Today, focus is on baptism and spirit rebirth to make reply to an atheist wanting to understand features of Christian belief, Creation as an exercise of self-expression by divine fullness, why judgment must appear as well as specific eternal purposes for mankind. A fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers” Religion and Spirituality forum using the ID “Blocked By The Weak” (Level 6 with 14,210 points, a member since May 25, 2017) posted the following:
Why did God create life?
I've been a lifelong atheist but lately have been exploring Christianity more and trying to understand and interpret what it all means and where we, as humans, fit into the mix.
One question I get hung up on is why did God create life to begin with? As Christianity teaches, God looked out into an infinite void and decided to create the universe within the void. He created the stars, planets, comets, asteroids, ect....He created the Earth and on it he created human beings with Adam and Eve.
Being an all powerful, all knowing God, he would have known what would become of mankind. He would have known about the Garden of Eden, about the torture and murder of Jesus, about the suffering of mankind, about all future wars, murders, violence, and pain.
He then calls on humans to worship him so we may go to heaven and live in eternal happiness forever. If we fall short and don't follow him we're destined to burn in hell for all of eternity.
So I wonder then why make us in the first place? Why not leave that void empty? Why create human life with the sole purpose of worshiping him so he may later choose to reward or punish us based on our efforts? The entire idea of human life seems very self-serving.
Update: I'm getting some odd answers here....to clarify, I'm not a hardcore devout Christian looking to challenge other peoples' beliefs. I'm an atheist who is interested in learning more about Christianity because I'm not totally against the idea of religion. I don't need posts telling me Christianity is wrong, or that science says this or that....believe me, as an atheist I know this already. I'm just looking for a different perspective on things from people who have studied the Bible more than me.
Update 2: Another point of clarity on my last update.....wasn't trying to say I know Christianity is wrong even though that's exactly how it reads. I did a poor job of typing that sentence out :)
THE GOLDEN ARROW: This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4: 17-27, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: With A Divine Eye (05/02/2018); We Establish Covenant Relationship (05/01/2018); The Origin And Source (04/26/2018); Christianity Is A Relationship (04/05/2018); Incurring “The Second Death” (04/02/2018); The Meaning of “Faith” (03/28/2018); We Begin Within GOD (02/06/2018); There Must Be Rebirth (01/21/2018); Proper Training For Belief? (01/10/2018)
“Blocked By The Weak”, here are some points to consider that address Christian belief as a comprehensive and closed system providing multiple streams of sacred truth that are intended for priests, kings, and those serving in various roles of anointed leadership (e.g., advisers, judges, parents, pastors, prophets, stewards) within a consecrated community. Simply put, You must be born again. Christianity is a relationship with Deity that emerges through divine operations that include baptism (death, burial, and resurrection of ones inborn spirit); discovery; gradual growth; the acquisition and application of sacred knowledge in place of secular knowledge; and fellowship with those acknowledged as anointed and ordained Christian believers.
The divine fullness (we say, the GODhead; the Trinity; the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit) must reveal themselves for unseen divinity to be knowable, known, accessible, and approachable. Thus, the image of GOD (we say, the character, makeup, and substance of GOD) has been made “visible” and documented through the holy writings that present divinity operating through thousands of events occurring within thousands of lives over the course of thousands of years. Those who become born again must practice and develop discernment (the use of divine sprit imparted from GOD as a standard to recognize and respond to Spirit as it appears and is active within and around them).
Both existence and life may be understood as expressions of divine prerogative, eternal purpose, sacred utterance (breath, spirit, word), and sovereign will. As aspects of the manifestation of divine fullness these elements appear along with such features as balance, beauty, completeness, direction, diversity, divine law, judgment, incorruption, and oneness without sameness. The following uses language from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible:
(1.) Deuteronomy 29: 29, KJV: 29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
(2.) John 3: 1-11, KJV: 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
(3.) Romans 6: 3-7, KJV: 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
There is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) Galatians 3: 26-29, KJV: 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
Washington, DC
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