KatieK

Hey I've been reading the debate on calvin vs. amirmian(how spell?). and I've got a question for Calvinists too. I personnally have absolutely no idea where i stand on this. The calvinists make the point that God picks out who is saved and whos not with no choice for the human. Well if thats right how does God feel about the unsaved who go to hell? I suspect that a friend of mine who ran away a few monthes ago is dead. she claimed to be a Wikkian and a witch. (scary) It broke my heart to think about the possiblity/likelyhood that she was in hell. does it break Gods heart too? How can you pray for people if everything is already planned out totally? Whats the point of missions if it makes no difference anyway? I don't get it. I'd really like to know thae answer to Oh No's question too.

Delilah, my dear friend, I first want you to know that I'm praying for you and I'm gonna ask the Youth group to pray too unless you tell me not to. I agree that this was mostly on you. God is Not punishing you. God is making you live with the consequences but thats not the same as punishment. If this is a punishment then you know perfectly well why. The police already told you. Well what is done is done and you have to live with it. God doesn't punish without reason. Rest assured that God Loves You no matter what. Again I'm Praying and so are some others from school and Youth. Love Ya, Katie

A Christian friend of mine is really mad at me. I kind of know why but don't at the same time. This friendship is very close to ending right now. she won't talk beyond a few words at the places we have friends in common as to be civil. I want to be reconciled with her and be friends again but I don't know how. How can when she won't talk and I don't know what to apologize for. Well maybe it'd help if I shared a little of what did happen. We always talked about deep stuff on the bus to school(about the only place we see each other) stuff like what we are struggling with in our lives, Bible questions, Right and Wrong, great stuff that God's been doing our lives,ect. Well recently two topics have been coming up. The first is Honoring Parents. As some of you may know I was struggling with this alot. My friend was struggling with the same issue. She's got it alot harder at home and she got really mad that I kept asking her how she was doing with honoring them. She was mad when I said really just had to do it. The second thing is she's dating a non-Christian. Doesn't seem right to me. She mentioned that she was convicted by the Spirit to break up with him but she didn't. I don't nag her about it (I don't think so anyway) but when it comes up I'm not good at hiding my dislike of the situation. This makes her angry. I really don't know what to do to restore this friendship. I really don't know what I'm doing so wrong to anger so much. Does anyone see this fault of mine that i'm to pridefully blind to see? Any ideas on how to get her forgiveness and friendship?

I most definitely believe the dinosaurs existed and I can agree with the text book (bio 1 student) on everything about dinosaurs up to the point of their evolution into birds. The earth is billions of years ago. (whos to say God didn't create it that long ago. the scriptures don't give us a date or time or even how long everyone in the Bible was alive so why worry about it. God made the earth. if God can't lie why would he try to trick us by making it look scientifically a billion years old and really only be a few thousand. thats just far fetched. No offense) Dinos were real and died out. they lived at the same time as people. They don't get much press because I doubt they where considered any different from others animals where they where alive. I can go with DaniJ87's theory but I honesty don't care so much. 95% of all the organisms on the original earth in there original form are extinct now. No surprise that dinos are gone. I don't think people liked them very much.

I can't believe some people are defending Purgatory. It is most definitely not in the scriptures. One of the hundreds of examples of why there can be no such place is Lk 23:39-43 39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[f]" 43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." If the CRIMINAL(this dude was most definitely not righteous and according to pro-purgatory would need his sins purged from him) was to go to heaven with Jesus that day! If Jesus can take a man worthy of being crucified with him to heaven that very day then why would it be any different for us? why would we not go straight to heaven as well? There is no middle ground. You go to Heaven or Hell when you die. THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST IS ENOUGH TO PURIFY US OF ALL SIN! NOTHING ELSE IS NEEDED TO MAKE US HOLY ENOUGH TO STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN HEAVEN. IF CHRIST'S SACRIFICE ON OUR BEHALF IS NOT ENOUGH THEN WHAT'S THE POINT? OUR FAITH IS ALL FOR NOTHING IF IT'S STILL OUR OWN WORKS THAT SAVE US. Hebrews 9:25-28 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Also from my world history course which is fairly accurate on anything Christian negative has given me a lot of background on the corruption of the Catholic Church around the time of the Renaissance. From this secular course, Purgatory is a made up place to frighten illiterate and uneducated catholics who can not read the scriptures for themselves into paying the church for their ticket out of this made up place of torment. indulgences which bought you time out of purgatory where sold in huge numbers to fund the wars raged by the papal states and the building of st. peters Basilica.

I know exactly how Yomo feels. I would absoultely love to learn something that I don't already know. Bordem is not good. It turns me into a know-it-all and a trouble maker; since I have nothing esle to do. I study on my own but I have tons of questions that normally go unanswered. My youth group is very repeatative and easy and basic. This is great for most of the kids. 20 have come to Christ since june! the only thing is that it stays so easy for the new kids. the youth council doesn't want a deep youth Bible study for reasons they are not about to tell the kid who really wants to be in one and the adults don't think it's a good idea for the kids to join their Bible studies because they are all over crowded already. (sigh) Oh well not about me any way. Anyone got any ideas on how to learn new Bible stuff if not in a group. I feel like i'm stuck in a rut. Want to learn not seeing any opportunities. -Katie PS. define Athenian and the context inwhich used please.

praying 4 you! nothing else i can do.

Still not happy today. Don't really have a reason I'm just not. It could be the sin in my life that I need to get rid of but can't seem to get out of. It may be because I'm Bored. Everything is boring school, family, church (they teach the youth the same stuff over and over and heaven forbid there ever be anything for the youth with any depth or difficulty). I think that If I spent more time with God it would all fall into place. I bet I'd stop sinning as much, I've find deeper more interesting things in more personal Bible study, and I'd probably be more happy. At least a seroius regular 1/2 hour a day at the same time. I bet It will help. Off to test my theory.

The first thing I noticed about this site (after reading the belief statement) was how mean people where to each other. Debate is fun, I agree. I learn the most by being contradicted and my arguments torn apart and wish more people around me would(at home, you guys online got that covered). But the personal attacks and judgements on here are terrible. I am personally struggling in this area(off-line) so i'm not one to talk but i did find this verse that I'm working on applying... Ephesians 4:29 When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need- words that will help others become stronger. then what you say will do good to those who listen to you. Romans 14 is good to keep in mind too.

No I don't think I'm happy either. today was a crummy day. I woke up still thinking about how awful a night I had yesterday. On the bus I listened to the woes of friends and attempted (and succeeded) in not lunching into my own list of how terrible is my life things. that gave me more things to worry about or pray for. I missed my Bible time in the morning because of the lack of 'spring in my step' and the early arrival of the bus. that did not help any. Do I love life is a completely different issue. I am not happy but I love life. I love life because I know the Lord and as crummy as today has been so far (and the weekend too) I love life because He's in it. My future is secure. It will never get too hard because I can lean on God's strength. I'm not happy that's too circumstancial but I do have Joy and Peace in Jesus. I'll pray for you. Life hurts. KatieK

oh delilah I know you didn't want me to say anything but I'm going to anyway. First why can't I say anything since you know I wasn't going to listen to your request. Have I come across judgmental or something? Ok back on topic, I had no idea it was this serious between you and Lee. You probably would have got a lecture from me if i had. I agree whole heartedly with Marnie that you must put Christ before all else in your life and that you must honor your parents. I know you wanted to start in Genesis but I would strongly encourage you to skip ahead to the New Testament for a while(Perhaps John would be good to study). Find out for yourself what Jesus says about priorities and parents and relationships in general. You need to pray too. All the time, not just on the odd days you make it to prayer circle, but all the time. work on on your relationship with God not Lee. Your relationship is not healthily at all if this is what it's like. Marine may even be right that you are close to idolatry(that's what it's called when you put something in God's place in your life. It's a sin and is in the ten commandments). In any case you seem to be trying to get from Lee things only God can give you. It won't work. What I respectfully disagree with Marine on is the appropriate punishment. I am very concerned that, being grounded you won't be in church for a few weeks. That's Not Good! I don't know if you mom and dad go to church but if they do go with them if not try to talk them into going. if all else fails spend extra time reading the Bible. And If you haven't gotten the point yet I'll say it again READ YOUR BIBLE AND PRAY!!!!!!! turn to God in your distress. It's not the end of the world. One more thing. Don't fell personally rejected or anything. When you care about someone you can't just sit back and watch them destroy themselves. We're not trying to be unkind only to point out errors in your living that are against God and will therefore cause you more pain if let continue. Love you my friend, Katie

What's pelagianism? If free will is a myth why does eveyone still sin? If we have no say n ourt own salvation then why isn't everyone saved if Matt 18:14 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. ? How are seeing the kingdom of heaven and believing the same thing? what do you think believing means? your definaition is different from mine and I think if I got that much what your saying would make prefect sense. Currentally your word useage is confusing me. Maybe I should go study theology at the collogde level before I try toi understand this site. Ya'll use really big theological words I've never heard before. It's very confusing.

When trying to perceive if a person is a Born again Christian or a great pretender how far can you go without judging? where is the line between being stupidly naive, and judgmental? 80% of americans are at the very least check the census box to say they are Christians but how many are really Born Again? Only God knows what's really in someones heart but shouldn't whats in the heart come out in some way? I know that we are not to judge, that's Gods job, but I don't really think we are meant to assume that just because 80% checked the Christian box on their cards that they are truly saved. Where's the line between naive and judgmental?

God's grace is the only way we can be born again but we where not created as puppets. God gave us the right to choose for or against him. I can't comprehend how predestination works in prefect cooperation with free will but it must to because God gives us both. If God had not given us free will to choose for or against him I think we'd all still be in Eden. I "believed" long before I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, before i had even heard that a personal relationship with God was possible. You can believe really easily without ever being born again. that's how so many people are going to get surprised on judgement day, they believed but where never born again. that's how america is 80% Christian: small percent born again.

Where do you get that being born of water is a natural birth? If water baptism isn't that important to new believers then why did Jesus get baptized? Why did all new converts in Acts get baptized? The second theif on the cross next to Jesus was probably never baptised of water yet Jesus declared that 'today you will be with me in paradise.' Water justifies no one! Jesus got baptised because the Father wanted him to not because it was really needed. New believers get baptised as a sign of that which has already taken place in the heart of the one being baptised.