Why is your religion "Right"?

Hi, everyone! Before i start, i want you all to know that i have nothing against anyone's religion, and i don't think anyone's religion is "Right" or "Wrong". So, right now I'm an athiest (I believe in ancient aliens but thats not a religion) and i wonder why people believe in other religions. For instance, why do christians believe that Jesus is the son of god? I mean, for reasons i dont understand, he had a bunch of followers when he was alive, and he came back from the dead (Which only 3 people saw), but why do those two tiny details make people believe something so huge? I would also like explinations for other unrealistic stories in religion, please. Also, if anyone has any reasons that their religion is the "true" religion, please share it. Thanks!

reply to post by youwontfindme


Cuz mine makes the most sense. (jk)

Folks need to feel right about stuff so why not get all christian about Christianity or whatever religion you practice. It can be as simplistic or as grandiose as its believer wants it to be. To a lot of folks religion is their rock so to speak. Speak ill of any ones rock and you will be berated with your faults and wrong ideas etc. Especially as to you can't really prove all that they believe. They know that too.

Originally posted by BlastedCaddy
reply to post by youwontfindme

 

Cuz mine makes the most sense. (jk)

Folks need to feel right about stuff so why not get all christian about Christianity or whatever religion you practice. It can be as simplistic or as grandiose as its believer wants it to be. To a lot of folks religion is their rock so to speak. Speak ill of any ones rock and you will be berated with your faults and wrong ideas etc. Especially as to you can't really prove all that they believe. They know that too.

edit on 28-5-2012 by BlastedCaddy because: stupid enter button

Hmm, I never thought of it like that. Thanks!

I remember the first time I learned about the word "grandiose".

Me and a friend were trying to define another person that we both knew, and were trying to understand why he was and who he was. We are both fans of psychology and philosophy, so this is common.

The specific individual speaks about God and Jesus non stop, and even has made claims of being like God and such... interesting individual... anyways, we some how ended up with grandiose and Grandiosity.

I see some interesting correlations with those that are religious fanatics or extremists...

Narcissistic criteria

The grandiosity section of the Diagnostic Interview for Narcissism (DIN) (Second edition) is as follows:[3]

The person exaggerates talents, capacity and achievements in an unrealistic way.
The person believes in his/her invulnerability or does not recognise his/her limitations.
The person has grandiose fantasies.
The person believes that he/she does not need other people.
The person overexamines and downgrades other people, projects, statements, or dreams in an unrealistic manner.



The person regards himself/herself as unique or special when compared to other people.
The person regards himself/herself as generally superior to other people.
The person behaves self-centeredly and/or self-referentially.
The person behaves in a boastful or pretentious way.

en.wikipedia.org...


interesting stuff..

reply to post by youwontfindme


Belief is the key to faith. Faith produces works within us that open like a budding flower. Faith is produced by God. The practice of religion is the fruit it produces. There is only one true religion and it only carries the name of altruism. Love is the fruit, but faith is the soil we choose to root ourselves in as we grow.

James 1

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Practice this religion as a testimony of faith in God and you are placing yourself in the name of Jesus. Taking the name in vain is taking it apart from the character that it demands. Jesus is the name above all names. By placing ourselves in Christ, we are new creatures and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This is how God develops our faith. When God looks at us as the filthy rags we are, he only sees Christ.

Isaiah 64:6

6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Kinda like the teachings of Christ. During a time when, a social cast system, violence, corruption, and brutality reigned the day, Christ leveled the playing field, as he questioned the worth of a person's quality based on what was within a person not what was titled or bestowed upon a person. His code of universal conduct is still being struggled with some 2000 years later.

True strength is in restraint and temperance, true power is in patience and forgiveness, and true greatness is in kindness and service to others.

He offered a new paradigm of life skills. His philosophies and teachings were leaps and bounds ahead of his time IMHO

Originally posted by EnochWasRight
reply to post by youwontfindme

 

Belief is the key to faith. Faith produces works within us that open like a budding flower. Faith is produced by God. The practice of religion is the fruit it produces. There is only one true religion and it only carries the name of altruism. Love is the fruit, but faith is the soil we choose to root ourselves in as we grow.

James 1

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Practice this religion as a testimony of faith in God and you are placing yourself in the name of Jesus. Taking the name in vain is taking it apart from the character that it demands. Jesus is the name above all names. By placing ourselves in Christ, we are new creatures and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This is how God develops our faith. When God looks at us as the filthy rags we are, he only sees Christ.

Isaiah 64:6

6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Please, if you can, explain all this in your own words. I don't quite understand what you are implying.

Originally posted by youwontfindme
Hi, everyone! Before i start, i want you all to know that i have nothing against anyone's religion, and i don't think anyone's religion is "Right" or "Wrong". So, right now I'm an athiest (I believe in ancient aliens but thats not a religion) and i wonder why people believe in other religions. For instance, why do christians believe that Jesus is the son of god? I mean, for reasons i dont understand, he had a bunch of followers when he was alive, and he came back from the dead (Which only 3 people saw), but why do those two tiny details make people believe something so huge? I would also like explinations for other unrealistic stories in religion, please. Also, if anyone has any reasons that their religion is the "true" religion, please share it. Thanks!

I'm not a Christian but I do believe that Jesus is the Son of God. There are many reasons that I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I'm not here to argue your beliefs because you claim that you don't understand my reasons. I will tell you this, there were more than three people who saw Jesus after he rose from the dead. Jesus said that if people don't care to listen to God's prophets, then they won't care to listen even though a dead person can come back from the dead. No one can force you to listen to or believe anything I say, just as you can tell me that you believe that aliens abducted you and showed you all the kingdoms and told you that you could have all of it if you bow down and worship them, but that in no way is going to force me to believe you.
Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to certain people to open their understanding of the scriptures, to remind them of everything that Jesus has said, and to guide them into all truth, to teach them all things.

reply to post by youwontfindme

. . . if anyone has any reasons that their religion is the "true" religion, please share it.

I think my religion is right because it is mine.
I don't go for the idea that one person in particular has all the answers and that you can just adopt all of them for yourself, and then you will be fine.
Probably a better plan would be to read authors who describe how they came to their conclusions, then to see if you find it a valid argument. Then continue this process to build an entire theological system, putting it together from various writers.

Originally posted by Wonders

Originally posted by EnochWasRight
reply to post by youwontfindme

 

Belief is the key to faith. Faith produces works within us that open like a budding flower. Faith is produced by God. The practice of religion is the fruit it produces. There is only one true religion and it only carries the name of altruism. Love is the fruit, but faith is the soil we choose to root ourselves in as we grow.

James 1

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Practice this religion as a testimony of faith in God and you are placing yourself in the name of Jesus. Taking the name in vain is taking it apart from the character that it demands. Jesus is the name above all names. By placing ourselves in Christ, we are new creatures and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This is how God develops our faith. When God looks at us as the filthy rags we are, he only sees Christ.

Isaiah 64:6

6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Please, if you can, explain all this in your own words. I don't quite understand what you are implying.

It starts with the quote in James one:

27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Life is not about you, it's about what's been done for you. When others view you, they need to know the same story passed on by your actions. It's not about you, it's about what you do for others.

God does not desire sacrifice. He desires mercy.

Wikipedia defines mercy as a broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.

Give and do not take. That's it.

Read this post: LINK

Repentance is truing from sin. Producing fruit of repentance is truing from yourself and instead focusing your love and efforts for the benefit of others. This is true religion.

Matthew 3

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Water puts out fire. Water is baptism into the Spirit of God through faith.

Originally posted by EnochWasRight
It starts with the quote in James one:
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Life is not about you, it's about what's been done for you. When others view you, they need to know the same story passed on by your actions. It's not about you, it's about what you do for others.
God does not desire sacrifice. He desires mercy.
Wikipedia defines mercy as a broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.Give and do not take. That's it.
Read this post: LINK
Repentance is truing from sin. Producing fruit of repentance is truing from yourself and instead focusing your love and efforts for the benefit of others. This is true religion.
Matthew 3
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Water puts out fire. Water is baptism into the Spirit of God through faith.

I still think your words here are ambiguous. For instance John said that Jesus would baptize believers with fire and you say that water puts out fire. You say it's not about "you" but Jesus made fair mention of "you", John even starts out with "You brood of..."
So I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "It's not about you." I know that Jesus died and rose again according to God's will, but Jesus also did according to God's will when He told the people about the requirements that "you" as a believer, are responsible to fullfill, such as "Consider carefully what you hear."
I truly don't believe that life can be summed up in five words, "give and do not take". Jesus said that heaven and earth will pass away and that His words will never pass away, He said that He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and that man does not live on bread alone but by EVERY word of God. "Give and do not take." Jesus mentioned about how David and some others took bread from the place where it was not lawful to do so, I don't recall him putting David down, as He was called the Son of David.
I agree about what James said about religion, but I think that producing fruit of repentance is about loving God with ALL of our hearts, ALL of our soul, All of our strength.. and that my love for others in comparison to the love I should have for God is like hate, since 100% of our love is supposed to be for God.
Please don't misunderstand what I am trying to say, I know that Jesus said to love our enemies otherwise we are no different than sinners.
"We" are to rejoice when people hate us and lie about us and call us evil because we build our "houses" on the rock of The Truth. The goal is not to appease others, it is to appease God, so I'd rather focus my love and efforts on appeasing God, because Jesus certainly didn't appease the Pharisees, but instead said, beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Saduccees, that is, their hypocrisy. And why would anyone be hypocrites, because the Pharisees saw themselves as benefactors and thought they ought to have some respect shown to them, they thought theirs was the heights, but Jesus said that unless we are more righteous than those who honor God with their lips alone then we certainly won't get into the kingdom of heaven.
Maybe you can tell and maybe you can't but I believe that Satan uses scripture out of context today just as he did to Jesus in the wilderness, and that Jesus said that we who believe are to be perfect. I've heard plenty of times, "No one is perfect, there is none righteous, nor will there ever be, because we can do all things through Christ, but even Christ can't keep us from sinning, it's our nature, we weren't made to follow God's laws, but man's."

reply to post by Wonders

I still think your words here are ambiguous. For instance John said that Jesus would baptize believers with fire and you say that water puts out fire. You say it's not about "you" but Jesus made fair mention of "you", John even starts out with "You brood of..."

He was speaking of the Sadducees and Pharisees. They are the "Experts" in the Law that were corrupting the law to influence and take advantage of the people. The general public was welcomed to baptism. The leaders were not. Under the umbrella of "Experts," we have Moneychanger, False Priests and Builders (Masons). Today, we have the same three groups that are running the upper realms of Government, Banking and Religion. They were not welcomed to use the water without fruit of repentance.

reply to post by Wonders

I truly don't believe that life can be summed up in five words, "give and do not take". Jesus said that heaven and earth will pass away and that His words will never pass away, He said that He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and that man does not live on bread alone but by EVERY word of God. "Give and do not take." Jesus mentioned about how David and some others took bread from the place where it was not lawful to do so, I don't recall him putting David down, as He was called the Son of David.

God's Word and Law is this: LOVE. That's it. God is love. God's word is Love. Nothing more. It's even less than five words. What can mankind do without when love is the rule? There would be no need for law or governance. There would be no need for banking. There would be no need for a Priest to fill you with God's word. God's word is love. That's it.

When love is the rule, the law is fulfilled. This is what Christ's message was. When we place ourselves in the name of Christ, we take on his character of love. The law is fulfilled. The law was only there as a guardian until faith was expressed fully in love. Love brings hope.

Galatians 3

23 Before the coming of this faith,[j] we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Why do we not see this today? Because Christ was the first fruits. The Holy Spirit will not be fully revealed until the Day of the Lord and the 1000 reign of Christ. How do I know? When were the Father and then the Son revealed?

Epistle of Barnabas 15:4

Give heed, children, what this meaneth; He ended in six days. He meaneth this, that in six thousand years the Lord shall bring all things to an end; for the day with Him signifyeth a thousand years; and this He himself beareth me witness, saying; Behold, the day of the Lord shall be as a thousand years. Therefore, children, in six days, that is in six thousand years, everything shall come to an end."

To see this clearly, let’s put the information into context with the entire story of the Bible:

-Adam to Abraham 2000 Years of Age 1 (FATHER)
-Abraham to Jesus 2000 Years of Age 2 (SON)
-Jesus to Today 2000 Years of Age 3 (HOLY SPIRIT)
-Day of Rest (Day of the Lord) 1000 years (SALVATION)

Salvation come at the end of the 1000 years. Right now, the Spirit will be fully brought to men, but not before the fire comes. It's a refinement process.

reply to post by Wonders

Maybe you can tell and maybe you can't but I believe that Satan uses scripture out of context today just as he did to Jesus in the wilderness, and that Jesus said that we who believe are to be perfect. I've heard plenty of times, "No one is perfect, there is none righteous, nor will there ever be, because we can do all things through Christ, but even Christ can't keep us from sinning, it's our nature, we weren't made to follow God's laws, but man's."

We will not be righteous until Christ comes to baptize us in that Spirit. There are many who will be blessed by this type of baptism before the Day of the Lord. The key to the entire thing is to remember what the Bible has been saying all along. You must be born again. First, evil will be removed and then refused this rebirth that is outlined in so many places: Here's a good example.

Isaiah 26

19 But your dead will live, Lord;
their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust
wake up and shout for joy—
your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead.

20 Go, my people, enter your rooms
and shut the doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while
until his wrath has passed by.
21 See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling
to punish the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will disclose the blood shed on it;
the earth will conceal its slain no longer.

Here's another:

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever!
25 I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

WHERE WILL JOB STAND AGAIN? IS HERE HERE NOW?

26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes —I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!

Another: Consider what Paul is saying here about our day and age. How many souls are here now to see the second coming in person?

Acts 25:15

and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

Why are they here? Why the unrighteous? Why are the unrighteous here as well?

Revelation 1:7

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.

How could "Those who pierced him" be on the earth today?

Read two articles linked in my signature. Water and Spirit Baptism and the article on the Watchers.

Originally posted by EnochWasRight
reply to post by Wonders

 

I still think your words here are ambiguous. For instance John said that Jesus would baptize believers with fire and you say that water puts out fire. You say it's not about "you" but Jesus made fair mention of "you", John even starts out with "You brood of..."

He was speaking of the Sadducees and Pharisees. They are the "Experts" in the Law that were corrupting the law to influence and take advantage of the people. The general public was welcomed to baptism. The leaders were not. Under the umbrella of "Experts," we have Moneychanger, False Priests and Builders (Masons). Today, we have the same three groups that are running the upper realms of Government, Banking and Religion. They were not welcomed to use the water without fruit of repentance.

I don't think that it was because they were considered "Experts" that Jesus disliked them, but because they were hypocrites.
Luke 12:1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
No hypocrite is welcome to the Holy Spirit. God will spit out the lukewarm. As for the Moneychangers, False Priests and Builders, of course you've read about "the rulers of this age", the "benefactors". You probably know that the Pharisees ADDED laws to God's laws, such as washing hands before you eat and they neglected God's laws such as honor thy parents.

Originally posted by Wonders

Originally posted by EnochWasRight
reply to post by Wonders

 

I still think your words here are ambiguous. For instance John said that Jesus would baptize believers with fire and you say that water puts out fire. You say it's not about "you" but Jesus made fair mention of "you", John even starts out with "You brood of..."

He was speaking of the Sadducees and Pharisees. They are the "Experts" in the Law that were corrupting the law to influence and take advantage of the people. The general public was welcomed to baptism. The leaders were not. Under the umbrella of "Experts," we have Moneychanger, False Priests and Builders (Masons). Today, we have the same three groups that are running the upper realms of Government, Banking and Religion. They were not welcomed to use the water without fruit of repentance.

I don't think that it was because they were considered "Experts" that Jesus disliked them, but because they were hypocrites.
Luke 12:1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
No hypocrite is welcome to the Holy Spirit. God will spit out the lukewarm. As for the Moneychangers, False Priests and Builders, of course you've read about "the rulers of this age", the "benefactors". You probably know that the Pharisees ADDED laws to God's laws, such as washing hands before you eat and they neglected God's laws such as honor thy parents.

All good words and it might be stated that the Experts in the Law are layers, but Jesus seems to lump them together with the rulers of the age. For me, this indicates their misuse of the law to take as a thief. The thing I see in the rulers of the age is where they meet with their congregation. The synagogue of Satan traces it's roots to the three mentioned by Jesus. Today, we simply need to find their symbols and associations. My question will always be: Why would we willingly swear oaths to men when God is available? No private associations with the Synagogue below is necessary to be a giving person. Masons share their associations directly with their source:

Originally posted by EnochWasRight
reply to post by Wonders

 

Maybe you can tell and maybe you can't but I believe that Satan uses scripture out of context today just as he did to Jesus in the wilderness, and that Jesus said that we who believe are to be perfect. I've heard plenty of times, "No one is perfect, there is none righteous, nor will there ever be, because we can do all things through Christ, but even Christ can't keep us from sinning, it's our nature, we weren't made to follow God's laws, but man's."

We will not be righteous until Christ comes to baptize us in that Spirit. There are many who will be blessed by this type of baptism before the Day of the Lord. The key to the entire thing is to remember what the Bible has been saying all along. You must be born again.

So are you saying that you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit? I agree that many people will be baptized in the Holy Spirit before the Day of the Lord because that's how it should be. But why do you neglect the words of Jesus for what Paul wrote? Jesus quoted scripture right back to Satan AFTER He had been "blessed by this type of baptism", it is in no way an indicator of eternal salvation but it means that there is NO EXCUSE to sin any longer.
Deuteronomy 8:3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Jesus had the Holy Spirit and God still allowed Satan to tempt Jesus, Jesus had every opportunity to fail, He was not immune to sin, rather he CHOSE not to disobey God.

Job was righteous, Noah was righteous, Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous...I could go on really.
Yes you must be born again and yes it is very very important to remember the bible, but don't just remember the PAULINE PARTS, Jesus is not Paul, listen to what Jesus says and put them into practice, then you will be righteous. AND still, you really aren't very good at explaining yourself. Your speech is very ambiguous, I'm sorry but let me make it plain to you, sinners do not inherit eternal life.

Originally posted by Wonders

Originally posted by EnochWasRight
reply to post by Wonders

 

Maybe you can tell and maybe you can't but I believe that Satan uses scripture out of context today just as he did to Jesus in the wilderness, and that Jesus said that we who believe are to be perfect. I've heard plenty of times, "No one is perfect, there is none righteous, nor will there ever be, because we can do all things through Christ, but even Christ can't keep us from sinning, it's our nature, we weren't made to follow God's laws, but man's."

We will not be righteous until Christ comes to baptize us in that Spirit. There are many who will be blessed by this type of baptism before the Day of the Lord. The key to the entire thing is to remember what the Bible has been saying all along. You must be born again.

So are you saying that you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit? I agree that many people will be baptized in the Holy Spirit before the Day of the Lord because that's how it should be. But why do you neglect the words of Jesus for what Paul wrote? Jesus quoted scripture right back to Satan AFTER He had been "blessed by this type of baptism", it is in no way an indicator of eternal salvation but it means that there is NO EXCUSE to sin any longer.
Deuteronomy 8:3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Jesus had the Holy Spirit and God still allowed Satan to tempt Jesus, Jesus had every opportunity to fail, He was not immune to sin, rather he CHOSE not to disobey God.

Job was righteous, Noah was righteous, Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous...I could go on really.
Yes you must be born again and yes it is very very important to remember the bible, but don't just remember the PAULINE PARTS, Jesus is not Paul, listen to what Jesus says and put them into practice, then you will be righteous. AND still, you really aren't very good at explaining yourself. Your speech is very ambiguous, I'm sorry but let me make it plain to you, sinners do not inherit eternal life.

Baptism and being born again are symbols for what they represent. This is the first thing that must be realized to see the overall picture. Baptism is our immersion into the water of reality. We are literally born into water and from water. Our lives raise to new life by experiences. What you are saying here is completely true, but we cannot say that we are righteous by our own merit. None of the ones you mentioned were righteous because of their own actions. They had faith revealed in them by their actions. The only one righteous is Christ. We are only made righteous by Christ and nothing more. He did something for us that we could not do ourselves. To say that we can make ourselves righteous makes Jesus a liar. None are righteous. Isaiah 64:6 says our best day of righteousness is still filthy rags to God. We must be seen in the eyes of God by the name we place ourselves in. Christ is the name God sees when he looks at us.

This becomes the deception of the adversary. His goal has always been a manipulation of this truth in reflection. The reflection mirrors itself at the root of the truth. Are we justified by our own works or by the Cross of Christ? If the Cross, then we are not the factor that brings salvation. Christ must work in and through us to bring about a Holy Spirit within us. We are give the Spirit of Christ if we take the name. Taking the name in vain is taking it apart form the character that it expresses within us. We are still sinners and will still sin. The evidence for this is our death. Sin brings death and the last time I checked, Christians still die. The truth of the matter is found in Hebrews 9: Each person dies once but the soul lives on. Jesus states that, "you must be born again." Literally, we will be born again. Until the Holy Spirit has completed the work within us, we are bound by this order until Salvation is granted. When does Salvation come?

Hebrews 9:27-28

27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

We wait for the appointed time. The Day of the Lord is the day of rest for the saved.

19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

21 For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

reply to post by Wonders


To go along with what I was saying, read the article linked in my signature titled water and spirit baptism. In this article, I point out the significance of Elijah and John the Baptist and the mystery of the symbolism in baptism. I think it will open your eyes. For me, this is the single symbol that must been seen for what it really is. There are so many references where we see the parables come alive when we know what Baptism is signifying.

Take this one for instance:

Paul is being accused by the Sadducees of believing in a resurrection of the righteous AND the unrighteous. WHAT? How can the unrighteous rise to new life?

Acts 24:15

and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

The key is to know how Elijah prepares the way. He is the voice crying in the wilderness, "REPENT!"

To understand, read the article in my signature. Elijah has turned on the waters of baptism and raised all the souls to see Christ return. There are 7 billion on earth today. The Heptadic number reveals what we have all been waiting for. Hebrews 9:28 is getting ready to happen.

Revelation 1:7

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.

How can those who pierced Christ see him return? They must be born again.

John 2

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.[d] 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Why didn't Jesus entrust himself to them when they were coming to him for salvation? He knew their true heart. It was not yet time. They must be born again. It's true for all of us. Literally, we have all been born again to see Christ return.

Beyond this event, there are 1000 years of peace on earth. The Day of the Lord is the time when the moneychangers, false priests and the builders are judged. The tables have been turned as of 2008 for the moneychangers. The benches of those selling doves (peace) have also been turned.