RE: A theist dilemma
October 13, 2015 at 10:31 am
(This post was last modified: October 13, 2015 at 10:35 am by ApeNotKillApe.)
(October 13, 2015 at 10:17 am)lkingpinl Wrote:(October 13, 2015 at 10:09 am)ApeNotKillApe Wrote: But consider it from God's point of view, he condemns those who don't believe in him, and condemns liars. From what I understand he measures each act individually as good or sinful and keeps a tally. So when God sees someone like me who doesn't believe in God falsely attesting to God's own existence, how does God judge it? Is it a sin because I don't believe it when I say it? Would it be good if I did believe it when I say it? What if someone else believed me when I said it? Was I doing God's work by committing sin against God? Does God approve of breaking his own Laws?
I'm not sure where you got this idea from in the Judeo-Christian worldview. I will answer your questions based on my subjective opinion and understanding, but as my tagline says, "there is a God, and I'm not Him".
"Sin" in the judeo-christian worldview is best described as a violation of God's purpose. The Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). No one can live up to His standard. That's why the Christian talks about being saved by grace. Believe Jesus is who he claimed to be and be saved by grace is what the Bible claims in John 3:16. If you don't believe, I've already shown you what it says in verse 18.
Catholicism had given me the impression that God supposedly keeps a record. You go into the confessional and trade your sins for prayers, right? Like a divine tax rebate.
