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Author Topic: Thanks  (Read 4704 times)

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Craig

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Thanks
« on: April 11, 2006, 06:35:54 PM »

Dear Mr. L. Ray Smith,

I wanted to thank you for sharing your view point about the Bible. I was exited when I read your lecture on Tithing. I believe the same way on that matter.

Let me give you a little background about my walk with Christ. I heard about God and Christ for many years but about 5 years ago I broke down and surrendered to God and accepted the Lord Jesus as my savior. I ended up in a Charismatic Church, on fire and not knowing what lied ahead, I felt that they are not feeding me in the speed my hearth desired, so I told myself, “Let’s get some more information on the TV channel. I absorbed all I was told, and as soon as I heard something new I ran to the first person that was willing to listen to me and shared that information. I never thought who would lie about God? Come to find out many of my friend told me that the things I was saying are not scriptural or taken out of content. This was a catastrophic discovery for me, so I told myself, What about the Bible? Is it true? Is it false? Is it with errors? Then I told myself, why do we have so many religions “believe�? What is the difference in teching from one type of religion to another? I.e. what is the difference between a Catholic and a Protestant, or Jehovah Witness, Mormon, Islam… and so on? So I conducted a basic study on each just to seen the difference, not to include individual believer but the main teaching from that church or organization. I left the Charismatic Church and started to bounce from one church to another.

Please forgive me for some of my wording and or spelling, because English is my second language. One thing that bothered me in my walk with Christ was, what is “right and what is wrong�?

In the lecture about tithing I feel the same way. I believe there is a difference between Law and Grace; to me I can’t put Law and Grace together for they are not combatable. To me the Law is a list of do and don’ts, but Grace is a free gift. If you have to do and or don’ts then it is not free. The Law’s given to the Jewish nation was never given to the Church. I have discovered that many Churches use the Law or parts of the Law. But who am I to say that I am right or wrong, or this it what the Bible say’s? The Church was divided from the beginning and I believe it will be till the end.  

You have mentioned about free will in your lectures. The question I would have, what is free will? If God causes all that we do, then there is no free will. Then you would be correct that God has created evil, and or is the cause of men and angels to sin. That would make Him “Godâ€? the author of all good and evil. I am not to disputing your claim. I just want to know what is right and what is wrong? This would also mean that we do not choose God but he chooses us. OK You mention in one of your lectures that we make choices in life, I do not get it? What is right and what is wrong? Either God gives us free/ limited will or we do not have free will, if there is no free or limited will then what is the purpose of Christ? I will not choose God, but he will choose me, actually I do believe this, don’t know how to explain it, must be something inside of us that He trigger’s, circumstances  or so. I see, Christ died because God caused us to sin so He had to sacrifice Christ. Then John 3:16 would make sense for Christ paid the price for ALL the sinners, would this include Angels? It would make sense when we say at Calvary where Jesus said forgive them (the them) is all of us as you stated in one of your lectures. Then all men kind would have the right for heaven, not some heaven others hell. Sir, you also stated that if God will’s and or desires it, then it will be done. Jesus prayed to God and ask “O My Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you willâ€?. You are right as God wills not as Jesus wills. Then when Jesus stated forgive them, was that God’s will or Jesus’ will? What is right and what is wrong?

How about Daniel 11:36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god…� I thought we do not have free/limited will. Is this a metaphor? What is right and what is wrong? You state in one of your lectures that God is a loving God, and that he is, but is he also an angry God? What is right and what is wrong. For example: Daniel 9:11 “Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your Law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against him�. The question that comes to mind, how could All Israel transgress against God, if He was the cause of evil? Does God punish people because He caused them to do what they did? And bless other? What is right and what is wrong? Is this Love? Please understand I really do not want to poit to various hundreds of scripture; just want to see what is right and what is wrong.

Also, why repent, change mind? Remember we do not have free will or limited will? What is right and what is wrong? How about the scripture that say believe … and you will be saved and have eternal life. What is it to be saved? Remember all are forgiven or? If people get salvation by working or paying for there sins by punishment, is that Law? Then where is Grace? Where does faith come to play? What is right and what is wrong?

You mentioned about the nice or good person or words to that effect, on the space shuttle that died. Was a good father, husband but was a Jew. According to Christians he would go to hell, but then, is there a hell? Or is there a need for one, remember we are all forgiven, right? The only thing I wonder what is good or bad? Or, right and wrong? Was this man good in God’s requirements? In today’s society we could maybe conclude he is a great honorable guy, but who are we trying to please God or man? Who is good and who is bad, nevertheless; it does not matter if he was good or bad for he had no free will and or limited will, right?  It was God that made him and or choose what he is, right?

The question I have, what is eternal life? Some would say to get to know God forever, OK, what will I do with the scripture that say “believe with all your hearth and you willâ€? or words to that effect? If God has caused one to believe and not the other, what will happen to the other? Is God a liar?  I know he is not, so then what is right and what is wrong?

On your lesson with the parable of the rich man and the poor man Lazarus. You made a comment; because he was poor he must have been cursed by God, because most scripture taking about being poor refers to being cursed, or words to that effect. My wife’s family is from the Philippines, they are very poor, and according to you, and or God’s word they must be cursed. What is right and wrong?  I did a study about the origin of the Mormons, do you believe they had stated if you are not white then you are cursed by God, but over the years they changed there position in that area. What is right and what is wrong?

Someone mailed me this small note below, Sir, what do you think about it?

You all might have seen this already, but it's worth a 2nd read.

Did God Create Evil?
 The university professor challenged his students with this question:
 "Did God create everything that exists?"
A student bravely replied "Yes, he did!"
 "God created everything?" the professor asked.
 "Yes sir," the student replied.
 The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil
since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who
 we are, then God is evil."
 The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students
that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.
 Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question
professor?"
 "Of course," replied the professor.
 The student stood up and asked, "Professor does cold exist?"
The professor replied "Of course it exists. Hae you never been cold?"
 The students snickered at the young man's question.
 The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the
laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.
Everybody or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy,
and heat is what makes a body, or matter, have or transmit energy. Absolute
 zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat.
Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we
have no heat.
 The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"
 The professor responded, "Of course it does."
The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir.  Darkness does not exist
either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light.
 Light, we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to
break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths
of each color. You cannot easure darkness. A simple ray of light can break
into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a
 certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this
correct?
 Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no
light present."
 Finally the young man asked the professor. "Sir, does evil exist?"
 Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course, as I have already
said.
We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man.
It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These
 manifestations are nothing else but evil."
To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does
not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like
darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of
God.  God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what
 happens when ma does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like
the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when
 there is no light."
 The professor sat down.
> > The young man's name --- Albert Einstein

Sir, I am not stating that you are wrong and or right, all I am saying that your lesson is confusing, the scripture do not match. You say a lot in your lectures “that’s not scripturalâ€?, but what is right and what is wrong. I do agree that you have a lot of very interesting points. I did not want to incorporate a lot or any scripture for I know that your stile is to annualize every word I have written, I am not like the one pastor that wrote and stated that he curses you, or words to that effect, that is not my intention. I am only seeking what is right and or wrong. But in the pastor’s case if God was the cause of all we do, was it God’s curse?  See, it does not make sense.

Sir, I am not writing this to challenge you, no sir, I am not a scholar, doctor, I do not even have a degree, I am only a babe in Christ. But I do want to let you know that I found out what is right and wrong. The answer is God is right and I am wrong.

Thanks again for helping me to better understand the other position.

Your brother in Christ,

David


Dear David:

I'm sorry, but I get somes four to five emails per hour. It just isn't possible to even read that many emails when they are as long as yours, let along answer all of the questions they contain.  If you have one really big burning question, feel free to ask, but don't ask me to explain "salvation" or "judgment" or "godly living" in an email. It just isn't possible. Hope you understand.

God be with you,

Ray
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