Hi Ray,
I noticed that Emile answered the question which you addressed to me, and after reading the ensuing exchange, I would have to say that is pretty much the way I see it, although it might beg the same question, "But are you sure you know?" I'd like to go back to the reply (#18006) preceeding this one if you'll allow.
In so much as I am able to comprehend that which the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to the word of God, I am more sure that it is God who is THE ONE AND ONLY, EVER WAS OR EVER WILL BE, than the atheist who dismisses God and claims, by their rejection of His Supreme Being, that He cannot be proven without a doubt. I've always wondered then, if they're so sure, what it is that they're sticking around to see or
experience. Is it the agony of growing old which they look forward to? Is it that one place they've yet to see before they die? What? What is it that is compelling them to hang around, if there is no supreme deity whom I know as God?
For if, as the atheist claims, there is no God, then it would follow that there is no retribution to be paid once one is no longer living. Therefore, what is it about death which they fear unless of course they do want to experince the agony of living until death. The
answer is obvious to me, they don't know if they are in fact right, period. Yet they mock, deride, and essentially denounce all forms of religion as nonsense using.......ta dunt ta da......logic and reasoning.
You commented, with regard to being born again, that, "What someone feels though cannot be brought out. Others cannot see that feeling and therefore it isn't grounds for submittal in a logical discussion - one based on reason."
To a point I agree, if one can truly separate ones emotions from one's ability to reason. Yet, I also agree that by the atheist definition as I understand it, reasoning and logic should win hands down. So if it is logic and reason by which they have come to the conclusion in which they will tell you they believe, then they would have no reason to fear death, yet the evidence or lack of evidence would conclude that they aren't as sure of their logic and reasoning as they would like others to believe.
So what is my point? My point is that by certain reasoning, together with my emotions which I cannot uncouple from my thought process any time I please, I have come to the conclusion, through experience, that the feeling which came over, in, and upon me once I accepted that Christ is the only begotten Son of God.... AND.....asked Him (Christ Jesus) to become my personal Lord and Savior and interceed with God the Father on my behalf, was a very real experience and thus proof (which granted cannot be proven in a worldly sense) that God not only IS, but that what is written in John 3:16 is therefore true.
Your response to my question was to quote from The Qur'an:
"Our Religion is the baptism of God
And who Can Baptise better than God?
And it is He whom we worship."
Thoughts which come to mind:
1. We, too, are baptised with the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) once we recognize that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God.
2. Is one, whose parents are Muslim, automatically Muslim? In Christianity, even if one's parents are Christians (i.e. accepted Christ Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior) their offspring are not until they make a choice as to whom they will serve. Only one answer is the key which, I believe, unlocks the shackles of sin.
3. Unless I'm mistaken (which is entirely possible), baptism wasn't even spoken of until the New Testament when John the Baptist baptised Jesus. Then John asked Jesus to baptise him.
In the fifth paragraph (directly under The Qur'an) you ask what I interpret to be a question which implies an answer to which I would no doubt agree:
"(i.e. Have you ever seen those people on TV that touch someone and they fall to the floor. Do you actually believe that?)."
My question: Can you name one thing which man has not eventually perverted or staged which was originally intended for good?
Do you believe that true faith in God can accomplish unexplainable acts of healing or miracles?
Follow-up: Have you ever been in an assembly where the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) was so strong that you were overcome with a desire to fall to your knees to praise God without the prompting of another?
Answer to question in parentheses: Yes, and No. I believe it is possible especially when I hear the accounts of those who have been healed first hand in a one to one setting. However, I'm admit to being skeptical when I see such things take place on TV, but I won't discount the possibility that at times what is happening is in fact the Hand of God directly acting to create a miracle in one's life.
Sorry this was a bit long, and also if any of this has already been posted. I'm losing the race to keep up with the discussion as it progresses. But thank you for giving me cause to ponder your questions.
Mike
Not to many misspelled words. <g> |
