Choosing a faith

Quit trying to lecture ICANT. Most Christians who read and follow the Bible largely agree on most of what is taught. You, in your arrogance, come at us from a cult and try and correct nearly everything we talk about. I have learned nothing from you and in fact, see where your cult has you by the brainstem. We need no more lectures from your arrogant yet false view of the scriptures.I realize that you are unimpressed with me and frankly do not care. If I need to learn anything from the Bible I have many people who know it from an orthodox Christian standpoint and can read it myself.You are teaching nobody ANYTHING here. What you ARE doing is making the rest of the believers not in a cult look stupid as you attempt to look like a "teacher".Do us all a favor and go away.

Now you know how I feel when any religionist speaks.

From my point of view as an atheist, you are all members of a cult but you all keep pointing fingers at other cultists and claim "I'm not in a cult, they are!". It would be humorous if it weren't so sad.

Hi kjsimons, From my point of view, all atheist are a cult.God :Bless,

You sir don’t appear to know the definition of the word “cult”. I suggest you look it up before you post again.

ICANT, you wrote:"It was impossible for the Israelites to keep the Law in
the Old Testament days and that was why they had to
make blood sacrifices for their sins every year. Those
blood sacrifices was a substitute for the sacrifice that
was to come."***I know why they kept the blood sacrifices. This had
nothing to do with the 10 Commandments, which were in
force from the day that Adam and Eve were created.I have never performed, nor have I ever witnessed, a blood
sacrifice.The Old Covenant, with its blood sacrifices, was never
established for the purpose of winning converts to God.Why would anyone think that it was?It was impossible for those in the Old Testament times,
with the exception of the few chosen by God, to keep
God's Commandments.The simple reason is that they did not have access to
God's Holy Spirit.Christians today who cannot keep and obey God's 10
Commandments do not have God's Holy Spirit. They have
a spirit of weakness.The Holy Spirit is not a spirit of weakness. It is the very
Spirit of God. And those whom He allows to partake of it
become strong enough to do all that He demands of them.God does not make mistakes. He did not make
Commandments that He knew could not be kept.God has a specific goal in mind. His end results will be
to have a divine family of sons and daughters. Where of us
will be required to develop the same righteous character
that was exhibited in Jesus.This Character can only be created through an interactive
process that takes place between each of us and God.It is an extremely personal process.In the New Covenant God will write His laws within our
hearts and minds.In the Old Covenant God did not give the Israelites a
heart to perceive, eyes to see, nor ears to hear.In each of us, at God's own time and choosing, He will
put His laws in our mind and write them on our heart.The better promise guaranteed by the NC is that everyone
will have access to God's Holy Spirit. Each of us will be
taught by Him. But, at the time of His choosing.In this present age, no one can come to Christ except the
Father draws him.He is only calling His elect. The elect are those who will
rule with Him in His Kingdom. The rest are left blind to
what is going on.However, I would advise one not to teach others to
trample on God's Commandments.

ICANT, you wrote:"Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took
it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"***You assert that this verse does away with God's Laws.
But God's laws that have been in force since creation
is not mentioned here.Our trespasses are the problem that's addressed here, not
the laws.The "handwriting of ordinances" refers to an acknowledgment
of debt. It is a record of our sins."Blotting out" (Exaleipho) means to wash, smear completely,
wipe away or off, obliterate. "Vines' Complete Expository
Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words."Scriptures always use exaleipho in reference to wiping
away sin, not law.Peter used this word in Acts 3:19 referring to sins being
blotted out.Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your
sins may be blotted (exaleipho) out.The Hebrew equivalent to exaleipho is machah. Machah
is rendered as blot out, or blotteth in Isaiah 43:25;
Psalms 51:1-9; and, Exodus 32:31-33.In each of these cases it refers to Blotting out one's sins.The Colossian Christians did not fully understand the
implications of Jesus Christ's sacrifice.There is not even the slightest hint that the laws of God
were being blotted out.You should know this.

ICANT, you posted:"It seems like there were a bunch of Pharisees
going around telling the churches that they had to be
circumcised and keep the laws of the jews in order to go
to heaven and be in the kingdom of God just like the
Pharisee candle2 is doing here at EvC."***You are just gasping at straws now. I have never said
that one is required to be circumcised.I was born at home in 1953. I am not circumcised.We are to keep the laws that God put in place for all
humanity at creation.It just strikes me as being really odd that someone who
professes to love God would criticize His 10
Commandments.The 10 Commandments describes our relationship with
God and each other.Who wants thieves living around them? Who wants a
spouse who thinks it's okay to commit adultery?Who wants to go to a court of law and have their neighbor
bare false witness against them?Who wants to live in a neighborhood where murders are
common occurrences?The 10 Commandments lead to peace and happiness
when they are observed by everyone. They bring joy to
a man and his family when they are observed.You should know this.

That is a possibility. But to me my definition is the only one that there is.To me a cult is a group of people who have a set of beliefs that they want to impose on other people. They start by brain washing there subjects then filling their heads with nonsense. No one is allowed to question their beliefs or authority. If some one does ask questions they are made fun of, belittled, mocked, told they are stupid, uneducated and you need to go to our school and learn what we teach you.God Bless,

You tell me I have to keep the law and circumcision is part of the law as well as blood sacrifices.Now any time you are willing to discuss what God says in His Word and allow His Word to be the final authority I will discuss it with you. But I am not going to waste my time arguing with what you believe. Until then have fun.God Bless,

All you need do is add in extreme segregation, constant proselytizing and burning at the stake, and you have just defined a church.Very good, Reverend.

ICANT, you wrote:"You tell me I have to keep the law and circumcision is
part of the law as well as blood sacrifices."***The death and resurrection of Christ changed the rules
that regulated who might approach God.Before His resurrection it was based on ancestry. And
circumcision marked who wad and was not part of that
ancestry.Circumcision was replaced by baptism and receipt of
the Holy Spirit.Before Christ, God worked with a nation. That nation was
Israel. God called for Israel to be separate and distinct.The mark of being a member of that family or nation was
circumcision.The nation of Israel possessed God's written code that
explained His standard of behavior expected by Him.The people if that nation, Israel, could not approach God.
It was done through priests and intermediates.The code of behavior given to that nation, this includes
circumcision, were never meant to grant them eternal
life.Since the resurrection of Christ God's chosen people
consists of a body of believers drawn from all the
nations of the world.This body of believers is now referred to as God's Church
(Ekklesia). They are the called-out-ones.God brings individuals into that church through faith, and
He marks them with the seal of His Holy Spirit.The new approach is called the New Covenant.With the New Covenant each of us have direct access to
the Father.The laws that were designed to mark Israel as a nation,
and the set of rules that governed them were the heart
and soul of the Old Covenant.The 10 Commandments, as well as the dietary laws of
clean and unclean animals have existed from creation.
They are still in force for His Church. These laws are for
our benefit.

Hi AZ, The only church I know of that burned people at the stake was the Roman Catholic church. They burned 280 people at the stake during bloody Mary's reign in England.No churches that I know are extreme segregationist. That does not mean there are not some. In the 40's we had colored folks attend our church and some of us attended their church. We had church on the first Sunday of the month and they had church on the 3rd Sunday. There was only a few preachers around so we could only have church once a month.When you say proselytizing are you talking about trying to get the members of another church to join their church? That is what proselytizing is.I think I was describing what a lot of EvC members are doing here.God Bless,

Hi C2,You made a lot of claims in this message but you did not give any scripture to support your claims. Please give scripture to support claims so I can discuss what the Bible says.Thanks.God Bless,

ICANT, you wrote:"You made a lot of claims in this message but you did
not give any scripture to support your claims.***I am not for certain what you do or do not u/s about
what I have posted. For now I will give scriptures about
Israel being God's chosen, one and only, in the OT.Amos 3:1-2 "Hear this word that the Lord has spoken
against you. O children of Israel, against the whole
family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:You only have I known of all the families of the earth;..."Deuteronomy 7:6 "For you are a holy people to the Lord
your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a
people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples
on the face of the earth."