I was a Christian for x years, so I know all about it

Yes being a part of the Body of Christ is necessary for salvation and there is not a single example in the entire New Testament of Christ's disciples living alone. Just as our God Himself is three persons living in community of Himself so too are Christians called to live in community.

The lesson the pastor gave about pursing people like one should pursue Christ was good when I went to this church. But the whole thing felt undercut by a guy coming on stage and giving a Serenade about how everyone needs to be a better Christian and tithe even more.

>All the people are nice but they try to get me into these programs to help study and be a better Christian but it feels like I’m being scammed or fleeced.
if they're asking for money along with the programs, red fucking flag. leave that church. Otherwise, they probably think they're doing the right thing and they're trying to show you they take it seriously.
>I have a perspective related to being reconciled with god but I’m not sure it’s “right” per say.
go ahead and post it if you'd like, I'll tell you my take on it. I also have a kik if you wanna talk privately
>But the whole thing felt undercut by a guy coming on stage and giving a Serenade about how everyone needs to be a better Christian and tithe even more.
kek was he a deacon or something? maybe that guy was just being a tool, trying to get his pastor a few extra bucks or something idk

>I'm a Christian but I have not read the Bible in its entirety multiple times

>I'm a Christian who uses Veeky Forums. No I don't see the contradiction.

whats wrong with that? jesus hung around sinners

>When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Hitler was the best human being who ever lived, so being worse than Hitler is no shame. Everyone is worse than Hitler.

As a black man

I've been home from Uni for a while but I forget if they wanted money for their program or not. It was some purple book that's supposed to be wlaked through by a member of the minisitry of this church and requires me to study the Bible more. I forgot if they want money for it though. I do know the friend who got me to go to this church has previously tried to sell me on going to this event called harvest fest where you had to pay a few hundred dollars for a festival of songs and pastors from all over the country. Never went because I'm poor as fuck.
>kek was he a deacon or something? maybe that guy was just being a tool, trying to get his pastor a few extra bucks or something idk
The title they had on the screen (they had a screen where verses were displayed in addition to the stage.) Was like director of finances or something.

Yeah Jesus told people don't hang around with sinners, they're scum, keep to yourselves and purge anyone that differs ideologically from you. Wait...

>go ahead and post it if you'd like, I'll tell you my take on it. I also have a kik if you wanna talk privately

I'll post. I'm not afraid of what this mongolian weightlifting forum thinks of me. Forgive me if I miss quote my theology, I've read the New Testament but I'm still new to this. I've always got the impression that you need faith that Jesus died for your sins on the cross and is Lord as well as "good works" which to me is living as well as reading the word of god. The whole "faith and not good works" thing always read to me as a way for Christians to justify their previously held prejudices even if they go against Christ's word from the Bible. As for my view on church that I've mentioned in the thread that I struggle with, I've always felt that my relationship with god was a personal one. I feel like salvation is being sold as you have to go to church to be saved. I feel like a congregation of believers and a pastor/teacher is there to help guide and support you as you guide and support them in return. But It always feels like their trying to tell me that my relationship to God can only be accessed through this congregation/church. I feel like that is wrong on a fundamental level.

>I'm a Jew, and as a Jew (considering a Jew invented it), I know a little something about Christianity...

so how would you personally interpret when paul says "you are justified apart from works"?

user the idea is that faith is the inspiration for the good works in the sense that Christians do good things because we genuinely believe the Gospel not because we are trying to earn anything. Also we do access God through other people. It is is not the only way we know Him but it is an essential part of following Christ.

>While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”

>Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16So he drove them off. Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

- Acts 18

Based? I dunno, just got pissed off when that vocal fry Chapo faggot started WELL UM ACKCHOOALLYING on some Christian guy, as if being circumcised and having a bar mitzvah makes you some sort of expert on Christianity

That works aren't fully necessary to be a Christian. But James says "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone."

user the idea is that faith is the inspiration for the good works in the sense that Christians do good things because we genuinely believe the Gospel not because we are trying to earn anything.

I think I see what you mean. So someone who truly believes should behave righteously because they believe? Not because of promised salvation? If so Then I answered my question above I guess.

Works are the evidence of faith.

judaizers gonna judaize

Sorry, I'm kinda confused. Is it kinda like what I said here? with " So someone who truly believes should behave righteously because they believe"?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm trying to learn.

Works are necessary in the sense that they confirm someone has sincere faith.

I know your feeling, I became disgusted with churchs at some point since at best they were just community centers (which isn't BAD just... falls short), and at worst money laundering schemes. I highly suggest looking into the works of old catholic religious scholars and philosophers and apologists. Avoid protestants post Martin Luthor like THE PLAGUE.

Nonsense. God is not found in a building. You should WANT to find community, but it's not necessary.

>Jews do not want to exterminate white people, for exemple I am Jewish myself and my best friend is literally white.

It is necessary because Jesus commanded His disciples to partake in the Lord's Supper which is something that can only be done in a community of believers AKA an ecclesia AKA a church.

What are the rational arguments for christianism being true? I'm not just talking about some kind of God existing but Jesus being God, resurrected,etc..?

...

Thats a reasonable arguement I concede to

In other words "You will know them by their fruits". Works are the fruits of faith. No fruits, no faith.

...

The great irony of absurd retard wojack posters is that they never fail to have the dumbest ideas in the thread

Thanks y'all, I think I understand what you both are saying.

>If people believe something really hard, that makes it true!

Come on man, by this logic alien abductions are real too. I mean, these people believe they were abducted, so the easiest explanation is that they were really abducted!

Alien abductions are real; Enoch got abducted.

Elijah got abducted too.

Alien abductions are actually demonic incidents

orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/alien_abduct.aspx

Yes Demons are aliens.

Doesn’t the fact that these claims were made by non-Christians undercut the idea that the New Testament is indisputable truth? If all these facts make the truth of Jesus’ divinity beyond question, wouldn’t all these people have seen the light and become Christians?

Are you telling me that Christians like to quote mine and distort the truth? I'm shocked!

>The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

>And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

>And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

>And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

>Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

>And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

>And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

>But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

>Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Are you able to use this parable to answer your question?

Would be interesting to see what else they have to say. Posting single sentences is quite propagandistic.

>Posting single sentences is quite propagandistic.

And?

>sometimes, people will believe you
>but, also sometimes they won't

wow, thanks jesus, you're really wise

He's not wrong though.

So you're just saying that ancient people were incredibly easy to impress? Like, I could be a prophet?

>Verily, I say unto you, that those with many possessions hold less love for them, but those who have little, treasure them more.

I'll take my divine nature now.

He answered your question of why scholar's that confirm the historical jesus was real don't go on to become christians with a parable instead of an argument and you are mad at him?

...

If Almighty God could be born in a barn then I believe even you could be a prophet.

>I'll take my divine nature now.

All you have to do is accept adoption into God's family in the name of Jesus Christ.

I wasn't talking to him, I was remarking that for all of his flowery language, Jesus didn't say much of substance. He told a long story that boiled down to "yeah, some will believe you, some won't."

>And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

>He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

>For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

>Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

>And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

>For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

I skimmed wikipedia for you.
Gerd_Lüdemann and Bart Ehrman went into biblical scholarship as religious and changed after being convinced much of the bible is later additions.

Pinchas Lapide is a believer in dual covenant saying Jesus was the messiah for gentiles.

>They don't understand anyway, so why not be even more confusing?

People literally worship this guy.

Do you have autism?

>I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

>I have black friends so I'm not a racist

>I'm x so I can't be racist against x
Conservatives seem to earnestly believe this

same, and i can vouch for the same

we also control the media