Does God prevent believers from understanding certain truths?

[jesuslovesjulieann]

i can't here it well, can someone give a brief summary of his answer? plsss =)

[MrTruth111]

@jesuslovesjulieann In short he says that the disciples with Jesus were slow to understand his coming death on the cross and ressurection, and that Jesus didn't want to explode the gospel, with the purpose that Jesus needed three years of His ministry. For us he says we need to strugle in life to get answers, if we would learn to quick, we wouldn't be able to deal with our sin, and sactification is slow.

[theearstohear]

If you were granted all the insight you needed to understand every verse in the bible (2:30), it would be IMPOSSIBLE to not have the capacity to understand your own sin, fallen-ness and finite-ness because these truths are perfectly taught in the bible. This is a pretty good example of the hyper-emotive, philosophical nonsense that so many people seem to love from Piper. If one closely examines what he says, he is OFTEN found to be contradicting himself.

[Impalamark64]

Wow. This certainly ranks up there with one of the greatest piles of gibberish ever spoken. I was going to say that this guy is profoundly deluded, but that would be an understatement. This is truly an example of mental illness at its extreme.

[patriotsfan1379]

@Impalamark64 wow!!you are so right!! your statement really ranks with 1 of thegreatests piles of gibberish ever spoken it is the true color of brown!! your PRIDE that is!! only n idiot would really think that wisdom and understanding can be gained without GOD !!you are a true example of someone whom the bible states is profoundly deluded!! again WOW and even backwards WOW!! keep it up man people like you only reaffirm the bibles truth again WOW mental illness at its best its called sin

[Impalamark64]

@patriotsfan1379 Of course, the Bible will say that non-believers are deluded. That's how people are sucked in. The Bible is absolutely correct, of course, because it says so in the Bible. As long as you're unwilling to search for tangible proof, you'll just remain in that endless spin cycle.

Nice job of mockery, though. You seem to think it gives your case credibility. In reality, it makes you appear like you're trying to convince yourself. If you say it enough times it'll become true, right?

[patriotsfan1379]

@Impalamark64 wow it took a month wow!! but anyways is that what you do? do you at night as you brsh you teeth look in the mirror and say ;wow am really deluded wow!!! I really think I believe in swiss cheese hahahahaha because any fool who believes in any or most of the theories created by man its got to be not only an idiot he has to be deluded!! no really I mean I have nothing but sadness for you you are blinded to the outmost and you can't even see it sorry am really sorry

[Uberlaser]

@Impalamark64 I don't think it's much a question of mental illness, more of indoctrination, coupled with accepting things without study.

[Impalamark64]

@Uberlaser Possibly, but is there some tendency in the minds of some people to follow blindly? I'm thinking of the way certain people appear to be more easily addicted to substances such as alcohol or tobacco. Alcoholics are fond of pointing out that theirs is a bona fide illness. Just using that as an example.

Generally, though, I think you're right.

[jamesjaw]

I don't think that an imaginary friend would give me much joy… unless I was delusional.

[desasterz]

Yeah, around 2:30 . He hit on something. I often go "alright, come on, hurry up Lord, I wanna know now! I want you to show your love for me now, I wanna love you now, I wanna be convicted of sin now, I wana grow now, I wanna be like you now, I wanna love others now." is that a sin?

[MrPiebug]

Why don't you just say you don't know instead of gargling a lot or..........!

[FUwogs]

fairy tales and monkey poop

[tempemonkey2323]

@FUwogs Its sad to watch grown, otherwise normally functioning men, talking about a fairy tale as if it was fact because he has been brainwashed to believe that he is nothing without this religion (original sin, hell, and telepathic relationships to cure oneself is a hell of a brainwashing mechanism..)

Sad but kind of interesting to see how $%@#@$# up the human mind can get.

[mariuspieter]

@tempemonkey2323 interessting, since someone had to tell you it is a fairy tale. Secondly you don't even know if he was "brainwashed" by someone else or not. Thirdly fact is more than just material evidence. It's funny how someone who knows nothing about Christianity or faith can be so arrogant as to make judgments upon it. In my view, unless you are a scientist yourself you are just, if not more, brainwashed than this man. Since real scientists are spoon feeding you information.

[tempemonkey2323]

@mariuspieter Does anyone have any evidence for the claims this man is saying? I am proposing that there is not evidence for what this man is saying, yet people still believe it because they want a reward (heaven) and are trying to avoid a punishment (hell)...

Dont give me that crap that basing your beliefs on findings from the scientific method is the same as basing them on superstition...

[pcrvg0808]

@tempemonkey2323 why ,why won,t you just stiffle it ? Well here,s a thought ..... His Light can only be challenged by that what is dark .

[carlos25154]

@tempemonkey2323 Let me clear something up for you. Jesus Christ is not someone we worship, adore, and look up to, simply to get a "ticket" to avoid Hell. Jesus Christ is not somethign you gain just so that you can later enjoy Heaven (although some people who are not aware might be doing this). Jesus Christ (once you give him a chance) becomes someone in you as real as somebody who is by you all the time. You FEEL his protection, joy, discipline, PEACE,etc. which you can not find anywhere else!

[tempemonkey]

@carlos25154 I did give Jesus a very sincere chance but I came to realize that it was all in my head.... You claim that your evidence comes from the fact that nothing else can give you such joy and happiness... How do you know this? Couldn't other religions give you joy and happiness as well.... I think there are a lot of non Christians out there who are quite content with their lives.....Just because you find meaning in this myth, it doesn't mean its actually true..

[carlos25154]

@tempemonkey2323 In other words, the evidence that all this/other info is true can only be seen if you give Jesus Christ a chance with full honesty to come in your heart. THEN, you will be able to know what this is all about WITH full evidence all over! Jesus fills your life,heart, and soul, with peace, joy, feel of protection that no one/anything else can give you. Can you explain to me anyone/anything else that honestly gives you these types of feelings permanently?

[tempemonkey]

@carlos25154 Good feelings are you evidence, but good feelings are a dime a dozen and they start and end within your physical brain. I would argue however, that christianity generates such good feelings by giving you the disease (your a worthless sinner worthy of eternal torture) and the cure (but if you follow jesus you will have meaning and a relationship with the author of the universe)..... This is brain washing 101 my friend.Get over yourself, thinking something feels good is not evidence.

[theomathetes21]

@tempemonkey I agree, "feeling good" isn't evidence. Some Christians are existential about their faith but the real evidence for Jesus being the way is His life, death, and resurrection. This isn't a pie-in-the sky vision nobody else saw, but multiple, credible eyewitness accounts of those who saw, touched, and spoke with the resurrected Christ. Please read 1Corinthians 15.1-9 as a prime example. But the experience of getting to know Christ is powerful and existentially satisfying as well.

[tempemonkey]

@theomathetes21 I can give you all kinds of crazy accounts people gave about "miraculous" things all throughout history.... Especially during the Hellenistic period. Why would god choose to sacrifice himself to himself and only let a handful of illiterate people living in ancient middle east know? There are also conflicting accounts of what happened after Jesus died within the bible itself.... Fact is, the bible was written and compiled hundreds of years after the "fact"... aka myth.

[theomathetes21]

@tempemonkey I suggest you be more informed. Online 'christ myth' websites aren't credible. Read real scholars like N.T. Wright, Daniel Wallace, and Richard Bauckham. The disciples werent illiterate. Several wrote books. The New Testament was written within a generation of the "fact" by eyewitnesses of Jesus, not 100s of years later, and the entire Roman Empire and beyond knew of Jesus by then too. The NT document evidence internally and externally attests to this.

[tempemonkey]

@theomathetes21 Even there was a man today who claimed to be the son of god and he died and came back to life.... If the whole event was verified by doctors, cameras etc and they all testified to him dying and coming back to life I would still be very skeptical.... Surely, the odds are that the witnesses are being fooled somehow more than the odds are that the man actually rose from the dead.. How more skeptical would I be if this event happened thousands of years ago without any verification?

[theomathetes21]

@tempemonkey I appreciate your candor about skepticism. But you're biased against it w/o giving it a chance. Isnt it best to look at every claim honestly and objectively, especially an earth-shattering claim like Christs? His resurrection does have verification. I doubt you studied this deeply if you say its 'without any.' Simon Greenleaf of Harvard Law was skeptical too, but after study he concluded the resurrection is the most historically attested fact in history. Try 'Tim Keller' on youtube

[iridescentsquids]

@theomathetes21 You mean Simon Greenleaf, from the 1800's?

You don't mean to imply that the resurrection is indeed (literally) the most historically attested fact in history, do you? Surely you don't believe that.

[tempemonkey]

@theomathetes21 I think that if you look deep into your belief in the christ myth you will find that you do not believe it because it is credible so much as you believe it because you have been brainwashed and coerced through false promises and threats to do so by your parents, your culture, and society in general... Indeed, if you came from any other religion or culture you would out right reject it and recognize it for what it is.... myth. Like all other religious claims from every religion...

[theomathetes21]

@tempemonkey Honestly, I believe because it IS credible. Ive been through it all before. I would be an agnostic if Christ wasn't so persuasive because the other religions aren't credible. Jesus is different. He is the only historically attested belief system. And, 100s of 1000s of adults from other cultures are coming to Christ now, from animists in New Guinea to Muslims in Iraq. Its not just enculturation from parents. And Christ myth? Every historian admits he at least lived.

[tempemonkey]

@tempemonkey Most scientists would disagree with the claims of that Harvard Nut. You have copies of the Christ myth that are not hundreds of years old and you know who the author is... Really? You should give them to someone for research.... People convert to all kinds of religions all the time all over the world....Again, the odds are that people are being fooled, especially given the time period these supposed events took place.... You think Jesus is the only story at that time?

[carlos25154]

@tempemonkey2323 There are many things in this world that can give you some of the things I have explained underneath in my previouis comments but are temporarily! For example, drugs, sex, alcohol, money, etc. only last so long. If anyone is looking for real peace and real joy in their heart, they should give Jesus Christ a chance in their life. Even if you don't believe its true, just give it a try, what is there to loose anyways right? Trust me you will never be the same! :)

[theearstohear]

@carlos25154 - So the gospel is "give Christ a chance"? Salvation is not by chance, it is by grace (Eph 2:8-9). It comes to the spiritually incapacitated (Eph 2:1,5) not as a result of something they do (Tit 3:5) but as a result of what Christ HAS DONE (Rom 5:19, Heb 10:14). That's salvation by sovereign grace.

[rredhawk]

Yes.  Daniel 12:8-9

[ShantellJ]

My God is awesome!!

[fruitofspirit]

WONDERFUL answer.