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| The New Testament | | Date Created: Mar 28, 2005, 09:28 PM |
A lot of the guys I work with are now starting to ask me questions about my beliefs and such and I thought I'd write it all down here and then direct them to it - kinda cover all the bases at once, you know?
I "dropped" out of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in the early 80's. My sister had just died and I was having a hard time with it. I had a few experiences during the next 20 years, but my head was so burried in the sand that I didn't realize what they actually meant till much later. I studied every religion out there - was a Taoist for nearly 10 years - but I always knew in the back of my "braun" that someone was up there watching over me. My friends could attest to the fact that I should have been dead long ago...
Anyway, I met the woman who was to be my wife. She comes from a very good family of christian folks and the topic started to come to the front. I started to talk to my family members about it, and found that most of them (although none of them had been to church in years) have a deep relationship with the Lord...
My wife's family was going to a Home Group at the time and invited us to go. I told my wife I would go once I read the Bible cover to cover a few times first, cause it had been awhile and I wanted to have my own idea of what was said before having someone else feed me - I knew enough to know that I was not going to be led in the wrong direction...
I believe the "New Testament" - every word of it. For most people this requires a "leap of faith" to believe in something they can not see, feel, or touch. For me it wasn't a leap of faith at all - I know it's true, through my life experience and rationality. Kinda different for someone to put it that way isn't it? How can I say this? I've now read through it almost 5 times and there is one thought that keeps me reading on.
You have to study the history of two things to understand where I'm coming from here. The first thing you have to study is the history of the men who wrote these books. Who they were and how they gave up everything, suffered, and ultimately died. The other thing you have to study is Roman Interrogation techniques. There has never been an equal.
Now, everyone who wrote one of the books in the new testament was tortured again and again (sometimes year in and out) and eventually they were killed. All any one of these guys had to do was denounce what they were saying and they would have been set free.
Here's the thing: NOT ONE OF THEM DID. Let's emphasize this more clearly:
NOT ONE OF THEM DID
I can put anyone reading this in a room for three days and you would come out of that room saying, thinking, and/or believing anything I want you to. What I would put you through would be nothing like what these men were put through - not physically or mentally, and they had to endure this torture on and off for weeks, months, and years. They knew they were going to die - yet they still kept it up.
If not for the truth then for what? Why would anyone endure such a life if not for the truth? This wasn't just one person here - this was a group of men. This wasn't just a day or week, this was years of pain, suffering, loss, and torture...
If you add to this the probability of one man (Jesus Christ) fulfilling all the prophecies of the Old Testament, it doesn't take an incredibly intelligent person to put it all together...
Don't take my word for it. Don't listen to or watch the guy on T.V. Go to the store and buy a Study Bible, read it yourself a few times. Get an idea of what it says and means to you. After you have an idea of what's going on, get together with others (Church, Home Study's, whatever) and share with each other. Ask questions and help each other. Don't let someone else lead you astray - when all is said and done, you will be standing before the Lord to answer to him (no one else can do that for you). Do not lead another astray (You will answer for it big time)...
Funny thing is that the most pervasive theory out there to negate this is also the dumbest theory. To those who say that this was a massive conspiracy - oh yeah? To what end? What did any of these guys get out of it (as far as earthly value goes)? They gave up everything (including their family and friends) to follow Christ. I've never known anyone to conspire to do something without his/her getting something out of it. Especially Paul - he had it all, as far as the world was concerned - you think he just gave it all away for nothing? Come on...
We're talking about life or death - we're talking about eternity. What you believe and why you believe it is up to you, just make sure it's based on the truth...
How do you know what is truth? 20/20...
What's that? Well, when False-Christians are usually trying to get you to do something or believe something, that the Bible just does not say, they usually quote a single verse. Before you submit to anything, read the 20 verses before and the 20 verses after the verse they were trying to sell. When you do this, you will see what the intent of the verse actually is. Don't let someone lead you astray...
There are no hidden truths or meanings - just read, it's all there... |
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