Originally posted by Machinist
View Post
Announcement
Collapse
Theology 201 Guidelines
This is the forum to discuss the spectrum of views within Christianity on God's foreknowledge and election such as Calvinism, Arminianism, Molinism, Open Theism, Process Theism, Restrictivism, and Inclusivism, Christian Universalism and what these all are about anyway. Who is saved and when is/was their salvation certain? How does God exercise His sovereignty and how powerful is He? Is God timeless and immutable? Does a triune God help better understand God's love for mankind?
While this area is for the discussion of these doctrines within historic Christianity, all theists interested in discussing these areas within the presuppositions of and respect for the Christian framework are welcome to participate here. This is not the area for debate between nontheists and theists, additionally, there may be some topics that within the Moderator's discretion fall so outside the bounds of mainstream evangelical doctrine that may be more appropriately placed within Comparative Religions 101 Nontheists seeking only theistic participation only in a manner that does not seek to undermine the faith of others are also welcome - but we ask that Moderator approval be obtained beforehand.
Atheists are welcome to discuss and debate these issues in the Apologetics 301 or General Theistics 101 forum without such restrictions. Theists who wish to discuss these issues outside the parameters of orthodox Christian doctrine are invited to Unorthodox Theology 201.
Remember, our forum rules apply here as well. If you haven't read them now would be a good time.
Forum Rules: Here
While this area is for the discussion of these doctrines within historic Christianity, all theists interested in discussing these areas within the presuppositions of and respect for the Christian framework are welcome to participate here. This is not the area for debate between nontheists and theists, additionally, there may be some topics that within the Moderator's discretion fall so outside the bounds of mainstream evangelical doctrine that may be more appropriately placed within Comparative Religions 101 Nontheists seeking only theistic participation only in a manner that does not seek to undermine the faith of others are also welcome - but we ask that Moderator approval be obtained beforehand.
Atheists are welcome to discuss and debate these issues in the Apologetics 301 or General Theistics 101 forum without such restrictions. Theists who wish to discuss these issues outside the parameters of orthodox Christian doctrine are invited to Unorthodox Theology 201.
Remember, our forum rules apply here as well. If you haven't read them now would be a good time.
Forum Rules: Here
See more
See less
Why is "belief" important?
Collapse
X
-
-
Originally posted by Machinist View Post
I just googled it. It's the Angels.
God will reveal Himself to the Angels.
I don't study. Never been a studious type. I just google things and ask questions.
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by Machinist View Post
When we talk about belief, do we really mean "belief" in the truest sense of the word? Or do we mean an affirmation and a commitment to that affirmation? Take the Trinity for instance...a child does not understand this enigma, but will eagerly embrace it and confess his "belief" before a congregation because that is what his parents and the community around him has encouraged him to do. But does he believe it? Does he understand and believe that the Father Son and Holy Spirit are Hypostatically One? You could just as easily got him to believe that God is composed of 4 parts. But again, he's not really believing, but rather affirming and reflecting the commitments of those around him. If he affirmed 4, and went with that, would it really matter when he got to Heaven and found out that God was 3? Would God care if he miscounted? Are there theological implications to such details? It would seem so if we're debating theology, but in life, in reality, outside of theological debate, are there implications?
The next question is: Why does it matter? To say "I accept this point on faith. I do not understand it but I affirm it" isn't being fair to our ability to reason. If the point was perfectly clear in scripture then there would never have been a debate in the first place. But there is enough gap for people to deny the Trinity, and is this important? One thing we should always remember is that the early church depended on the pulpit because illiteracy was widespread. Early Christians had to rely on the man giving the sermon, that he was getting it all correct and that he was properly conveying it. If not, "beliefs" were in error due to him.
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
Seriously? We'll be walking the streets of Gold for the primary reason of being in the very presence of God and worshiping Him -- not being God ourselves.
Also, won't Heaven be an organic place? As in, we'll have bodies like we do now?
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by Dave L View Post
If you do not accept Calvinism, you'll never understand this.
Leave a comment:
-
Originally posted by Ronson View Post
It's a degree of error. Since mankind isn't capable of conceiving anything as complex as God, we will all be in error.
As I mentioned earlier, when one unpacks the fundamentalist package there are a lot of lingering questions that have no reasonable answers. Like, why are Christians from the west commissioned to proselytize to the rest of the world? Why is the one true religion a regional religion and not a global one in the first place? Why is belief so important to God? I can tell my children about some of the ways the world operates and they have difficulty understanding them, yet I don't condemn them for not understanding - or not correctly believing. Then there are the passages where God presumably tells the Hebrews to battle and destroy their enemies when God could have done this for them - or just never created their enemies in the first place. The answers just don't come easily.
- 1 like
Leave a comment:
widgetinstance 221 (Related Threads) skipped due to lack of content & hide_module_if_empty option.
Leave a comment: