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Author | Topic: Get To Know God (GTKG) 101 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
purpledawn Member (Idle past 3458 days) Posts: 4453 From: Indiana Joined: |
Per the Christian Religion, one must get to know their God.
The Books of Matthew and John seem to be the ones who mention the need to "know". It has been alluded to on many threads that one can know the Christian God from looking at nature. It has also been alluded to that one does not need to believe first to be able to see evidence of the Christian God that would allow one to know this God. So what is the step by step mainstream process of getting to know the Christian God (GTKG)? Whether one is a believer or not. An assumption for the purpose of this thread is that our world was created by a supreme being. The Creator. It doesn't assume that this being is the Christian God. I don't want this tread to be an argument between Christians on whose practice is correct. The aim should be to explain the process necessary to GTKG to the unbeliever. My personal experience, since the question will come up, is that I grew up in the Christian Church (Protestant). I was taught about God from the Bible. I am also a farm girl and enjoy nature. I liked biology in school. I've spent a lot of time within nature (hiking, crawling through caves, camping, gardening, farm animals, and just watching). What I witness within nature and the character of the Christian God within the Bible, IMO do not match up. So the way I know the Christian God is from the Christian Bible. My personal experience is not up for debate. This thread isn't to show me that I'm wrong.
The purpose of this thread is for Christians to show step by step the mainstream process of getting to know the Christian God (GTKG)? Whether one is a believer or not. I would like to take this one step at a time so that each step can be discussed and understood. What is Step 1? _______________________________________________________________________ Admin: I don't want this in F&B or Bible Study and I doubt that it belongs in BA&I since the process is probably not Biblically oriented. This message has been edited by purpledawn, 06-05-2005 12:14 PM
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AdminPhat Inactive Member |
Admin: I don't want this in F&B or Bible Study and I doubt that it belongs in BA&I since the process is probably not Biblically oriented. I'll put it in social issues, then. This message has been edited by AdminPhat, 06-05-2005 10:26 AM
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AdminPhat Inactive Member |
Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.
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purpledawn Member (Idle past 3458 days) Posts: 4453 From: Indiana Joined: |
quote:No, since we didn't discuss it before the topic was released. "The average man does not know what to do with this life, yet wants another one which lasts forever." --Anatole France
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Phat Member Posts: 18262 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: Member Rating: 1.1 |
The concept of God should never be limited by a book or a religion. I am also a nature lover, and I enjoy the solitude that a quiet day next to a fresh mountain stream or lake can bring. Clocks do not matter,nor do the everyday arguments and stresses of life seem important.
PD writes: Yes. I personally have seen references in the Bible which I took to heart. They are: It has been alluded to on many threads that one can know the Christian God from looking at nature.NIV writes: This was addressed to the Jewish people, but I also appreciated it from my Christian perspective. It allowed me to enjoy nature and feel inspired without having to feel as if I were in any way worshipping creation as opposed to my Creator. Others whom I have talked to indicate that they find God through their communion with nature. I really can't argue with that since He is close to me always...but I feel especially close to Him while in the forest or by quiet waters. Deut 4:15-20- You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars--all the heavenly array--do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. I am not a strict creationist. I do believe that God created the first elements of existance, but I do not see any need to believe that He created the world in 7 days or 6000 years ago or as the Bible says. This message has been edited by Phatboy, 06-05-2005 10:21 AM
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dsv Member (Idle past 4724 days) Posts: 220 From: Secret Underground Hideout Joined: |
When you say "Get to Know God" are you talking about the concept of "God" in general or specifically the Christian God outlined in the Christian Bible?
"purpledawn" writes: What is Step 1? For me, GTKG Step 1 is giving up the preconceived concept of God -- understanding history and the literature and thinking that has gone into the creation of modern religion and realizing it is human. Further, embracing science and technology as pathways to bettering our existence and answering questions about the past, present, and future of our time in the universe. My God is not a person, a spirit, a wind, a cloud, "love" or any of the other concepts. My God is unknown. It is pre-singularity uncertainty -- the possibility and probability of events. I don't believe any human book can explain it, nor have we reached a point at which we can understand it -- we may someday. Science will lead us there. That's Step 1 for me. (Let me know when I can continue.) "Look, the Bible is VERY clear. [...] It warns repeatedly against believing what the 'world' says, what the 'wise' of the world, the philosophers or thinkers of the world say." -- Faith
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purpledawn Member (Idle past 3458 days) Posts: 4453 From: Indiana Joined: |
quote:Specifically the God of the Christian Bible. Personally, I like your first step. Out of curiosity how many steps do you have? If I don't get any response from the mainstream or it dies out, we can discuss the rest of your steps. Sound like a plan? "The average man does not know what to do with this life, yet wants another one which lasts forever." --Anatole France
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jar Member (Idle past 394 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: |
You start with:
Per the Christian Religion, one must get to know their God. but I'm not sure that is what is really taught or said except by some Christians. If GOD exists then She is GOD. She is the God of the Jews and Christians and Muslims and Atheists and Agnostics and Buddhists and Hindus and Wiccans. That is pretty clearly stated in the Bible through the statement "I am." I cannot address the mainstream process but only the path I experienced. Learning about GOD began even before I could talk. Mom would read from the Bible each night and as I and the blue skizillion of young'ens that followed me grew up, we would attend Church every Sunday. The exploration of other paths to GOD was also a major step and was begun sometime around fifth or sixth grade, first by attending Synagogue and joining in meals with my Jewish friends and later in a slightly more formal way during Upper School. Aslan is not a Tame Lion
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dsv Member (Idle past 4724 days) Posts: 220 From: Secret Underground Hideout Joined: |
"purpledawn" writes: Specifically the God of the Christian Bible. Ah, well in that case I have no idea. From what I have been taught, the first step in knowing the Christian God is "giving yourself to Jesus." Your heart and soul. Apparently this includes admitting your sins and such -- like going to Alcoholics Anonymous. However, this implies that believing in Jesus comes before knowing God, which is somewhat backwards it seems. Like you, I'd be interested in hearing from the believers out there. Specifically perhaps those that have found God/Jesus later in life.
"purpledawn" writes: Out of curiosity how many steps do you have? I have no idea actually. I wasn't aware I had a first step until I gave it serious thought thanks to your topic. "Look, the Bible is VERY clear. [...] It warns repeatedly against believing what the 'world' says, what the 'wise' of the world, the philosophers or thinkers of the world say." -- Faith
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arachnophilia Member (Idle past 1344 days) Posts: 9069 From: god's waiting room Joined: |
the word "holy" means "separated"
god is holy, because he is separate from us. the word itself suggests that there is a rift between man and god. while i'm sure that some will argue christ bridges that gap, it is still a fundamental truth that if there is a god, by his very definition, we as finite mortal beings will never truly know him, even on the level we know other finite mortal beings. to put god in terms of the human mind is to limit god. you won't see my quote paul often, but here goes:
quote:
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purpledawn Member (Idle past 3458 days) Posts: 4453 From: Indiana Joined: |
IMO we can't truly know a being we can't see or hear. We might be able to know of the being, but not really know the being or have a personal relationship.
Of course some people think they know celebrities by what they read. I guess I wait for a higher level of knowledge before saying I know someone.
Mt 11:27 "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. According to this verse no one can know the Christian God or Jesus, but if Jesus chooses to reveal God then one can supposedly know the Christian God. Unfortunately it doesn't really clear up what kind of knowledge we would know. Is it knowing God personally or just that God exists? "The average man does not know what to do with this life, yet wants another one which lasts forever." --Anatole France
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redseal Inactive Member |
When you say "Get to Know God" are you talking about the concept of "God" in general or specifically the Christian God outlined in the Christian Bible?
There is no God "in general;" don't succumb to the illogics of satan; for he will only offer you seductive doctrines that will send you headlong into the pits of Hell. There is only the One Lord God Almighty! The Blessed Truth is clear on this:
quote:
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redseal Inactive Member |
Personal Knowledge of the Lord God comes in many ways:
With so many ways through which God Reveals Himself, it amazes me that people will continue to deny Truth!
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purpledawn Member (Idle past 3458 days) Posts: 4453 From: Indiana Joined: |
quote:How does the natural world (not the Bible) reveal God to the common man today? What does the natural world (not the Bible) reveal about God to the common man today? Does one need to believe in God before being able to see what God reveals about himself in nature? "The average man does not know what to do with this life, yet wants another one which lasts forever." --Anatole France
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dsv Member (Idle past 4724 days) Posts: 220 From: Secret Underground Hideout Joined: |
redseal writes: There is no God "in general;" don't succumb to the illogics of satan; for he will only offer you seductive doctrines that will send you headlong into the pits of Hell. There is only the One Lord God Almighty! Thanks but I don't need to be directly preached to on EvC. I get that enough from believers in day-to-day life. If you'd like to convert (save?) me or something, you'll have to present your argument using facts and evidence with references, just like anyone at EvC. Your ownership of God is somewhat arrogant as well. There is, in fact, a concept of God "in general" and it predates your Christian God. The original topic was asking who your (personally) God was and how one gets to know god. In my case, the "spiritual" center of self -- which doesn't include organized religion. If you would like more information about the origins of monotheism and God "in general" I would be happy to have a discussion with you (although I don't think this is the appropriate topic). "Look, the Bible is VERY clear. [...] It warns repeatedly against believing what the 'world' says, what the 'wise' of the world, the philosophers or thinkers of the world say." -- Faith
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