Tommy's comments (member since Jun 22, 2009)

Tommy's comments from the I live for Jesus and Jesus alone!! group.

Dear Nathan:

There is nothing more loving that a Christian can do than preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All men are sinful and deserve to go to hell. However, God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to live a perfect life, to die on the cross for our sins, and then to rise from the dead three days later. All Jesus requires of us sinners is to repent and believe! We must repent of our sins and believe that Jesus is who He says He is, that He is sufficient for our every need, that His perfect blood is able to wash away our sins, and that He will come again to judge the whole earth. Tell me what is more loving than telling someone that there is one who died for them, who took on the wrath of God for them, who was willing to step off His throne and live among sinners for them, who gave Himself up so that they might not go to hell for all eternity. I don't want to separate these to friends. However, the most loving thing any person can do for any other person is to preach the Gospel to them.

Dear rgb:

I'm sorry that I wasn't clear. I meant that in our discussions you start out with the assumption that the Bible isn't truth; I didn't mean that in your childhood your didn't believe in the Bible's truth. Sorry about that.

If I seem like I'm saying that you don't understand in full detail the science that you use, forgive me. I know very well that you know what you're talking about. Having a professorship a Duke is pretty credible.

I can't help but noticing your animosity (I really hope I spelled that right. If I didn't, Mom would kill me, lol.) toward the way people have used the Bible. You're absolutely right. For thousands of years, corrupt people have used people's belief to gain power for themselves, and to maintain that power. But that doesn't make the Bible itself evil. For example, people can use...Mark Twain's literature for evil purposes. I don't know how (mostly because I love Twain's writing), but I'm sure they could. That doesn't make The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn evil. That book was banned from schools for years because it accurately portrayed the pre-Emancipation South. That fact doesn't make the book evil; it makes it that much better. The Christian religion has suffered terribly becuase of what corrupt men have done. That doesn't make the Bible evil.

To not believe in evolution is not a sin. To believe in evolution is to say that what God said in the Bible (that He created everything in six days) would be the sin.

Koe:

I haven't been reading the whole thread (mainly just what was going on between Nathan and NSA), but I'd be glad to discuss some more. I, like Ninja, would love some evidence of a complete evolutionary chain, without any hypothesis, just plain, straight, solid, tangible evidence.

Dear Campbema!

Do not listen to what R.C. and Nathan are telling you! If you are a Christian, then lay your heart bare before your Father who is in heaven! Read the Scriptures, pray for your friend, and preach the Gospel to her! You must have faith in God! Don't listen to those who tell you that prayer doesn't do anything! Tell your friend that there is one who will love her and comfort her truly and perfectly, one who has gone through exactly what she goes through! Jesus, tell her about Jesus! I know that you can't win anyone over yourself, but how can people trust in Christ when no one tells them about Him?! Always, every second, is the perfect moment to preach the Gospel! Don't forget about her Grandfather, either. If he is not a believer, then preach and preach and preach to him through grace and love! If he is a believer, then minister to him through grace and love; encourage and exhort him in the name of our Father in heaven! Do not forget, that the most loving thing you can do is to tell them of the perfect love of Jesus Christ, who gave His life for the will of the Father to save sinners!

May the grace and peace of Christ be upon your heart!

Dear rgb:

"You see, very few Christians actually read and study the bible, and the few that do usually do so through a filter of uncritical fanatic prior belief. They begin and end with the prior belief that the Bible is perfect truth. After all, the Bible says that the Bible is perfect truth, so it must be!"

Don't you start out with the belief that the Bible isn't perfect truth? And, usually, that's where you end. These discussion, and arguments, are between people with basically two presuppositions. Either the Bible is the Word of God, and the preaching of it is the power of God unto salvation, or it is just another book, nothing special.

Dear D.G.:

"I can certainly understand your opposition to logic when it comes to your religious beliefs, since it only serves to counter faith. Faith requires you to believe thing for which you have insufficient supporting evidence."

What about macroevolution? What evidence is there, solid, unshakeable evidence, to prove that man evolved from ape? Lucy was just a collection of bones found scattered over a large part of Africa; she was completely made up. The "family trees" in science text-books are drawn based on what scientists think belongs there, to support their view. There is no evidence to back it up.

All the evidence points to intelligent design; that is, creation by God. Think about the intricate nature of a plant. Think about the intricate nature of all multicelluar organisms. Then think about the simplicity (yet still with its own measure of complexity) of a unicelluar organism. Think about the nature of the human mind. No other creature has developed such an intricate society. The internet, television, radio, automobile, electric stove. What other creature has made these things? Humans are unique amongst God's creatures because He created Man in His own image.

Dear Michelle:

"Koe, why do you care so much what this group of Faithers thinks? You are trying to lead Gods people astray, do you not understand that is an unforgivable sin?"

Remember that Paul was killing Christians, yet he was forgiven. At one time, we were all at war with God, we were all "dead in our trespasses and sins," (Ephesians 2:1) as Paul says. Also, this interaction is good. Most people in the world (especially in the United States and Europe) are like Koe and Nathan, in that they aren't Christians. Though we, as followers of Christ, are not of the world, we must be in the world. The spiritual war is raging right here on Goodreads, and, as we are the Salt and the Light, we must continue to preach the literal Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, no matter who we talk to.

Dear rgb:

Paul wasn't one of the first Apostles, so he didn't see Jesus before He ascended into heaven. Jesus revealed Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus, and I'm sure you've heard that story.

As for the Creation:

Day 1: God creates the light and, consequently, the darkness.
Day 2: God creates the heavens, or sky.
Day 3: God creates the land and the seas. Then God creates vegetation.
Day 4: God creates the Sun and the Moon to give aid with time.
Day 5: God creates the fish and the birds.
Day 6: God creates the land animals. Then God creates man.
Day 7: God enjoys the rest of completion.

Note that, though plants were created before the Sun and Moon, there was still light and darkness, day and night.

The radiometric dating:

You said that Uranium's rate of decay is slow. How slow are we talking? Hundreds of years, thousands of years, ten years? Seconds, days, weeks, months, or years? According to http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/radiome... the two figures for one half-life of uranium is 4.5 billion years and 704 million years for Uranium-238 and Uranium-235, respectively. How do you figure these half-lives out? Even one hundred years is a long time to us humans, so how can you determine what the decay rate of uranium is? After all, to find out accurately, wouldn't you have to see it decay, to set up some experiment in order to see how Uranium decays?

"We can see the emergence of ourselves from this natural progression, written in the rocks. I trust the rocks far, far, more than I trust the Bible, written by ignorant and superstitious men way back in the Bronze Age. They clearly write of a flat Earth, one that is fixed in the heavens in the center of Creation, floating on a sea, surmounted by a solid bowl on which are hung stars so that they can be shaken down by earthquakes. The moon glows with its own light (it isn't a solid ball of rock that reflects sunlight). The sun and moon go around the Earth. The earth does not rotate and most certainly doesn't go around the sun. The "purpose" of the stars is to mark of the seasons -- a reasonable assumption for a superstitious culture that used them to mark a calendar without knowing how or why they worked. What about the other trillion trillion stars they couldn't see? What was their purpose? What was the purpose of the species that went extinct long before man evolved?"

Do you remember when you were a child? Did you have your degree in...physics, is that right? Were you a professor? Did you know about all the galaxies and scientific theories and radiometric dating? The world was still new, and fresh.

Give me one example, just one, of your favorite contradiction in the Bible. I will refute it. I don't know how to interpret the Bible, just to let you know. I haven't been to Seminary, or college. But I have faith that my Lord Jesus Christ will reveal His word to those who believe. (And yes, arithmetic is my enemy. I really don't like geometry; I can't draw very well.) ;)

Dear rgb:

"The history is not terribly well verified either. Lots of the stories told in the OT are legends, not history -- there is no evidence that the places they describe exist, that the tribes they talk about existed."

Does the Red Sea, which God parted for the Israelites, exist? Does the land of Egypt exist? Does Mt. Sinai exist? Do the Euphrates and Tigris still flow? The Babylonian empire existed. The Assyrian Empire existed. The Persian Empire existed (it fought both the Greeks and the Romans, though under different names). The Greek Empire existed. The Roman Empire existed. The Dead Sea still exists. The Sea of Galilee still exists. The Mediterrean Sea is still there.

Max:

"have you ever read the Torah? or any of the holy books of Hinduism? or studied Egypt? christianity is composed of those three religions, even the symbol of the cross is taken from Egypt. you must have the education of an eight year old to not make the connection. i cant believe you do, or ever will, make any money in the real world."

The cross was used by the Romans for execution. It is a symbol of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Actually, I'm a senior in high school. Although, it is public high school, so the education isn't that great, but it suffices. I actually do make money by refereeing soccer. I hope I've spinned these personal cheap shots humurously around.

Nathan:

"No one who ever wrote about Jesus ever met him. There are no first hand accounts of his existence. Sorry kiddo, he doesn't and never did exist."

What do you think the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are? Luke, the only one who didn't walk with Jesus, talked to the disciples and interviewed countless people. All the others walked and talked with Jesus Himself.

"The Bible is a bunch of nonsensical stories. It contradicts itself as I have pointed out countless times. It is historically inaccurate as well. Sorry sport, the Bible is as reliable as the Koran and the Book of Mormon......which is to say, not at all. "

The Bible never, absolutely never, contradicts itself. It is perfectly accurate. Luke tells about the reign Herod and the governorship of Pilate. In Acts, all kinds of rulers and Roman governors are recorded. There are wars recorded, and a myriad of other historical details. As for its reliability, the Bible is infallible.

Max:

What makes you think that the Bible, which is what I assume you are talking about when you said "fake 'holy book,'" is made up of other religions? What makes you think it is fake? I don't worship my "religion," I worship my God.

Nathan:

How do you know that Jesus never lived? People have, for over two thousand years, believed that Jesus existed (and does exist). Herod, the ruler of Judah, tried to kill Him when He was born. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, had Him executed on the cross. Not only did He live, He lived a perfect life, performing miracles in the presence of men. He died to save sinners. He rose to life on the third day. He then ascended into heaven and he will one day return. I know this because the Bible, which is the Word of God, is infallible and literal.

Nathan:

I am a fundamentalist Christian, because I believe that Word of God is absolute, literal truth. If you do not wish to discuss religion, that is your decision, but I will not stop preaching the Good News that my Lord Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death, and rose three days later. Jesus didn't waver on the cross, therefore I will not waver sitting in my chair typing on the computer.

If anyone has any questions on how to reach someone in need of the Gospel, which is in fact all of us, I'm here for you. Just ask away, and I'll do all I can to encourage and fortify you through the grace and peace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Nathan:

Perhaps I am misinterpreting, but that comment seemed to be full of contempt. I thought that you wanted to discuss religion; let's discuss it. I called upon Christians to use the very Word that they believe when confronting men and women who are still under the power of Satan.

Koe:

Microevolution is change within a species, which is what Darwin saw in his finches. Macroevolution is the changing of one species into another, such as ape evolving into man. Just because one thing can change itself to adapt to its environment, while still remaining the same species, does not mean that one thing can change into a different species altogether. You cannot make the leap from one to the another. There has to be some sort of evidence, some way to prove or disprove. Without that, how can it be true science?

Besides, the true argument isn't over the origin of species. Evolution doesn't explain how the first creature came into being, something else has to do that. The true argument is over the literalness of the Bible. Did God really create the world in six days, or did Moses just say that because he didn't know any better? If God did not create the world, then the whole Scripture would be tainted; it would no longer be the Word of God. But thanks be to God, because He did create the world, the universe, and everything in it. He did send His son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life and to die on a cross for sinners. Christ did rise from the dead three days after He had died. Christ will come agains to bring the adopted sons and daughters of God into their inheritance of glory and to judge all men. Thanks be to God that Christ's blood can wash away the most crimson of stains.

Dear Koe:

Would you mind explaining it to me yourself, in your own words, if you don't mind.

And no, my real name isn't Poe. ;)

Dear Koe:

I stand on the Bible. The Bible is absolute truth. God created the world in six days. I've tried to disprove the theory of macro-evolution before, but the deceitfullness of sin that blinds the eyes of men tell them to put faith in what one man said, that since species can change over time to adapt to their environment, therefore species can also change into other species, instead of trusting the unfalterable Word of God. However, I will try. The theory of macro-evolution (it is important to distinguish between macro- and micro-evolution) is not scientific in the least. The hypothesis is there, but since it takes millions of years for one species to develop into another you can't really form a controlled experiment. Therefore, scientists have twisted the process of proving or disproving hypothesis so that since the theory cannot be disproved (because no experiment can be done) it must be a valid theory. However, you cannot test the hypothesis at all, therefore, I, at least, do not see it as a valid hypothesis of the creation of the world.

Christian!

Do not be ashamed of the Gospel of your Lord Jesus Christ! Use the sword of Spirit, for it is sharper than any two-edged sword! We are a war, Christian, against the power of the prince of the air! He strives to send men to hell, to join him in his inevitable and eternal damnation! We must rally to the call of Christ: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the the end of the age."

Death has lost its sting, Satan can no longer threaten those who believe, for if anyone loses his life for the sake of Christ, he will gain it! Do not fear the devil, for he can do nothing! Jesus died on the cross, and yet He rose from the dead! He promised us that He would return and carry us to glory, but He is not here yet! We must continue the fight! The power of Satan is strong, but remember with joy that he was created by our God, and if he was created by God, he cannot overpower God! God will have the final victory, it is told in the Bible! We must go back to the Bible always, and build our arguments atop it. Rely on the Bible, fashion your beliefs from it first! The Bible is the Word of our Almighty God, who created the world in six days, who was and is and will always be, who crushed Satan at the cross, who rescued you and I from the domain of darkness, who washed our sins with the blood of Christ! Rejoice, my brothers and sisters in Jesus, rejoice for the Lord is your strength! Preach the Gospel, and leave to rest to His mighty hand!