Just a question

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Phabs on March 5, 2008 at 10:03pm

Hi Only

The bible says that for the remission of sins blood has to be shed, and it also says that the life of a being is it blood. We are not talking about human sacrifices as that in itself would be murder, yet another sin. and not only that, a human is full of sins so his or her blood would be contaminated with sins, so it would do no good. Sacrifices in the Old Testatment were generally clean animals without any defects, animals don't sin, (except cats ;-) )

But their blood was not able to get us to Heaven, hence why we needed Christ.

You mention in the Quran one can work or do some good deeds for forgiveness but GOD is not really impressed with our good deeds, so our forgiveness is based on HIS grace and mercy, not our own deeds.

later and God bless

Permalink Reply by maha on March 7, 2008 at 11:39am

Thanks Phabs again
The concept of sacrifies was new for me, I've never heard about before that's why I asked many questions about :)

God doesn't care about how many good deeds we do, but He teaches us to earn things, even if God does not need a reason to give us things but this is the way. This is our believes! but I recpect yours too


God bless us all and show us the way

Permalink Reply by christopher lingk on March 16, 2008 at 5:48am

Only a friend,
Hello. It's wonderful to have you here by the way. I wanted to point out a few things we find in the bible about Jesus. We know for a fact that he was crucified primarily based on the fact that He claimed to be the Messiah !! The religious leaders of that day were tearing thier robes and yelling 'blashphemy' !! Jesus also made many statements to the effect that He was God's Son. I realize that this conflicts with the Quran which states that God is one, and has no equal. However, christianity is based upon the teachings of Jesus himself as imparted to the disciples. If Jesus was a merely "great prophet", then cetainly he wouldnt have made misleading statements as to his "divinity". However, He made numerous statements to this affect, and also made the claim that He was the way, the truth, and the life, and nobody could get to God but through Him, (Jesus).
Many might say that it was merely "men" who attributed these sayings to Jesus, or that Jesus never claimed to be the "Messiah". However, all the writings, teachings, and evidence points to the fact that Jesus indeed claimed to be the Son of God.
Christianity and Islam are similiar in certain ways. As muslims recon their lineage from the descendants of abraham, as do jews, and christians alike, we share many things in common. You are correct in seeing that the major 'sticking-point' lies in the person of Jesus Christ. Who was He truly? This is a question that every person is going to have to come to terms with sometime in thier days on earth. I would cetainly counsel each person to read the bible, and pray to God to have understanding of the truth. Let us not take for granted what 'others' may teach us, but seek the truth for ourselves. And the truth comes through the Word of God.
Don't forget that Moses, Abraham, and our other forefathers prophecied about the coming of the "Messiah". I think the issue here is as to whether Jesus WAS that Messiah. Many of the jews still believe that Jesus was NOT that Messiah, and they continue to wait for Him. And many muslims await the promised coming of that Messiah. We as christians believe that Jesus Christ WAS that promised Messiah as He Himself claimed to be. Jesus fulfilled all the prophesy spoken about from time beginning from His very birth, to his death on the cross.
May God bless you and help you in your search for truth. God is faithful.........if we honestly seek to know Him, and worship Him.........He will reveal the truth to us.

Permalink Reply by maha on March 16, 2008 at 10:44am

Thank you Christopher for your valuable remark, I just want to comment that we Muslims know that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the Quran called him that so many times “Al Messiah Isa bin Mariam”! Pbuh, and since we don’t believe that he died yet, we muslims are waiting for his return; to fight the anti-Christ that Jews are waiting for
And yes we’ll always argue about whether Jesus Christ is God’s son or not, that’s why I’m here too; to search for the truth, but until now I don’t see it your way. Jesus Christ always told his followers to pray to God. In the Bible as Phabe told me that “The proper way I believe is to pray the Father because that's what Jesus said to do”, so that’s the Bible’s words, yet you pray to Jesus Christ, pbuh!

I once read that Christians once called the “people of the way” and some one called you Christians, but you were not called that before, is that right?

Thanks again and I ask God for you and me to help us to see the truth, and to be really faithful not to reject it.
May God bless all the believers

Permalink Reply by AAG Netguy on March 16, 2008 at 12:53pm

Friend,

Yes, you are correct. Followers of Jesus Christ called themselves "followers of the Way". There are numerous references in the book of Acts in the Bible including where the Apostle Paul testified:

However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. (Acts 24:14-16)

So we can see that when a person follows Jesus Christ, he is following the straight path, the straight Way.

Initially, they were not called Christians, but they were named that by others. Acts 11:26 says, "The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." And this happened a few years after Jesus rose from the dead according to the Holy Scriptures. Some believe the word "Christian" was a derogatory term used to make fun of believers in Jesus Christ.

Permalink Reply by Pastor Bob B on March 16, 2008 at 1:09pm

Hi only a friend I am glad that some of your questions are being addressed here on this net.

You said; The proper way I believe is to pray the Father because that's what Jesus said to do”, so that’s the Bible’s words, yet you pray to Jesus Christ,

Jesus taught, "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you" (Jn. 16: 23).

Jesus is mediator between God and man. Paul through the Spirit taught: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2: 5). Jesus officiates both as "advocate" and "High Priest" in the matter of man praying to the Father (I Jn. 2: 1, Heb. 2: 17, 18). Jesus’ mediation, advocacy, and High Priesthood are involved in praying in Jesus’ name.

Prayer in Jesus’ name means more than simply praying by Jesus’ authority. To do something in another’s name usually means simply by their authority (Acts 4: 7, the view that "in the name of Jesus" only constitutes a formula which must be said is incorrect, cf. Col. 3: 17).

However, Jesus had heretofore taught them regarding prayer (Matt. 6: 5-15). Yet, Jesus said, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name…" (Jn. 16: 24).

A key to understanding prayer in the name of Jesus is "And in that day…" (vs. 23). Jesus had to die and resurrect (vss. 19-22). His resurrection would proclaim him "to be the Son of God with power…" (Rom. 1: 4).

Only a friend, to ask in Jesus’ name means to acknowledge Jesus’ authority, especially in the sense of his power or ability as the resurrected Son of God, the High Priest, advocate, and one mediator between God and man.

We must meet the conditions for answered prayer, though, and prayer "in the name of Jesus" is one of those conditions.
Through Jesus’ efficacy and man’s fidelity, the Christian enjoys answered prayer! Without Jesus and his power, there is no hope (Eph. 2: 12).

Permalink Reply by Stew on March 16, 2008 at 4:10pm

Dear Friend,

As a "Christ Follower" we are drawn to "good works" out of love and concern for others. We understand that works have nothing to do with salvation. Salvation we believe is by faith alone in Jesus (pbuh). Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 an important passage that may help you to understand the perspective that a Christ Follower has in relationship to others and the truth of the great exchange that we are urged to share:

...Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

We welcome your questions and pray that sharing the Word of God will touch your heart.

By the way, the Great Exchange is the perfection and righteousness that Jesus Christ (pbuh) gave to each of us in return for our sin.

-Stew

Permalink Reply by maha on March 17, 2008 at 12:49pm

Thanks for your answer
But I really find it strange that why should Jesus pbuh suffer for the people who believed on him? He was given a message from God to deliver. People should take the responsibility for their actions as common sense tell, why should Jesus do? Is this the price of believing in his message from God?

Thanks

Permalink Reply by Stew on March 17, 2008 at 5:04pm

Dear friend,

This is a critical point.
1. We all sin.
2. Justice requires payment.

Judgment is the complete responsibility of our Father in Heaven. Justice and Judgment are never accomplished without a price. The animal sacrifice that was instituted by Our Father in Heaven temporarly "masked" the sins of man so that they could have fellowship with him. The plan decided at the beginning of time was for Jesus (pbuh) to be the perfect Lamb sacrifice for Man that would wash away our sins. This is more than the "covering of sin" that was done by killing animals established withiin the covenant with Abraham. This takes away our sin and justifies us with God.

The penalty of sin is death. Jesus (pbuh) became sin (on the cross) and his fleshly body died as sin, thereby cleansing us (who believe) of the penalty of sin. It's really very simple and the Good News that Jesus came to share with the world is sometimes made complex by others. Keep a simple and straightforward understanding in the beautiful gift offered by our Father in Heaven and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ (pbuh). We can never uphold the Law as provided to Moses. The Law was given so that we might understand that we are unable to meet that obligation. It's not enough to adhere to the Law in a physical outward way, we must adhere to the law in a spiritual way. Improper thoughts on any of the commandments are breaking the law. We can't keep the law. That is a critical point of understanding. Once you recognize that you can't keep the law (to absolute perfection - since it's not how good you are in comparison with others, but that you must be PERFECT - you recognize that you need the salvation offered by the death of Christ Jesus (pbuh) that was done for us on the cross at Calvary.

Permalink Reply by christopher lingk on March 17, 2008 at 10:48pm

Only a friend,
I'm so glad that we are able to discuss the issues of God in love. This is really a blessing to me. You are right when you say that all of us need to take responsibility for our own actions. To me, that means admitting to God that I'm a sinner in need of His forgiveness. But we have to realize that as humans, we are imperfect and will continually sin as long as we are in the 'flesh', (earthly bodies). You can certainly TRY to live to be perfect.......but you will always come up short of God's standards. Even the believers in God had to atone for their sins by an unblemished sacrifice. Stew covered this in his reponse. What that means is that ALL of us on earth, including 'believers' are in need of God's forgiveness.
Jesus Himself continually told his followers that He had come to save the lost. And He also kept telling them that He would have to die. Jesus knew that He was to be the sacrifice for all mankind. If you recall Jesus praying to God in the garden before His crucifiction, He asked that this 'cup' be taken from Him........"And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt." Mark 14:36. Jesus knew that His death was certain. And there are numerous other verses which show Jesus knew He was to be sacrificed...."And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. Forr ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying." But Jesus willingly went to His death so that we might be saved. I'm merely trying to point out that Jesus indeed was crucified, and indeed died on the cross. Jesus said that He would arise on the third day from the dead to fulfill scripture as well. And of course we know from the disciples that this indeed happened !!
If we are to deny the crucifiction of Christ on the cross, and His death, then everything we believe in is for not. Becuase without the sacrafice for our sins.........we are all doomed. And that is what it all boils down to for the christian. You will never be good enough with your own works and deeds to satisfy God. No matter how hard you try. And that is the grace and love of God, that He gave His Son, Jesus to die for our sins. Jesus was the perfect and unblemished 'lamb' who died for us so that we might be made perfect in God's eyes.
Only a friend, we all know this to be true.......believer and unbeliever alike. How many times do we try to "Do" the right thing in life only to fail ?? We continue to violate God's laws and commands no matter how much we may desire not to do so. We will never do it on our own. And THIS is why Jesus came to us. To save us from our sins. May God bless you brother and give you understanding and wisdom.

Permalink Reply by ScribeD on March 19, 2008 at 9:32pm

Welcome to the Net. Although you say that you have a differing belief in Christ than what the Bible teaches, I welcome your interest and involvement as a Christian. I once had a wrong belief about Jesus as well. Learning his teachings, and the prophecies about him changed all of that for me.

Permalink Reply by ScribeD on March 19, 2008 at 10:26pm

Only, I am very sorry. I wrote more, but lost it. I am still learning the way this works.

To answer your original question:

God is a covenant keeping God. In his covenants, He made it very clear that sin MUST be punished. He does not allow himself any other option.

At the same time, God is all merciful.

the balance of his justice and mercy is found in that he himself bore the punishment of our sins. It is the answer to his own covenant.

- Scribe

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