Hello from Oz

[mark_from_oz]

Hi all! I'm glad this forum exists, it will be great to fellowship with people of the same spirit.

I currently live on the Gold Coast but will be moving to Albury-Wodonga in less than two weeks.

Mark.

[Stevernator]

Hey Mark,
Welcome! I just found out Oz refers to Australia hehe.
How long have you been reading BT?
There is so much to learn from the articles and the forums help to sort it out with others.
I am looking forward to hearing more from you.
-Steve

[mark_from_oz]

Hi Steve,

Sorry about the "oz" thing, sometimes we take our slang for granted. I suppose some in the States might wonder whether I'm the scarecrow, tinman or lion.. 

I've been reading the material on BT and occasionally emailing Ray for a couple of years now. I began along the Christian path when I was nine years old (25 years ago). I always had a problem with certain doctrines particularly those of the tithing and eternal punishment slant. I attended a Bible College in the mid nineties and even though the lecturers were very open minded, I still wasn't being satisfied to the solidity of the answers I was getting.

Once, the question of what happens when we die came up in class, and myself and a few others in class were suggesting that we could not possibly go straight to Heaven or Hell as that would leave no place for Judgement Day. Looking back it was a little comical; sarcastically proposing to the Dean of the College (who was taking the class) that God would some day sit on the throne and pull people out of Hell to judge them saying (God): "Yep, I was right!" and then returning them to the flames. Simply ludicrous. Anyways I left shortly afterward and began researching the truths of our eternal destiny and was lead by Google to BT.

Having been an indoctrinated Christian for so long I found it hard to shake off the guilt associated with believing in a positive eternal destiny even though my mind could see the truth. It has taken some time but I feel I'm free from that guilt.

Have a nice day


Mark

[Kat]

Hi Mark,

I'm glad you have decided to join us here 
I too was in the church world from a young age.  And it is really hard to get all that indocternation out for sure.  I know the way of thinking that was taught by the church can get so well ingrained in your thinking.  It really takes the Spirit and a lot of studying the Truth to try and get it dug out.

I hope you will join in the discussions we have here.  The fellowship here is such a blessing.  It has been a lot of help to have others to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Php 2:12).

You might not have noticed our info board, here is a link
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/board,14.0.html

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[joyful1]

Hey Mark! Welcome aboard, mate! (Isn't that what they say in the Land of OZ?)  

What did you end up studying afterall?  Or did you pastor a church or what?
Also, what part of the LOF series interested you the most?

Again....

Joyce  

[Phil3:10]

Hey Mark,
Welcome to the forum. Your testimony is similar to many who fellowship on this forum. GOD be with you.
Phil3:10