Encouragement and Advice

[Godscreated]

Hi Folks,

So as most of you know I have been called 'Agnostic Theist' whatever the heck that means I dont know lol.

Anyway - I had a friend round to my house tonight and he started arguing with me about christianity and how it is right.

Can someone please refute them. I know that there is no evidence to prove god or gods exist but I am afraid of hell and I am also finding it difficult to stop believing.

Any tips or things to do to keep my mind off it.

Here are the arguments and questions can someone please pick at them.

1) Do babies and children go to hell?
No because children are not old enough to understand and make their own decisions to be accountable.

Good all around answer.

2) Is the New Testament reliable?
Yes because the Old Testament points directly to Jesus and the New Testament.

This is one answer that's true, there are others.

3) If God is Omnipotent and Omnipresent he created hell, so therefore how can hell be separation from God if he is everywhere?
Hell is separation from God as God chooses not to be in hell with others.

He chooses not to be there, it's a place of punishment.

4) Why did God create hell for eternal torment and torture?
God never mentioned hell as eternal torment and torture – Well not really, many people think dying and having nothing when they die is Torture much like the same way being without God will be torture. God does not tell us a lot about hell.

Well I'm not sure what to make of the answer you were given. Hell is not a place of torture, it is never called torture in scripture. Jesus spoke more on hell than He did on heaven, so He must have been trying to warn us the place is real and a terrifying place to spend eternity.

5) Jesus took the punishment for all our sins – So based upon that to pay our debt should he not be in hell for eternity considering he died a sinner?
No Jesus did not die a sinner at all Jesus was sinless but took the burden of other peoples sin creating a paradox that he could not stay in hell because he himself was a sinner however he could get there because of the sins.

Nothing wrong with the answer.

6) As we know the Bible has been edited and re-written many times, do you think God would punish people for not believing when those same people want to believe but cannot because they cannot trust the Bible?
Yes because they should trust the bible irrespective – It’s God’s word and is never wrong.

The oldest copy of the Book of Jeremiah is dated around 300 BC, this copy was found as part of the dead Sea Scrolls. It matches word for word with later copies and is a near perfect match with today's Bibles. The Bible is highly reliable and rejecting it is no excuse.

7) Why would God punish us for eternity in hell for a Finite sin?
It’s not that he wants to punish us, It’s because it’s basically the final straw – God did all he could during our earthly lives after which we will be removed from his presence.

I'll address the finite sin part, all sin is against God, God being an eternal being means the sins are eternal unless forgiven, so unforgiven sin brings an eternal punishment.

8) Did God create evil?
No God created rules in which he deemed were against what his will was, People going against Gods will are evil.

Agreed

9) Why did God Punish Job?
Because Job was to act as an example for future generations.

10) Why when I started breaking away from God and asked for him to Guide me one last chance did he ignore me?
It’s because for years you have been walking further and further away and you don’t know which way to turn this is of your own making.

God did not ignore you, He would never do that, it could be that you had moved far enough away from Him you did not recognize His help. Were you really sincere in your asking, this is a question you need to answer.

11) If an Ancient Tribe has not heard about God where do they go?
They will go to heaven because they have now knowledge.

This is not true if I understand the answer. They will be judged by a standard God has set for those in this type of situation.

12) So what you’re saying is that Christianity should not be preached as people who are ignorant can go to heaven yet those who hear Gods word and reject it will go to heaven?
Yes this is correct, it is because in their heart and mind and soul they will seek God.

Disagree, many of the people who do not hear the message of Christ will not go to heaven, like I said above they will be judged, which means they could go to heaven or hell. If they had heard the message there's no reason to believe they all would have accepted Christ.

13) Would it not have been better not to have been born?
No because God gave us free will we then decided to go against it!

I'm not sure going against free will is possible, there are people who God said it would have been better if you had not been born, they are going to hell. If one is to accept Christ it would have been terrible not to be born.

14) I don’t like or trust the Apostle Paul, He contradicted a lot of what Jesus and the OT said, Prove it (I got stuck here).

I do not know of anything Paul said that's contradictory to Christ. I would have to say he did not and would need to see proof.

15) When God says ‘I AM’ he is meaning ‘Mind your own business’?
No God is saying that is name is the unspeakable name that the taught to Moses.

I asked God what He meant by I AM when He spoke to Moses, I asked daily for months and never heard a word, so I forgot about it. One day many months later I got an answer, an answer for me, God said I AM the Truth. Now that's an answer that covers a lot of ground which I'm still exploring and will till I die.

16) Do you believe in the Book of Revelation?
I don’t know.

Yes, why shouldn't a Christian believe any part of scripture.

17) Do you believe it is in some way scriptural and literal?
I don’t know.

If you're speaking of Revelation, it's prophecy that has literal meaning, agreed it's not easy to understand and you need to tie Daniel in with Revelation.

18) If someone decides not to believe in God throughout this life – Although God said he would cast people into the lake of fire for eternity, Do you think at the end he will save everyone?
No because God cannot show his Justice to these people if he saves them anyway?

Good answer.

19) What if people in heaven pray to God to forgive them or to take pity, Surely Jesus said anything they ask for he will give them?
Yes but this does not show Gods love if he allows them forgiveness as he has to be a fair and Just God.

I'm not sure why anyone in heaven would need to pray, they would have direct contact with Him. God will not give anything outside His will and I believe that's outside His will.

20) What is heaven like?
We worship and praise God forever!

Yes that's part of it and a great part, but there will be much more, one is not receiving a mansion not to live in. God will have plenty for us to be responsible for.[/quote]