Many doubts about Christianity

[JesusismyLord]

I am a christian that has foud any problems with the NT, why is the typical christian answer to pray to God and the devil is tricking you. The evidence is tracking me, lets start with Matthew

the geneology of matthew syas it has 42 generations from abraham to christ

go ahead and count in the NT how many generation there really are?I dare you guys to stop saying the devil this and that and pray this and that and answer the questions

Brother,

I hope that you do not get offended by my response here. But maybe if you take offense there may be an element of truth to it. Oftentimes we get offended by things that we know deep down inside are true. In any case it is not my intent here to offend you.

It really appears to me that you are a person who has never seriously bothered to immerse himself in the Scriptures. You have not objectively examined the evidence of the Bible, and seriously researched answers to these questions yourself. Were you more knowledgable of the Scriptures (And not just the Scriptures themselves, but the history of the Scriptures, and the various studies and commentaries, etc) then it is not likely that you would fall prey to the typical atheistic drivel that many of us have read before; and believe me, this is atheistic drivel.

You would do better in your Christian life to develop a solid relationship with the Scriptures. It is the Scriptures that are your protection from the enemy, and the sword by which you fight him (Eph. 6:17). The Scriptures are the guide for your Christian life, the "manual" by which you are instructed in righteousness, encouragement, endurance, and hope (3 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 15:4). Your fighting against God's Word through vain questionings begets contentions and are unprofitable (1 Tim. 1:4; 6:4; Titus 3:9). These questionings are the result of an untrained mind (2 Tim. 2:23; cf. Darby's).

It is my opinion that these questions do not demand an answer at all, especially when they are asked by a brother in the Lord. If these were asked by an atheist in apologetics, perhaps some attempts at addressing them might be profitable for the purpose of leading him to Christ, but coming from someone who has already received the Lord it seems quite pointless. You should know better. And if you don't, you should at least endeavor to seek the truth yourself in the counsel of the various studies, commentaries, etc., that clarify these matters.

As I had stated above, and which I still believe, your problem appears to be much deeper than a simple disagreement with the Bible. Your waning of faith cannot be based upon an intellectual discrepancy, but if it is then the first thing you should do is surrender yourself again to Christ! Secondly, you should begin to immerse yourself in the Scriptures, praying daily over them.

Much Grace,

~O

My friend I have read scripture for years, studied it and so on. I have very well knowledged in the Bible, I am also truly born again, Christ changed my heart. Ever since I started looking into judiasm, I have been having doubts. The overwhelming evidence about the NT, and all the schemes used to answer the critics

The Genealogy of Jesus

1A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:

2Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

3Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

4Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

6and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,

7Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

8Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

9Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

10Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

11and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[a] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

12After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

13Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

14Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Eliud,

15Eliud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

I only read 40 generations here.

[Ovedya]

So then there are "schemes" used to answer the critics, eh?

Sounds to me like you've already made your choice between the critics and the apologists who have answered them.

[dgolvach]

I have doubts about Christianity. More about every other religion of belief system. I have no doubts that there has to be "A" (one) truth. So for me....I have to believe that Christ was the truth even though there are many unanswered questions.

Dan

[ruah brit]

So why not search for God instead of all of this trying to understand the flesh. Ask God for His Spirit. Keep asking and don't stop until you receive what you ask for. Then you will understand everything.

Denise

Now you sound like a mormom, they say read the book of mormom and seek god, if you get a burning feeling then you know god is telling you to follow him. I want answers to these tough objections, why can christains duck the tough stuff, but if its other religions stealing material from the NT, ex:mormons, Islam, Witness then its about finding the facts and what the word says, not how you feel.

I gave you the meaning of the two most important excerpts out of all translations of the manuscripts that make up the scriptures. They tell you where God is and How to find Him. God created every man, woman and child. He has said that everyone should search for Him, find Him and follow Him. Being found wanting answers to question that will not lead you any closer to The truth is a further exercize in futility. The Spirit of God is the first and final truth. He has said that He will give His Spirit to those who ask.

Lu 11

13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Lu 11

9 "So I say to you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

Denise

[nebula]

JIML -

Have you ever read about how the Feasts of Israel were prophecies of Messiah and how Jesus fulfilled them?

[Ovedya]

I am a christian that has foud any problems with the NT, why is the typical christian answer to pray to God and the devil is tricking you. The evidence is tracking me, lets start with Matthew

the geneology of matthew syas it has 42 generations from abraham to christ

go ahead and count in the NT how many generation there really are?I dare you guys to stop saying the devil this and that and pray this and that and answer the questions

Brother,

I hope that you do not get offended by my response here. But maybe if you take offense there may be an element of truth to it. Oftentimes we get offended by things that we know deep down inside are true. In any case it is not my intent here to offend you.

It really appears to me that you are a person who has never seriously bothered to immerse himself in the Scriptures. You have not objectively examined the evidence of the Bible, and seriously researched answers to these questions yourself. Were you more knowledgable of the Scriptures (And not just the Scriptures themselves, but the history of the Scriptures, and the various studies and commentaries, etc) then it is not likely that you would fall prey to the typical atheistic drivel that many of us have read before; and believe me, this is atheistic drivel.

You would do better in your Christian life to develop a solid relationship with the Scriptures. It is the Scriptures that are your protection from the enemy, and the sword by which you fight him (Eph. 6:17). The Scriptures are the guide for your Christian life, the "manual" by which you are instructed in righteousness, encouragement, endurance, and hope (3 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 15:4). Your fighting against God's Word through vain questionings begets contentions and are unprofitable (1 Tim. 1:4; 6:4; Titus 3:9). These questionings are the result of an untrained mind (2 Tim. 2:23; cf. Darby's).

It is my opinion that these questions do not demand an answer at all, especially when they are asked by a brother in the Lord. If these were asked by an atheist in apologetics, perhaps some attempts at addressing them might be profitable for the purpose of leading him to Christ, but coming from someone who has already received the Lord it seems quite pointless. You should know better. And if you don't, you should at least endeavor to seek the truth yourself in the counsel of the various studies, commentaries, etc., that clarify these matters.

As I had stated above, and which I still believe, your problem appears to be much deeper than a simple disagreement with the Bible. Your waning of faith cannot be based upon an intellectual discrepancy, but if it is then the first thing you should do is surrender yourself again to Christ! Secondly, you should begin to immerse yourself in the Scriptures, praying daily over them.

Much Grace,

~O

My friend I have read scripture for years, studied it and so on. I have very well knowledged in the Bible, I am also truly born again, Christ changed my heart. Ever since I started looking into judiasm, I have been having doubts. The overwhelming evidence about the NT, and all the schemes used to answer the critics

The Genealogy of Jesus

1A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:

2Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

3Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

4Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

6and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,

7Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

8Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

9Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

10Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

11and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[a] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

12After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

13Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

14Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Eliud,

15Eliud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

I only read 40 generations here.

I will quote for you the footnotes from my New Testament, then, and we'll see how it settles with you (bold added):

"

[JesusismyLord]

ok, next lets move to matthews prophecy of the virgin birth, the main word from isiaih 7/:14"almah" in the hebrew means young woman not virgin, even christian bibles clearly translate the word to young woman..check out

http://www.devotions.net/bible/00bible.htm

this is a christian bible. plus the fact that the prophecie was fulfilled be either isiaih own child and the prophecie was fulfilled in that time. read verse 15, butter and honey shall he eat, that he may eknow to refuse evil and choose the good. Once again if jesus was prophecied, he would never be able to choose eveil, for gd can't choose evil, its impossible to his nature.

http://www.skepticfiles.org/sr/2virgi93.htm

[bgoalie35]

Again, we're not trying to offend you here, but it sounds like you have already made up your mind on the subjects at hand. At least twice now, you have brought up an objection to Christianity (Matthew's geneology, Mithras). Your objection has been answered adequately, so you have ignored the answers and moved on to another topic. It seems that you are afraid to acknowledge the answers to your questions on these subjects. If you are truly taking an objective look at these things, why are you afraid of the answers you are getting?

As for the prophecy in Isaiah, I agree with the skeptics on this one. I do not believe the passage in Isaiah is a prophecy of Jesus' virgin birth. The word for virgin in that passage in the original Hebrew usually denotes a "young woman". There is another word entirely for "virgin". The word used could be translated virgin, but if Isaiah really wanted to drive home the point that his subject would be "born of a virgin", instead of "born of a woman", he would probably have used the other word. Does that mean Jesus was really born of a virgin? I don't know. I also don't care. If Jesus was raised from the dead, then I could really care less whether or not Mary was a virgin when Jesus was formed in her womb. But that's just my uneducated opinion, and many others may argue with me on the subject.

More importantly for you, are you willing to throw out Christianity entirely over a bad translation from Isaiah that Matthew read in Greek instead of Hebrew? Do you have to have the answer to everything in this world to believe in God and Christ? If so, I don't think you will ever get there, because no one has all the answers to everything in this world. Not atheists, not Muslims, not Christians.

Please don't twist my words on this subject. I'm not saying you have to have blind faith in Christianity and just believe, no matter what your doubts are. If you can prove conclusively tomorrow that Christ absolutely did not rise from the dead, then I'll join you in proclaiming Christianity a sham. But no matter what you believe about this world, whether you are an atheist, an agnostic, a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, you will have to recognize at some point that you do not have all the answers necessary to support your position. At that point, you will have to simply have faith that your worldview, your thoughts on things eternal that cannot be scientifically observed by man, are correct. You will have to gather all the evidence and make your best educated guess.

As for Jesus choosing evil: You say if he was really God, he could not choose evil because God cannot choose evil. How human was Christ? How many characteristics of God did he have? Was he omnipotent? Was he omniscient? Could he choose evil? No one really knows for certain the answers to these questions. I think you are overstating your boundaries a little when you say Christ could not choose evil. We do not know how far Christ removed himself from God when he was on this earth. Even if Christ was fully like God while here on Earth, God is omnipotent, so technically, He could choose evil, He may just choose not to. It would not be a very powerful God that did not have basic free will.

[Ovedya]

ok, next lets move to matthews prophecy of the virgin birth...

Woah, back up there, sparky. Let's not "move on" until the matter of the genealogy is dealt with. You asked, I answered, I asked, you have not answered. We can't "move on" until we're all settled.

Incidentally, is it your intention to bring in all the arguments from the skeptics' websites?

[Ovedya]

From Strong's: "There is no instance where it can be proved that this word designates a young woman who is not a virgin. (TWOT)"

So much for that one.