Why is it "so" important for Christians to confess Jesus as their Lord?

reply to post by Awoken4Ever


Dear Awoken4Ever,

Sorry if I misspoke, I thought you had said you were not a Christian.

This stood out and I found interesting. Why do you think "fear" is what immediately happens? At what point does one "meet God?" If you are full of fear, how do you know you are meeting God? Can one recognize that they are in fear and in fact meeting God? What happens to the fear and how does it get replaced? Anything else you want to add about this would be great.

If we read about those who have "met" God in the bible it is usually followed by fear. Falling to your knees is usually the first response (Job being a good example). I believe it is because we fear what we cannot comprehend, fear of the unknown. We fear that which is stronger than us and that we cannot control, human nature.

How would one know if they met God, this is a wonderful question. If you thought you had met God, I would recommend the standard checks. Firstly, one would check to see if they were insane. One would have to check the rationality button on their life. There are only so many choices. One they are insane. Two they are being manipulated or three, they have met him. I certainly have no idea what the many ways that God could reveal himself to others, the bible talks of only a few occasions and each is unique. When I hear someone who professes to be a Christian saying they met God, I always listen to hear if they were fearful, if they were not then I know they are attempting to tell a story.

Moses and Job were both very fearful when they met him. They both got over it by interacting with him. Job, upon meeting God, immediately fell to his knees and God told him to gird up his loins. In other words, to stand up and not bow down. My view of God is that he wants relationship, I believe he does not want worship; however, that is a natural reaction to someone who created the universe and us. When I think of people who have had Near Death Experiences, they react different to meeting God (for those who report such a thing). I believe it is because of what they say, that they know his love before they interact with him. They do not report being scared because they are no longer afraid of losing their life or going to a bad place. They know heaven and therefore they know his love.

There was a young man who died recently. He made a video and it went viral. He had a near death expereince and talked about the light he saw and the way it made him feel. Not long after he made the video, within days, he died. He was not afraid, he knew the answer. You can believe me or not; but, I also had a near death experience and I am not afraid either. I would not even bother trying to convince others of my experience and I do not discuss it with people I don't know in any detail. Yet, it was more real than this life is for me.

You might ask me why everyone doesn't have a NDE, I don't know; but, I have my assumptions. I start with Free Will, a nde sort of changes your perspective. I don't think I would ever wish a nde on anyone. You start it by knowing you are dying and that is not fun. After that you discover there is a better place and yet you get sent back here, a worse place. This place is a lot uglier once you have seen better. I don't know why some of us come back, I don't know that answer, it just happens sometimes. And no, I will not give details on ATS. Be well and peace.

Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by AQuestion

 

. . . to have the heart and mind of Christ . . .

I would interpret that to mean we understand God's mind by the fact that we know the mind of Jesus.

Dear jmdewey60,

I think that we can come to understand the love of God, that we can have a heart of love. We are certainly imperfect; but, we can still love one another, care about one another. If we can love one another as God loves us then we can understand him, in my opinion. Not know all that he knows, know the real issues, love and growth. My thoughts. Peace.

reply to post by AQuestion

Job, upon meeting God, immediately fell to his knees and God told him to gird up his loins. In other words, to stand up and not bow down.

This should be an indication to you that it was not literally God who Job met.

Originally posted by Awen24
In Christ, and only in Christ, does God reach out to man to solve the problem of the great divide... while religion does the opposite - tells you to reach a God you can't possibly hope to attain to alone.

"Great divide" leaped right of the page at me. It's stuck in my mind...could you talk about it?

reply to post by AQuestion

In the post I was responding to, you had the conditional phraseology, 'we are told to have . . .'

I may not be clear on what I mean, the point is I was addressing your quote as it was worded.
Unless you have a specific verse and would like to cite it, then I am considering what is the most likely verse you were referring to.

reply to post by jmdewey60


Why?

Originally posted by AQuestion
reply to post by jmdewey60

 

Why?

Think of a very similar circumstance in Revelation.
Also, consider reading Job in Hebrew.

Originally posted by jmdewey60

Originally posted by AQuestion
reply to post by jmdewey60

 

Why?

Think of a very similar circumstance in Revelation.
Also, consider reading Job in Hebrew.

Dear jmdewey60,

Sorry I don't know where you are coming from. Perhaps you can be more direct. Do you doubt Job? You appear to. I don't speak Hebrew so I won't be reading it in that language. As far as your reference to Revelations, please tell me what similar circumstance there was unless you are referring to John, the writer, himself. He was also very scared.

reply to post by AQuestion

Sorry if I misspoke, I thought you had said you were not a Christian.

You have nothing at all to be sorry about

Just seem to be pretty lost lately and trying to figure some things out that is happening to me. It is changing so drastically every day, and almost moment by moment now. I have been talking to a friend, and explaining, what I just thought yesterday, isn't true today, and tomorrow will be drastically different from today. The bible is coming alive in so many ways that I have never seen before in my life. I have studied the bible in education and with some of the best of them, but never in a religious context. However, what is happening is that it is opening up almost like it has been coded to me all this time, and now I am seeing things behind the code that I have never saw. I am not saying it is coming alive in a "Christian" kind of way at all, but I am saying it has come alive. I am being spoke to by all kinds of outside forces, people, and the things that are happening can't be ruled under "coincidences" anymore. God has never been an issue for me, but the rest of it has.

I know of the video you are talking about and the page here on ATS. I was certain I posted in the thread, but I can't find my post for some reason now.

I have had more than one NDE, and 1 of them was beyond language. What that kid talked about was almost exactly my experience. When he described the "peace," I knew exactly what he was talking about. I never felt fear, and I also wish I never came back away from that peace. It was really that incredible.

Thank you for taking the time out to explain further to me. The "fear" thing was interesting to me and made some sense to me in the 3D world, but not at all during the NDE's. You can say, I have been very caught up in fear lately, and I am not really sure what it is all about just yet. Until I figure it out, or find another avenue to take to do just that, I will just keep posting questions and challenging others on their beliefs. I wonder if this is the fear that you speak of...hmm?

There is some good things that have come out of these threads (ATS religion in general) for me, whether one is a Christian or not, and I have taken away a lot.

To be honest, it's not the Christians that are helping me so much (although one specific one is) but it's the posts from the non-Christians and flamers the most. They are not scaring the Jesus out of me, but they sure the hell are scaring the Jesus "into" me. LOL...if that makes sense

Although it's a roller coaster ride for right now. I am always trying to keep an open mind, and explore all avenues until I understand. I don't need anyone to figure it out for me (not meaning you at all), but I need to figure it out for myself.

Thanks again for adding to it, and not trying to take away from it

reply to post by Awoken4Ever


Because if they don't, they remain son's of Adam, & Adam could only pass on death. Jesus is the replacement so that we don't HAVE to inherit the sin of Adam. To follow Jesus means that you WANT him to be King, & accept the gift of eternal life on earth(lost by Adam), that God made possible when Jesus repaid the perfect life that Adam lost, with his own perfect life. He is a 'life-giving Spirit', not like Adam, a death-giving man. hope that helps.

reply to post by Awoken4Ever


Dear Awoken4Ever,

Just seem to be pretty lost lately and trying to figure some things out that is happening to me. It is changing so drastically every day, and almost moment by moment now. I have been talking to a friend, and explaining, what I just thought yesterday, isn't true today, and tomorrow will be drastically different from today. The bible is coming alive in so many ways that I have never seen before in my life. I have studied the bible in education and with some of the best of them, but never in a religious context. However, what is happening is that it is opening up almost like it has been coded to me all this time, and now I am seeing things behind the code that I have never saw. I am not saying it is coming alive in a "Christian" kind of way at all, but I am saying it has come alive. I am being spoke to by all kinds of outside forces, people, and the things that are happening can't be ruled under "consequences" anymore. God has never been an issue for me, but the rest of it has.

If I am correct, many people's realities will change in the new year. Reality is whatever it is, the most important thing is that we decide who we will be and what our priorities are, that works even if there is no God (and obviously I believe there is a God). Life is to work on who we will be and that is what matters in this reality. Only you can decide who you will be and what you really believe. You own you and that is how it should be. I don't try to push Christianity on anyone, I merely respond to questions as I understand the world.

You mentioned that you had a few NDEs. If you did and it caused you to know a greater truth, why do you doubt it? Crazy doesn't have an off switch and neither do NDEs. We know what we know, there is no arguing the point with one of us, it cannot change our minds about what we experienced. Continue your journey as you see fit and know what you know. Peace.

reply to post by honestyblaze


Actually it does help. You gave me some more things to think about. Thanks!

Happy New Year to you!

reply to post by AQuestion

Do you doubt Job?

I doubt your interpretation.

Originally posted by AQuestion

You mentioned that you had a few NDEs. If you did and it caused you to know a greater truth, why do you doubt it? Crazy doesn't have an off switch and neither do NDEs. We know what we know, there is no arguing the point with one of us, it cannot change our minds about what we experienced. Continue your journey as you see fit and know what you know. Peace.

During my NDE, that peace, it "was" God. I never doubted God since. That was 20 years ago. God has never been an issue for me since. However, this world has been an issue for me. Life's calamities has been rocking the boat for a long time now. Not rocking my belief in "if" there is a God, but messing things up in my head. Following God's will has been the difficult part though. I am very stubborn, very selfish, and very damaged from this world.

I agree with you about 2012. Many of us are waking up quickly now. I am seeing it all over the place online and off. This is going to be an interesting year to say the least. I understand more these last couple of months than I may ever have collectively throughout my life.

I can only pray it's not the doom and gloom everyone is talking about, but in fact, truly a period of enlightenment. If it is the doom and gloom, then I don't want to be stuck left here crying about that I missed my boat

reply to post by honestyblaze

To follow Jesus means that you WANT him to be King, & accept the gift of eternal life on earth(lost by Adam), that God made possible when Jesus repaid the perfect life that Adam lost, with his own perfect life.

This sounds like you are saying if enough people wish for Jesus to become king, then he will.
Jesus is my king right now.
Who did Jesus make a payment to?
As I see Jesus, he is the example of what a human being should be and one who is worthy of eternal life.
Jesus before God represents us as people in a way we can can hardly do ourselves.

reply to post by Awoken4Ever

I been thinking about something. Why is it "so" important for Christians to confess Jesus as their Lord?

Because He is Lord???

Originally posted by AllUrChips
because it is brainwashed in them from a young age and they are threatened with eternal damnation if they do not

True story.

If we don't believe yet in Christ, why would we fear in the Hell He created????

reply to post by AQuestion

It says that many will say Lord, Lord and he will tell them to go away as he never knew them.

The thread ask why it's important for "CHRISTIANS" to confess Jesus as Lord. If Jesus says "I NEVER knew you", that means that person was "NEVER" in a covenant relationship with Him to begin with.

Do you not know that on the day of the Great White Throne Judgment that "every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord"?

Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by kdog1982

 

My nephew had his big outting proclaiming Jesus saved him from his sins . . .

I hope he is able to live without sin.

How can anyone live without sin if they do not have the indwelling guidance of the Holy Spirit?

Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by AQuestion

 

Job, upon meeting God, immediately fell to his knees and God told him to gird up his loins. In other words, to stand up and not bow down.

This should be an indication to you that it was not literally God who Job met.

"Gird up your loins" is a safe, flowery way to say. "Stop crapping your pants."

In the same way when the Lord addressed King Cyrus He told him that he would "Loose the loins of kings".