What do you guys tell unbelievers who never were believers? How do you (if you do!) try to get them to believe as you do, and to do what they need to do to be saved?
According to the Bible our job is to proclaim the gospel. God has the responsibility to "convert" people as He chooses. When WE try to do God's job, trying to "sell" the gospel and do everything we can to "convince" people, we invariably pervert the gospel into a marketing ploy or gimmick. And the results are tons of weak, self centered Christians who tend to fall out with God as soon as trouble comes along.
Paul said "Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel." That is, Paul wasn't sent to "win people to Jesus", he was sent to proclaim the gospel (saving people is God's job).
That's fair. What about a miracle? Would that convince you?
Another good question!
I'd have to say I'd be open to the possibility, but again, it's unlikely. There are many problems with the idea that miracles should convince anyone of whatever theology the miracle maker espouses to. Probably the most obvious is that the miracle could have been caused by any number of things, and not just the particular God being touted. See Aaron and the magicians in their contest of dueling miracles.
But it depends on the miracle, maybe. If God were to miraculously rewire my brain so it would suddenly believe what He wanted me to, then yeah. I'd be "convinced".
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Oh, and the trouble with virtually all modern-day miracles is that they are indistinguishable from natural phenomena that happen to be somewhat (or very) amazing to see. Unusual doesn't necessarily equal divine intervention.
E.g., people do recover from cancer. People do find lost items. Parking places do appear.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Anyone think it's a little weird that Lafon won't lay hands on someone for healing until God tells him to? Does the Bible tell him that it works that way? "Lay hands suddenly on NO man"? Really?
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
I mean it's like you come here to tell us 1001 reasons why God isn't real and why you aren't a Christian, and yet you expect everyone to bend over backwards to try and "win you back".
Amen. A person who is not a frame of mind to humbly sincerely seek God without a smirk and attitude, "Yeah, right," cannot be dealt with.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Oh, and the trouble with virtually all modern-day miracles is that they are indistinguishable from natural phenomena that happen to be somewhat (or very) amazing to see. Unusual doesn't necessarily equal divine intervention.
E.g., people do recover from cancer. People do find lost items. Parking places do appear.
"Please, father Abraham, send Lazarus, my brothers will believe if you send Lazarus!"
"Nay, they have Moses and the prophets... if they will not hear them, then neither will they believe even though someone were to be raised from the dead."
And you can't tell my why I should humbly seek God. Again.
Amazing how blind people can be. "Tell me WHY I should humbly seek God"... lol
Timmy, IF there's a God then "why" should be self evident. You should HUMBLY seek God ie BELIEVE and OBEY God because it is RIGHT to do so. It is right to give honour to whom it is due. God by definition is deserving of honour and obedience. It is not only demanded by his nature as the supreme being, it is demanded by our nature as his creation. The obligation is a natural product of our nature and relations.
As moral agents we are obliged to do what is right. It is right for subjects to obey their Sovereign, especially when the Sovereign is infinitely wise and supremely benevolent, which God is.
To argue otherwise is, by definition, rebellion. And every Sovereign is DUTY BOUND to punish rebellion, even more so when pardon is offered and spurned. And how much more severe the guilt, and punishment, for TREASON?
"Please, father Abraham, send Lazarus, my brothers will believe if you send Lazarus!"
"Nay, they have Moses and the prophets... if they will not hear them, then neither will they believe even though someone were to be raised from the dead."
There ya go. The Bible agrees with me.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
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