Quotes of quotes....
Quotes of Posts.....
The worrisome thing is if you listen to people talk about these things, you yourself will perhaps start to doubt.
That is why it's not good to heed to the "Spirit of Disbelief", in my opinion.
Do you have to agree with the institutional church's positions to believe in God?
Well, it depends how you define the term "institutional church" ... and how they answer the question, "what must I do to be saved?". If you use it in the sense of the great masses of organized, denominational institutions that profess to hold the Christian faith .... then we have a huge dilemma on our hands since the vast majority of those institutions answer that question differently. This is why in the end, God will hold each one of us personally and individually to search out and discover the answer to that question for ourselves.
So just who decides which persons inherit the title of "Bible scholar"? The elites of the institutions of "Christian higher learning ... who cannot even agree across the board concerning the doctrine of salvation. Those who graduate with high honors from one institution are deemed heretics from the other "Christian institution of higher learning" down the street from them... just saying.
If they had any sort of relationship, good or bad, they are lying if they are now claiming not to believe. Unless they were lying about having a relationship. Or the relationship was with someone else, and they are now totally confused.
Being scholars however is utterly meaningless. We have scholars telling us the world is in an existential crisis.
We had scholars telling us COVID was curable with a vaccine.
We had scholars telling us all about evolution.
We have scholars telling us about alien abductions and operations.
Many PHd Preachers in the (liberal side)Methodist Church, for instance, went to seminary because of being raised in a church, and know that when they get their position. its a lifetime job with pay and retirement.
Faith is simply illogical to those who are logical, but that is why it is a choice, and God is constantly calling, and he does make life a bit better, though it comes at a cost of suffering with Christ, and denying the self - (Flesh - the heart and it's flaws as Jesus points out in Mark 7.) To deny one self and place God first?
The falling away - they most likely were never truly Born-Again by the Spirit to begin with.
Unless you are truly SAVED under the Blood AND Baptized in the Holy Spirit, you will never understand the Holy Scriptures in the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Perhaps this is the BIGGEST problem with scholars leaving Christianity. (the faith)
All the study brings them to the conclusion that they should leave "Christ".
Amigo
Most scholars i know learned by carnal wisdom and intellect .
They were filled plumb full of a spirit that glorified self . THAT AINT THE HOLY SPIRIT .
The HOLY SPIRIT GLORIFIES CHRIST JESUS , not self , not man.
By opaque I mean, attributing to the spirit an ego out of control manifested in false humility....ultimately mundane utterances with vagaries of the imagination, as if born again is thereby validated.
only watched the first two videos (and only half of the second video), but from that I suspect that the main reason they stopped believing was because they had no personal experience of proof.
There is a difference, as some people are just leaving the 'hoopla' of religion but continue in Christ and His word.
Today Christianity is a business and a occupation = anyone can go to Bible college/universities and receive a Degree in 'Christianity'.
How long must a true believer be a Bible student in order to have every answer to every question that any believer or unbeliever might express?
I believe though you express a great question - a bible student should be pleased when they are introduced to the truth and are set free, and have placed God, and Christ in the center of their heart. It's not about doing this or that for a church or making oneself look good. It's about the heart, the looking at another person in love and consideration - without the "flesh" dominating.
Do you believe God allows people to freely choose, and do you believe that Jesus Christ paid for the sins already? Can a Christian struggle with the flesh and the spirit? Or does a Christian have to be perfect in every single way? Those are good questions to ask yourself friend. If God accepts people only if they are perfect, we are all doomed. Thank God for the Lord Jesus Christ. Those are my thoughts, Amigo.
Amigo
Most scholars were never of CHRIST to start with . I didnt say all , i do say MOST .
I don't believe there is any authority to tell people what they can and can't do anymore.
I don't live by the scriptures. I live by the spirit.
As i said before, edumacation in a 'christian' upbringing, including college and PhD Degrees is not sufficient evidence that a person was truly Born-Again by the Spirit of God.
The mind/intellect can be a dangerous playground even for Born-Again Saints.
If our Salvation was completely dependent upon intellectual advancement, many people would never attain unto Salvation.
Well... I think that is the whole point here.
There are people infinitely smarter than us who don't buy it anymore.
Scary thought.
I disagree with your opening statement that Bible scholars understand the Bible. Reading and studying the Bible don't make you understand the Bible. You don't understand it till you start doing what it tells you do to.
Generally, we know that acceptance of God is not wide spread in the professor/scientific columns.
What makes a genuine Christian scholar is someone with a disciplined laid down life for the Lord.
One who by the Spirit is guided into expounding and clarifying.
Nice buildings are just that...nice buildings with cushioned leather pew warmers and state of the art audio-visual systems capable of having an awesome concert....but these cathedrals aren't what God really wants...he wants hearts!
Every community needs something...like a Christmas Village to see Jesus in a Manger with Roman guards milling about and fish mongers and animals....or an Ancient Easter cemetery and villiage....of course choirs singing and cocoa and candy and cookies and Easter egg hunts. Maybe children's intermural sports leagues for kids to play basketball or soccer or even football. Discount Daycares for before and after school or even preschool for when there's a real shortage in the community.
