it relies on "random chance". "Random chance" is a straw man creationists use to make you think evolution isn't worth a pinch of salt. Try actually reading a BOOK on the subject by a reputable scientists before you spout such crap.
simcult 7 months ago
wow
asheyblack 1 year ago
where the black folk at? just checking
asheyblack 1 year ago
AMEN Piper!!! AMEN!!!
ArmorOfGodMinistries 1 year ago
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Well said! Thank you Pastor John!
~VERITAS CHURCH
VERITASchurch 1 year ago
Well said! Thank you Pastor John!
~VERITAS CHURCH
VERITASchurch 1 year ago
amen
nkim114 1 year ago
5:06 "Something horrific is happening every day, and I could find it on the Internet."
This is what upsets me so much about Christian leaders. If something horrible happens every day, then we can't reach a general conclusion about it. He's just putting his interpretation on it.
It's not very different from saying, "We have to make sacrifices to appease the gods."
tugboat2030 1 year ago
God told you to repent when he sent that rapist to scar you for life and infect your ass with AIDS... yup... repent... you should have thought twice before existing in god's wonderful world. (Satire intended)
Chibithy 1 year ago
I'm from the town of Wethersfield, CT, and last summer we had a small tornado strike us, which was strange and unlikely enough, not to mention that a tree fell and literally split one house in half. Two women lived in that house together. Do you see where I'm going with this? Their lives were spared.
janeym 1 year ago
@janeym Good grief, what next? I guess the barely alive mothers pulled out of Haiti with their dead children were given Jehovah's (or Jesus') infinite mercy? Gee I guess the children were dead because god aloud it -- not due to real life physics and the fact that children are less likely to survive. Get repenting you lucky ladies, you just might get to spend eternity in heaven, while your children rot in hell, due to god's frivolous ways. ~Dum dum dum ditty dum~ God(s) bless!
Chibithy 1 year ago
@Chibithy The crazy thing about the tornado that hit Minneapolis that day was that it could not be explained by science. I was driving during it and the meteorologists kept saying over and over that they could not explain this tornado. It was really strange. I don't normally believe in supernatural intervention, but I believe that in this particular instance there was supernatural intervention.
MrsSarb 1 year ago
@MrsSarb Yes there is always that tiny chance that something is genuinely supernatural, but not being able to understand a event doesn't automatically warrant a "God Done It" sticker :/ The cold hands of science will dissect the tornado ordeal in due time.
Chibithy 1 year ago
@Chibithy I believe this was supernatural for other reasons as well. Scripture is very clear on this issue. I agree with you that not everything we can't explain is an "act of God" but this particular day and event was just too much to be simply coincidence if you ask me.
MrsSarb 1 year ago
@MrsSarb I would say that the Bible teaches that everything is an act of God, all things will show Gods glory. God is over all things from how our best laid plans work out to the casting of a lot, God is in all things. Everything is supernatural. I am naturally not into supernatural things but when you believe the Bible you have no choice but to see that these powers control all things. All events have a purpose in Gods plan from the greatest sin to the greatest storm to the greatest act of love
bigjohnjo 1 year ago
@bigjohnjo That line of reasoning goes into a whole area of theology that people have been arguing for centuries. It sounds like you are talking about Calvinism which is something I don't believe in. I'm a believer in free will whereas Calvinism says that everything is pre-ordained by God. The reason I don't believe in it that we would simply be puppets of God if that were true. I believe God wants us to have free will so that we can freely choose whether or not to love Him.
MrsSarb 1 year ago
@MrsSarb trouble is bible says we are unable to make that choice. The bible says we are dead, and in my experience of dead people, which is not very extensive, but I have some and dead people cannot make too many decisions that will change their circumstances. See Col 2, Eph 2, Rom 8, John 5. Without God acting on us we are incapable of saving ourselves, we have the ability of making choices and are responsible for them, NO ONE has an excuse for rejecting God. His grace is evident everywhere!
bigjohnjo 1 year ago
@bigjohnjo You are a hardcore Calvinist which is fine. Honestly, I'd prefer to avoid arguments about theology. I'm not a theologian. I'm just a simple Christian. But there is some really cool information about Calvinism vs Arminianism on the web if you are a theology nut.
MrsSarb 1 year ago
WOW real talk
Palindrome700 1 year ago
scribd (dot) com/nb812
DreamsofMajesty 1 year ago
Piping up 4 Pontificated Pride Index Pumped Polemic Postulation-Plumb full of Ignorance Idioms & Inanity Ill will Innuendoes, Piper Pushes Pathetically Simplified Bible Plucked Passages. Of course-he forgets Ps/Qs of Pharisitic Proof-texting Prankstering as to Psalm 59-all but v:12 focus. Plus Luther says: "I think abundant satisfaction has here been afforded for the godly man who is willing to yield to truth without stubborn resistance." My earthQuake Quandary 4 JP: Proof less-understand more.
ochwa205sb 1 year ago
you can only be christian once. either you believed or your never really did. if you truly studied the gospel. then you would know this.
steplying 1 year ago 17
@steplying I am curious to know how you explain Exodus 32:33 & Revelation 3:5 in regards to God blotting names out of the book of life.
Lisztman88 1 year ago
wow!
Darlene7843 1 year ago
So 9/11, the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, and all natural disasters are God's initiatives to scare the crap out of the people on Earth into repenting? Obviously if it didn't work the first time, the great omniscient lord should realize that it probably isn't a great idea. Nevertheless, this is delusional talk coming from a delusional man and it is morally repugnant. Why? God is punishing people for sins although he basically "created" us to be this way. It's not my fault I'm a sinner by default.
mmaman00 2 years ago
The delusion is in those who think they have ideas that are better than God's..Either you have realized the reality of God's existence..and therefore would realize the utter futility of questioning him..or you reject the reality of God's existence..in which case you have no grounds to declare anything morally repugnant because you have no basis for morality at all..
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago
I disagree, I have the same grounds for the basis of morality as you: our society, history, and laws. Don't tell me you have moral objectivity based off the bible unless you're willing to systematically walk me through all those moments in the OT in which God shamelessly flaunts his "moral superiority." Why don't you explain Judges 11 where God takes a human sacrifice? Or how about the verses that advocate dashing infant heads against rock? Or how about the advocation of slavery?
mmaman00 2 years ago
Society, history, and laws are not grounds for morality..they derive FROM morality..
It would take a while to get to all the examples you gave..I will get to them eventually. But an easier route would be to say this. Every human being has intrinsic rights before his fellow man..he does not have the same rights before God. Also God transcends time..so his ways of punishing evil are impossible to understand for those who are..
Which reference of infanticide are you speaking of?
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago
Derived from morality? How are you so sure other than believing in the bible? History has revealed that man has had different standards of morality throughout the ages. Do we kill children for talking back to their parents? Different cultures even today have different moral systems. Ah yes, the great cop-out: "God is too big and great for our feeble minds." I guess God is excused when he breaks his own commands since he's God. And yes, "which" reference of the MANY am I referring to? Psalm 137:9
mmaman00 2 years ago
Precisely..man has different standards of morality..what if a society said that murdering children was ok? Would it be ok? If you think it would be ok then you aren't really in a position to accuse..if you don't think its ok then why? What do you base it on? We are not allowed to kill children for sinning..because we are also sinners..we are not God and therefore need to be restrained because our judgment is flawed. God says the wages of sin is death..
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago
And in that society God ruled directly..he could judge rightly and therefore people died for things that they do not in our society...I realize you don't like this and I have a hard time with it to..but it makes sense that sinners would not like sin being judged..
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago
for Psalm 137:9 I will leave a quote:
"The Psalmist is not rejoicing over the dashing of babies. Rather he is rejoicing over the retributive justice of God that would ultimately return the cruelty of the Babylonians upon them as a just punishment for their crimes. The Babylonians had treated the Hebrews and theri children with just such acts of brutality. Ultimately God would bring the Medes and Persians to inflict judgment upon Babylon. In the hands of God, the armies of the Persians would
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago
balance the scales of justice, for the Babylonians would reap what they had sown.."
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago
So an eye for an eye? Kind of doesn't jive with Jesus' teachings. And God watching all of this and not lifting a finger during the cruel acts is OK? That society that murdered children thought it was OK, so why are their morals so different? It's subjective. You and I can say it's wrong today because our moral grounds have improved over centuries. Back then, it was seen as normal. And really, you can't make God look "good" and "just" in light of your scriptures.
mmaman00 2 years ago
If morality was subjective you would not be taking issue..we both know that some things are just wrong..the question is why? I can't agree with you that moral grounds have improved..look around. People are as malicious, deceptive, and bloodthirsty as ever. We have made some "progress" where morality has been derived from God. God is not "watching all of this and not lifting a finger." He made the world good, the sin of humanity brought evil and suffering, and in the end of Time he will purify
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago
What we know as wrong is due to centuries of moral "evolution", so to speak. And yes, we HAVE improved morally; look up Steven Pinker's "A Brief History of Violence." You see man just as evil as ever due to the fact that you're most likely a Calvinist and a strong adherent of total depravity. The rest of your post is just preaching rather than discussing or debating. I was once a Christian so I know where you're coming from; take a hard look at what you believe and tell me it's "moral" or true.
mmaman00 2 years ago
Moral Evolution? In which century have the most people been killed by other people? Being a Calvinist is a non- issue. You could believe what you believe "just because" you are an evolutionist and a strong adherent of "moral evolution". Lets put it this way..we both know that we live in a world of evil and suffering. Not believing in God does not change that, nor does it provide a solution. What is the skeptic's response to suffering? God's response is Jesus Christ..it is not false because you
dannyfreedom3 1 year ago
label it "preaching."
dannyfreedom3 1 year ago
I have taken a hard look at my beliefs and I find them to be bother moral and true..why? Because God is the reference point for both truth and morality. Again I assert that morality is an illusion without God.
dannyfreedom3 1 year ago
Once again, I direct you to Steven Pinker's lecture on the subject of violence. I will say, however, that more people died in the past century because we have MORE people. The population spiked in recent times because of the advancement of medicine and science. Also, our weapons became more sophisticated, and as such, it would make sense that more people died in the past century. Compare 145 of 1000 people dying in a civilization to 96 of 100 members of a tribe killing each other. What is worse?
mmaman00 1 year ago
As for the issue of suffering, I agree that suffering is a problem for both you and me. But believing in God doesn't change that either, does it? Maybe it makes you feel safer, but your God certainly hasn't done much to alleviate it. You're just waiting for Jesus to return and fix things. The skeptic will accept reality as it is and do his or her best to help those who are suffering and better the world that we all share.
mmaman00 1 year ago
Finally dannyfreedom3, our impasse really comes to our beliefs or lack thereof. I just can't accept Jesus Christ as savior anymore because the gospel just doesn't make sense nor does it check out historically. The bible as a whole is a horrible book and if God inspired it, he is a twisted fiend. If your beliefs make you a better person, that's great. Unfortunately, you and other Christians stick your noses in other people's lives such as with gay marriage. That is what I have a problem with.
mmaman00 1 year ago
I as well have to wonder what century you were living in when the 20th century was raging on all around us. And I'm sorry, living on this side of The Willenium isn't much better.
va3svd 1 year ago
the world from evil and it will all be in accordance with His character. God is love. And they are not my scriptures. They are God's. He is good and just regardless of what you and I think of Him or what he does..or sense of goodness and justice only comes from Him anyway. You are right to bring up Jesus. He is the answer to evil and suffering. God himself comes to earth and experiences the epitome of evil and suffering. He was the truly innocent one...I
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago
If not for Jesus I would die for my own wickedness.. I can do nothing but throw myself on His mercy.. God is Love. Jesus is the perfect expression..
dannyfreedom3 2 years ago 17
@mmaman00 You are simply taken modern views on morality and projecting them on times where the cultures, not just the Israelites, practiced the killing of infants on a regular basis. You don't seem to understand what the Babylonians did to the Israelites ( God's chosen people). This verse refers to the punishment that God would have on the Babylonians for their sins committed which he would have to do in order to be just, since he cannot leave sin unpunished. Where does God break his commands?
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter So with all of God's infinite wisdom, he compiled a book filled with modern immorality in order to convey his message to this current generation? Are you also conceding that at that time, it was OK to gut pregnant women? And are you conceding that just because the other cultures were WAY worse, it was OK for the Israelites to play dirty too? What kind of wise king do you serve? Also, sin is the result of God's intentions.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 No I'm not justifying the Israelites behavior, and also the bible wasn't written for our generation exclusively (obviously) but the principles that it conveys are meant for all generations of man. The events of the OT was not written to show us that God endorses genocide, it was meant to show us that God hates sin and in relation to His character he will not tolerate sin. You see you present just the human side of the coin, but you obviously don't understand justice.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter How do I not understand justice? Do you? God hates sin, yet he willed into existence by watching Adam and Eve mess things up for everybody. What was the point of that? And every holy book as principles that can be applied to all generations. Congratulations. Of course, all holy books are also filled with messages that are despicable in today's modern era and should be left behind in the bronze age. BTW, I used to be a Calvinist Christian so I know full well what you're saying.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 The reason why you don't understand justice is because you can only have justice if the judge is impartial and can be objective outside of the parties being involved. No human being can claim this since we have all been influenced by another human being. If we look at justice that we see that only God qualifies that criteria. Adam and Eve allowed themselves to be deceived by Satan. God did not force them to follow Satan, but they did so of their own accord, thus not allowing for God.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mmaman00 What makes humans have the right to determine what principles apply to them and which ones don't since they are deceived by their own presuppositions. Its like saying that you and all other non religious people have never been influenced by anybody, which is simply not true since most of the atheists that I meet happens to reflect a lot of Dawkins' teaching. You see the bible says we are all wicked by nature, this is true since the world show it every single day.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mmaman00 The other thing about modern evidence that is not clear to me in terms of science is why atheist scientists are not willing to acknowledge the different interpretations they have of the same evidence, I don't see how this is any different than having different bible translations. The point being if we look at anything from a human perspective there is bound to be errors because humans make mistakes. God is not human, he looks at the full picture of everything that happens, we don't.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter First off, you're also presupposing that God exists and using that to determine your views. Why should I even listen to you talking about how God's vantage point is so much different from meek man? You haven't proven God to me.
Saying that the world is messed up therefore man is messed up is some terrible inductive reasoning. No matter how much I argue with you on how the bible contradicts its own supposed virtues, you'll make excuses by saying God's way is higher than ours
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 No, I am not presupposing anything, my life was a living hell before I met Christ in my room one Thursday night, my family was torn apart like most peoples families in the world. I was an atheist before I met him, constantly fascinated by science and the stars and how they moved mathematically. But one question that no atheist could answer me.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Why can science only define and explain things? You see the world needs more than just being able to explain how it works, it needs a solution to all the violence and corruption that is in it, why do we live only to die? Science didn't provide me a solution to my problems it only explains to me the chemical make-up and components of my brain, never how it got messed up. Christianity explains why it got messed up. So until science tells me why, why should I go back
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter O of coarse, how do you explain the many thousands of Christians through the ages having similar experiences, no people to watch them no people to judge, just them and God coming to visit them telling them the same story he told me, his gospel, his salvation what he did so that I might live and not die in my filth and sin and the sin of my parents and all my friends.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mmaman00 O the testimonies of these people are accounted for in books, so you can read about them, read the puritans, read some Christan work, go and study some of their biographies, there is plenty of material to go around. You seem to forget what the bible says about people, they are all wicked at heart, there is no good in them, that is why Jesus had to die for your sins and he took it upon himself to save you from this world and give you a new life, reason why you don't believe?Romans 1&2
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Also, chimps also share a lot of our special values and morals. And finally, science is nothing like theologians interpreting a bible. When one scientist views a cell through a microscope in Germany, another scientist can see the same cell in America. That same cell with its mitochondria and nucleus will be viewed by everyone. When there are human errors, they get rooted out because so many different people scrutinize scientific works.And please prove God before you use him.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 He has proven himself to you through nature, go read the book of Romans again. I do not need to prove God, he can prove himself. And don't use that argument of scientists agree on everything, you know as well as I do they have camps, just like theologians are trying to understand the more difficult passages in the bible so scientists are also trying to make the best possible sense of the evidence that they have before them. How do you prove a God that is NOT material?material evidence?
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter I'm sorry that you had to go through so much hardship but you should be careful to not equate "atheism" with "science" as they are not the same. Science is a method to explain the world we live in through with consistency and has done an exceptional job up until now. Science isn't meant to explain the meaning of life or the problem of evil. In any case, just because life doesn't have the answer, Christianity is not automatically right by default.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Christians have similar experiences to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. And also, Christians have similar experiences to each other because they read the same book and absorb the same ideas. The concept of being "born again" is shared because they read and heard about it. Speaking in tongues is shared because of Acts and Corinthians. Nothing too profound there. Just proximity and a shared textbook.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 These religions sources are not the same, that is a lie, study you history please.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Finally, God most certainly has not proven himself to anybody. Your explanation for the problem of evil is brittle. If you want to defend the God that allowed the Israelites to brand their slaves and beat them down, go ahead. But don't give me the whole "you can't understand God's ways" bullcrap cus then I can use that on you too. What makes you think YOU know God in any way then? If our justice isn't god's justice, perhaps neither is his love. Or grace. Or anything.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 He has proven himself to many people, who live by the power of his death and resurrection and who are living by his Holy Spirit, their testimonies tell the story. I know God because of my relationship with him every day, he speaks to me since I am his child, just like he says in the bible. And you are right his justice is not our justice, nor his love our love, his ways are not our ways, his ways are better than the feeble ways we have, contradicting ourselves everyday.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter you are looking for physical evidence, I understand why, but think for a second about the fact that you need spiritual revelation to understand spiritual things. You can't use material things to prove a God that is not material. There are documents written by the historians Philo and Josephus that speak about Jesus Christ, but depending on how you look at that kind of evidence is going to influence your interpretation. The same applies to scientific evidence.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter You're wrong. Plain and simple. There are no reliable contemporary sources about Jesus. If there was, wouldn't the churches be jumping on that all the time? Yet, historians have found nothing that can 100% be qualified as proof. You also seem to have not understood what I said about science. Very different stuff there. Presuppositions have nothing to do with what is actually there when it comes to historical evidence.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 This is an assumption at best about the reliability of people's testimonies, you also seem to forget that many of the messages that Jesus conveyed were orally given since this was the way of the time he lived in, based upon that we are not likely to find these oodles of documents that Jesus wrote to people, it was not the nature of his messages. Also presupposition have everything to do with the evaluation of evidence, how do you explain different views in science.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter OK! What different views in science? Seriously, do you even know what you're talking about? Give me an example for that instead of reasserting it over and over like a broken record. Second, Jesus lived in 1st century Palestine. This was a very well documented era in which false messiahs were written about all the time. How can Jesus, the man who drove people out of the temple, not have been written about at ALL by any Jewish contemporary INCLUDING Josephus.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Next, the three great monotheistic religions are indeed linked. You're the one that needs to do a little homework. As for religious experiences, they are the same throughout practically all religions. That's because the physiology of the brain is the same for all people when it comes to emotions. Also, God has never healed amputees. God must love cancer patients more than people who are missing limbs.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 you are misunderstanding me, I only used cancer as one example, First of all Christianity is not explicitly Monotheistic because of the concept of the trinity. My point with saying that the religions are not the same, I am referring to their Gods not being the same beings, therefore very distinct from each other in terms of who believes what. As for God never healed amputees, that's your opinion and nothing better.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter As for the the similarities of the Gods, they are the same being. It's just that each religion has taken the concept of Yahweh and twisted in their own direction. The trinity wasn't even mentioned by the Paul or Peter and was later conceived through a council. In any case, it's well known that all three share the same God. You can view it from your bubble and see all the differences but from the more objective standpoint, it's all the same.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 Your ignorance of Christianity is blinding, you have no idea what you are talking about, more objective, that is a joke, you believe what the real scientists tell you to believe, if you are not a scientist yourself then you are being told what to do, and to answer your previously asked question about different interpretations of scientists, there exists different positions in terms of fossil dating, origin of life, and also basic theories of the biological flagellum's origin.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter As for the science comment, you are showing your ignorance of basic scientific literacy in neon lights. There are no "camps" and there is no dispute. You need to stop listening to Michael Behe, Ben Stein, Lee Strobel, and the other naysayers. I'd recommend Francis Collins to you. He's a Christian and a very distinguished scientist and he'll be the first to admit that evolution is entirely real and there is no denying it.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 You will get no Muslim to agree with you that they have a different twist on Yahweh, their attributes are completely different, Islam does not specify how many Good works you have to do to get to heaven, they base everything on whether the good deeds you do outweigh the bad things that one does. Christianity only has one way, and given the fact that you don't know this makes me doubt if you were ever Calvinist as you claim, and that is through Jesus Christ and what he did.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Once again, you argue from the inside; you spout how your religion is not about works but about Jesus' love and sacrifice for you. That doesn't change the fact that Islam came from Ishmael, son of Abraham. I'm not talking about all three religions being theologically identical because let's face it: even Christianity is filled with tons of denominations because of theological differences. I was indeed a Calvinist and a strong adherent of TULIP. Not anymore.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mariuspieter And truthfully, I'm a biology major. I've viewed cells with my own eyes. I've seen what scientists all around the world have seen. Unlike theology, science is objective and verifiable by ALL people. Why do you think medicine works so well? It's not a coincidence; it's science. Your GPS, TV, internet: all your conveniences are powered by science. Stop being so anti-science and face the fact that you might be wrong on this topic.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Finally, there is NO dispute on fossil dating. Source me where you got that information. There is NO consensus on the origin of life because there is no solid evidence as of yet. So yes, no scientist will say he or she knows how the first cell appeared. As for your flagellum dilemma, you need to stop reading Behe. Pick up Francis Collins. In all sincerity, it would give me great pleasure if you were able to come to agreement on something as pivotal as evolution.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 The concept of the Trinity is mentioned multiple times by Paul and Peter, sure the word "trinity" is not in the bible, but within many passages the Father , Son and Holy Spirit are mentioned in the same context. Once again you show ignorance in this matter, you should have been well aware of this if you were a Calvinist. More objective? your highest authority is reason, mine is divine revelation, and by that we are both presupposed, so don't make yourself something that you are not.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Yes, I am fully aware of the "appearances." Most notably, the baptism of Jesus is used as a great example. Yet, it takes quite a great leap of logic to say that Jesus and God are the same and yet different. This trinitarian concept wasn't preached by Paul or Peter. If it is, SHOW ME. Paul barely even talks much about Jesus' life, let alone something as vague and perplexing as the trinity.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 About Paul, Peter, and the Trinity: Look at Colossians 1:19-20, which talks about the fullness of God in Christ. You must also take into consideration these two apostles' view of the end times. They both thought that Christ's return would happen soon, within their lifetime. This influenced their writings: they felt urgent about expositing the Gospel and reaching sinners, and so they spoke less about matters such as the Trinity. This doesn't mean that this is a contradiction.
tdhigg01 1 year ago
@mmaman00 The doctrine of the Trinity states that God is Triune: Three in One. Three distinct persons and one being. You have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They each perform different functions, and yet they are one. We have no examples of this in our world. We can use metaphors to help explain Christ's death, the punishment of sinners, and the love of God, but we can't explain the Trinity. I would encourage you to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis: he does a good job.
tdhigg01 1 year ago
@tdhigg01 If God doesn't stop the sacrifice, he's accepting it. You can go ahead and sugarcoat it all you want. It's what it is. Also, no matter how much I tell this over and over again, you don't get it: if you go by the Calvinist doctrines, GOD is responsible for sin. It's not man's fault. It's the creator's fault. Now, I know you're definitely against what I just said, but think about it for a second.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 I have thought about it, many times, I used to be an atheist and didn't have any good reason to believe in Him. But by my personal circumstances God brought me to a place of brokenness and spoke to me in my mind while I was contemplating suicide, he saved me that night pure and simple.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@tdhigg01 Yes, I agree. The trinity is a concept that is baffling by our logical standards. For instance, Jesus and God are one, yet Jesus is not aware of the hour of his return while the Father is. I have read "Mere Christianity" along with many of Lewis' other works. My qualm is still with the entirety of Christianity. It has no real evidence for itself nor does it make any sense. I don't mean any disrespect to you as a person but I must disrespect what you believe in.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 Of coarse it will not have material evidence, most of the Jewish culture that Jesus lived in conveyed their message orally, it was only the governments that conveyed letters to one another. What do you expect to find? a whole heap of letters signed by Jesus to various people telling them how much they mean to him? As far as God goes, like I said before, how is one to understand a transcendent being by material evidence? Only through the revelation of the Holy Spirit.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter That is not true at all. The Bible says that all creation testifies to the great glory of our God. He has left His mark throughout all creation. In John 1, the beloved apostle tells us that nothing was made except through Christ by the Power of God. God speaks through creation. It is a physical, material masterpiece. Like a painting or the computer screen you see now. God made all things, and they speak, metaphorically, of His glory.
tdhigg01 1 year ago
@tdhigg01 which comment are you responding toward, I can't tell, because you seem to respond to something I never said
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mmaman00 Just because something doesn't make sense to us doesn't mean it doesn't make sense in eternality. I don't know how Jesus can be one with the Father and the Spirit, but what I do know is that God is also a lot more than we make Him to be, Just don't try and make Him fit material evidence which is not sufficient to even begin to prove Him. He is Holy and his standards is not ours. It really depends on the perspective you have. Ask Him to help you understand.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Once again, you seem to prove to me that you don't ever absorb anything I'm writing. First century Palestine is one of the most well documented eras of ancient antiquity. No, I don't expect Jesus to be writing letters to various people; if Jesus was a carpenter's son, then I highly doubt he would be literate much like most people in that time. Yet, scribes and Jewish sect leaders seem to have forgotten about him completely. Josephus, who was a contemporary of Jesus Christ.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Also, you should consider the possibility that your vulnerability made you easily susceptible to the Gospel message: the message that God loves you and has a plan for you and died for your sins. Indeed, I have a similar testimony. I was broken and felt overwhelmed by my sinful choices and was on my last rope. That's when I gave my life to Jesus. Of course anybody would. How much easier is it to give in to something that sounds that nice rather than living life on your own?
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 yeah only one problem, there was no-one human present that night to manipulate me, anyway, we are not getting anywhere so I will pray for your salvation.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter There was nobody there to manipulate me either. You seem to not understand that the message is alluring. It feeds on people who are broken? Why do missionaries see thousands of converts in third world countries? Why do people seek God after tragedies? Why do people look for God when they're in financial struggle or relationship crises? It's easier to go through life imagining you have a sky father who loves you unquestionably and is preparing a home for you in another magical land.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Finally, if God wants to communicate with material people, he should leave sufficient material evidence. In all of his infinite vast wisdom, he should realize the best approach on reaching his created people. We aren't spirits. We have carnal bodies. And quite frankly, his bible is filled with incredible inconsistencies that can be easily ignored if you have incredible blind faith and a heart that has totally thrown away any logical integrity.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 Unfortunately you are in no position to dictate what God should or should not do, you just don't understand, because like the bible says you are suppressing the truth, just because it doesn't make sense to you.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Also, you can't come out with a real good explanation so you have to use the "God's ways are higher" method which is unfalsifiable and therefore moot to me. If God wants to care about penis skins, blood sacrifices, mass genocide, and other such atrocities, that's fine with me. Just don't defend him for them saying "you can't understand his ways." Truth is, you're uncomfortable about it too. There's no good answer and that's why you'll give God the "get out of jail free" card.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 Neither does evolution. Where is the missing link? In the biology textbooks, most of the links are drawn in by artists who draw what scientists say should be there, and yet, we still have no missing link. Also, does evolution make sense? It cannot be the origin. Where did the first being come from? Why haven't we ever witnessed evolution with our senses? Gravity you can test, molecular theories, for the most part, you can test. Not evolution.
tdhigg01 1 year ago
@tdhigg01 Evolution explains the diversity of life, not the origin. That is a separate field called abiogenesis. The whole "missing link" debacle is extremely outdated as there are now plenty of links to substantiate evolution. You should look it up and do some research instead of just regurgitating what you hear around you. Look up the Australopithecines and Homo Habilis, Homo Erectrus, Homo Ergaster, etc.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@tdhigg01 As for witnessing evolution and whether it is testable or not, it indeed is or else science would have nothing to do with it. DNA evidence alone is solid proof of evolution but if you really want to see the evidence, there are plenty of cases where one species diverges into two new species---this phenomenon is known as speciation and is in actuality, macroevolution. Also, if paintings and computers are created, what created God?
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mariuspieter I never said I don't make presuppositions. We all do. But like you also said, mine is based on reason and rational logic while yours is based on a holy book riddled with blatant contradictions and a God who breaks his own rules for his own self-appeasement. By your divine authority, we should own slaves, we should kill our enemies with no mercy, and we should stone adulterers. We're talking about the same God who takes a human sacrifice in Judges 11 yet is disgusted by them.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 The situation in Judges 11 is where Jephthah makes a vow to God, which was a foolish vow to make that he will sacrifice the first thing that cam out of his house. How do you draw the inference that God makes a human sacrifice here, it was the foolishness of Jephtah that caused his daughters death and God gave her peace to be able to accept it. You see , your allegations is based on ridiculous conclusions that you make from something that the biblical text doesn't even say.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Actually, this just shows how much you WANT me to make ridiculous conclusions. I never said God MAKES a human sacrifice; i said god TAKES a human sacrifice. BIG DIFFERENCE. When Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, God spared him. Yet, with Jephtah, he was silent and allowed Jephtah to give his daughter up to him in burnt offering. And thanks for cherry picking this particular story rather than addressing all the other ones I've been offering up.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 which other ones did you bring up? and I'm sorry for my mistake about the "makes" part. I still say the same thing, it was Jephthah's vow and because God is just he held him to his vow.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Once again, you scapegoat God. If God is ALL KNOWING, he should have known that Jephtah's daughter would come out first. Yet, he let Jephtah make his mistake and was silent as he sacrificed his daughter to Yahweh. Now, I guess God is good at making you keep your promises, even ones that make him look like a total hypocrite.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 First, you are reading far too much into the text. Nowhere do we see that God is taking, accepting, this sacrifice. All we see is that it happens. Earlier, in Leviticus 10, we see God consuming Nadab and Abihu in fire because they offered unauthorized wave offerings. These were the sons of Aaron, the brother of Moses.
tdhigg01 1 year ago
@mmaman00 Obviously, God does not accept these sacrifices. Yes, God allowed it. He also allows all people to live, even though are guilty of rebellion and worthy of immediate and eternal death. As the sovereign of the universe, He is able to do as He sees fit (Romans 9). Creation is under subjection to the Creator, just like the sandwich I make is in subjection to me.
tdhigg01 1 year ago
@mariuspieter Finally, God is INDEED responsible for evil and sin. He may have started everything off perfect, but he allowed Lucifer to become a force of evil on Earth. He allowed Adam and Eve to be tempted. He allowed sin to spread across the world. He didn't destroy everything and start over; instead he created a plan to save people but not everybody. In fact, most people that have ever lived on this planet will go to hell according to Christianity.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 well, actually he did start everything over, remember the flood of Noah, he was a righteous man serving God and he and his family was the only ones who were spared. The rest were destroyed according to the punishment for sin criteria that I explained earlier. Again Lucifer's own sin of pride and evil got him kicked out of heaven same with Adam and Eve and they persevered in sin, it was through Gods grace that they were even allowed to exist, this is grace
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mariuspieter You keep scapegoating God. I mean, first of all, Adam and Eve didn't even have a knowledge of good and evil when they were tempted by the serpent. Yet, they were punished as if the full crime deserved to be placed on their heads. How does that make any sense? Also, amputee healings is not just my opinion. There is no case of that kind ever mentioned in any medical journal while there are plenty of miracle cancer healings and such.
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mariuspieter I don't care if he has proven himself to you or other people. He certainly hasn't lifted a finger for children with cancer, African people suffering from malnutrition, victims of war, etc. Many of them will die and go to hell for all eternity according to your religion. And why? Because they are wicked and depraved due to Adam's sin. If a manufacturer produces broken cars, are you going to blame the car for breaking down or are you going to blame the manufacturer?
mmaman00 1 year ago
@mmaman00 That is an invalid point, because the car manufacturer (God) made us perfect to begin with, then after that man followed the deception of Satan, God didn't make them do this, they did it of their own accord. So God is not responsible for us sinning in the first place, instead he provided a way to reconcile us back to Him through Jesus Christ.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
@mmaman00 God has healed people from cancer before, I have heard and personally experienced this to be true, when doctors have not given these people any hope of living.
mariuspieter 1 year ago
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oh, for goodness' sake. tornadoes are caused by changes in air pressure and humidity, not god sending messages about repentance.
cretin76 2 years ago
100% correct. ELCA repent or perish !!!
MaryWaterton 2 years ago
I totally agree with John Piper! Repent, repent! We can make a god like what we want it. But it is not the true God. Is a god done according to sin image.
Eliusalmo1 2 years ago
He broke it down well.
OohTheHorror 2 years ago
I AM that I AM said: "And the Devil who deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were. And he will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (verse 10, MKJV). Done!
Hiscall888 2 years ago
They have lied about the LORD; they said, "He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine. The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.
Brother563 2 years ago
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RobertBaral365 2 years ago
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
Brother563 2 years ago
Repent.
LogosApologia 2 years ago 3
John piper is straight up with the Word. nice. God is always just.
meliefore 2 years ago 4
this is sick.
henryforshaw 2 years ago
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1Co 6:9 Know all of you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
LaEspadaDeDios 2 years ago
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
LaEspadaDeDios 2 years ago
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phens123, You close minded shit, you are already convinced that homosexuals are deviants and they lead demonic lifestyles. The moment you compare a murderer to a gay person, it shows your level of understanding when it comes to social issues. You may choose to phrase your sentences like an oxford student but honestly,there is NO substance.
harendhrenra 2 years ago