The Battle For The Mind

[Oscar_Kipling]

Maybe you exercise your free will and choose to believe

Ugh I already said I could get a traumatic brain injury, I though this implication was clear

[ProDeo]

That was all funny Oscar but I am a mean guy and had my next question already in mind regardless of your answer. In the case God would reveal Himself to you in a 100% convincing way, would you serve Him?

I have asked myself this question years before I converted when my Christian upbringing was on a serious slippery slope. And my answer back then was a yes.

[Oscar_Kipling]

That was all funny Oscar but I am a mean guy and had my next question already in mind regardless of your answer. In the case God would reveal Himself to you in a 100% convincing way, would you serve Him?

I have asked myself this question years before I converted when my Christian upbringing was on a serious slippery slope. And my answer back then was a yes.

Hah, you gotta wake up earlier than that, I flowcharted this entire conversation before I even made my first post, your question was predicted in output parallelogram #1106

But to your question, I would say not necessarily. Would I know which version of God he is based on this revelation? I've asked myself this question too, and there were points when the answer was yes and others when it was no. I've since become less trusting that my concept of what an extant God would be and what an extant God would actually be are not necessarily the same thing, nor do I have a reliable way to distinguish between them at this time. So, if I was convinced via revelation that some version of God exists, I would then begin taking steps to get to know God, or as you guys might say I'd start to develop a relationship. 

[IMINXTC]

So, if I was convinced via revelation that some version of God exists, I would then begin taking steps to get to know God, or as you guys might say I'd start to develop a relationship.

Jesus and the scriptures speak fluently of the "new birth" - so essential that one will never see the kingdom of God without it. To be reborn is to be made spiritually alive as God dwells within and that is the relationship He recognizes.

To finally acknowledge (a version) of God's existence, while usually a good thing, is not the basis for eternal life - God reaching out to impart life to you, however, is.

Having once entered into that new life, we grow from there.

All the operation of God, and by faith, at the cross of Christ.

I'm sure you understand that, of course - a matter of conscience.

[Oscar_Kipling]

Jesus and the scriptures speak fluently of the "new birth" - so essential that one will never see the kingdom of God without it. To be reborn is to be made spiritually alive as God dwells within and that is the relationship He recognizes.

Yeah, okay so I guess you're not one of those folks that is always gushing about your personal relationship with Jesus?

To finally acknowledge (a version) of God's existence, while usually a good thing, is not the basis for eternal life - God reaching out to impart life to you, however, is. Having once entered into that new life, we grow from there.

Seems to be putting the cart before the horse, I just met the guy for Pete's sake, we'd need to get to know each other a little better before I start letting him impart stuff in me and making eternal life commitments.

All the operation of God, and by faith, at the cross of Christ.

I'm sure you understand that, of course - a matter of conscience.

I actually do not believe that I do understand. Most of what most of you say is fairly opaque to me honestly; Simple yet inscrutable and unwavering in extreme dedication to the certainty of its inimitable gravity and of the futility of further elaboration. I genuinely feel like if God revealed himself to me then I might almost be more excited by the prospect of being able to disregard so much cryptic Christianese about God than I would be by the prospect of being able to directly interact with the creator of the universe...almost.

[IMINXTC]

Perhaps you are here to mock us on our Bible forum?
Time consuming agenda

[Oscar_Kipling]

Perhaps you are here to mock us on our Bible forum?
Time consuming agenda

Okay IMINXTC, what is it about my post that you feel mocked by?
I'm really curious because based on this it seems that you feel I've grossly overstepped some line and I find my post very lightly irreverent at worst...so what is it that I've said that has ground our conversation to a halt?

[ProDeo]

That was all funny Oscar but I am a mean guy and had my next question already in mind regardless of your answer. In the case God would reveal Himself to you in a 100% convincing way, would you serve Him?

I have asked myself this question years before I converted when my Christian upbringing was on a serious slippery slope. And my answer back then was a yes.

Hah, you gotta wake up earlier than that, I flowcharted this entire conversation before I even made my first post, your question was predicted in output parallelogram #1106

Ah, I forgot your long experience with matters like these, going back to the old forum 

But to your question, I would say not necessarily. Would I know which version of God he is based on this revelation? I've asked myself this question too, and there were points when the answer was yes and others when it was no. I've since become less trusting that my concept of what an extant God would be and what an extant God would actually be are not necessarily the same thing, nor do I have a reliable way to distinguish between them at this time. So, if I was convinced via revelation that some version of God exists, I would then begin taking steps to get to know God, or as you guys might say I'd start to develop a relationship.

You already mentioned Paul on his way to Damascus in the name of God persecuting Christians. Paul was a hard nut to crack and Jesus hit him hard, leaving him flabbergasted for 3 days in complete darkness to figure out what happened to him. And Paul got it. In 3 days he turned 180 degrees, the sign of a real conversion.

Many of us need a mini Damascus experience before they turn 180 degrees, usually they (like me) have to go to the bottom of the well first before they in their despair even think of God. I have seen the battle of my son in law (an atheist) for 20 years before he came to Christ and turned 180 degrees.

After conversion you speak with respect of God as the giver of (your) life and with great thankfulness for the undeserved grace you received saving you for eternity and from your miserable life.

How deep do you need to sink first, what kind of hard nut to crack are you, too often there is a relationship. Blessed are the ones who don't need to sit at the bottom of the well first and just believe.

[Oscar_Kipling]

You already mentioned Paul on his way to Damascus in the name of God persecuting Christians. Paul was a hard nut to crack and Jesus hit him hard, leaving him flabbergasted for 3 days in complete darkness to figure out what happened to him. And Paul got it. In 3 days he turned 180 degrees, the sign of a real conversion.

Many of us need a mini Damascus experience before they turn 180 degrees, usually they (like me) have to go to the bottom of the well first before they in their despair even think of God. I have seen the battle of my son in law (an atheist) for 20 years before he came to Christ and turned 180 degrees.

After conversion you speak with respect of God as the giver of (your) life and with great thankfulness for the undeserved grace you received saving you for eternity and from your miserable life.

How deep do you need to sink first, what kind of hard nut to crack are you, too often there is a relationship. Blessed are the ones who don't need to sit at the bottom of the well first and just believe.

Well, okay. I don't plan on persecuting any Christians like Paul, I mean outside of my little mess-arounds at places like this. So I don't think I'll need to be hit quite that hard. It is often much easier to get people to believe things when they are under severe stress so its not  surprising to me that many people convert under those conditions. Anyway please tell me about your micro-Damascus? Were you an atheist?

[ProDeo]

Well, okay. I don't plan on persecuting any Christians like Paul, I mean outside of my little mess-arounds at places like this. So I don't think I'll need to be hit quite that hard. It is often much easier to get people to believe things when they are under severe stress so its not  surprising to me that many people convert under those conditions. Anyway please tell me about your micro-Damascus? Were you an atheist?

Matt 7:6

Hah, you gotta wake up earlier than that, I flowcharted this entire conversation before I even made my first post, your question was predicted in output parallelogram #1106

You must have seen this coming.

The end...

[Oscar_Kipling]

You must have seen this coming.

The end...

haha, well done. thanks for your time.