The testimony of Jesus

[Revelations won]

Many people may believe in Jesus .

But what do the scriptures actually state what is required to have a "testimony" of Jesus?

[BruceLeiter]

[Replying to Ray the atheist in post #9]

@Ray the atheist, I am not "holier than thou," because I'm sinner whose life has been turned around by God and because I did not deserve any of God's work in my life. It's called God's grace, his free, undeserved acceptance, which can come to anyone who accepts Jesus as the way to the Father. I'll pray for you.

[Ray the atheist]

[Replying to BruceLeiter in post #11]

@Ray the atheist, I am not "holier than thou," because I'm sinner whose life has been turned around by God and because I did not deserve any of God's work in my life. It's called God's grace, his free, undeserved acceptance, which can come to anyone who accepts Jesus as the way to the Father. I'll pray for you.

Ok, so maybe you really mean to say that you are a religious extremist with very little self esteem.

You know you aren't deserving and hope that the god won't burn you.

[BruceLeiter]

[Replying to Ray the atheist in post #12]

You said, "Ok, so maybe you really mean to say that you are a religious extremist with very little self esteem. You know you aren't deserving and hope that the god won't burn you."

@Ray the atheist, why do you allow your anger to twist people's words by jumping to conclusions about what they are thinking? Wouldn't it be better to ask questions instead of making accusations without knowing a person? No, I am not a "religious extremist with very little self-esteem." I just have a different worldview from yours; that's all. I'm not angry at you. Why are you angry at me?

In answer to your second statement, I love God because he first loved me through Jesus and have no fear of hell. Why don't you have such a fear?

[Ray the atheist]

[Replying to BruceLeiter in post #13]

@Ray the atheist, why do you allow your anger to twist people's words by jumping to conclusions about what they are thinking? Wouldn't it be better to ask questions instead of making accusations without knowing a person? No, I am not a "religious extremist with very little self-esteem." I just have a different worldview from yours; that's all. I'm not angry at you. Why are you angry at me?

You think I am angry at you.
I'm not at all angry at you.

You did nothing wrong to me.
In fact, I would say that you have been extremely civil to me, and for that, I thank you.

I was just re-phrasing your very words.
I remember writing "maybe" many times.. I did not express a certainty, but a mere possibility.
I was asked to speculate, so I did.

@Ray the atheist, I am not "holier than thou," because I'm sinner whose life has been turned around by God and because I did not deserve any of God's work in my life.

You wrote that you feel unworthy of God's work in your life. You know you are undeserving because you feel that you are a sinner.
That does not represent the words of a person with high self-esteem.

Those are your words, not mine.

[OneJack]

[Replying to OneJack in post #8]

@OneJack, Christians who have experienced God through the Bible's inspired teachings and history and you, whose false Jesus discounted the Bible as unauthoritative, really have no common ground to discuss Christian matters with each other, because we don't have the Bible in common. So, what is the point of talking past each other? You aren't going to convince us, and we won't convince you. It's a waste of our time, don't you think?

Christians have experienced/are experiencing/will be experiencing Christ Jesus directly through the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who is real and forever living. The Lord said that He directs all to come to Him so that He can reveal Himself to those who come to Him in the right way, not through the bible, as you opine and claim. Denominationalists, not Christians, are the ones that you're talking about in this context.

[BruceLeiter]

[Replying to Ray the atheist in post #14]

@Ray the atheist, my "self-esteem" is present because God has made me his adopted son through his gift of faith in Jesus' death and resurrection by which he has given me faith. Amazingly, I will inherit part of a new universe that God will freely give to me after Jesus returns, but it is a gift of his grace which I could never earn or deserve. The joy in having that freely-given status is great, and he is the Source of that great, constant euphoria.

Php 3:20  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 
Php 3:21  who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 

Rev 21:1  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 
Rev 21:2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband....
Rev 21:7  The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.  

[BruceLeiter]

[Replying to OneJack in post #15]

@OneJack, there are Christians in denominations and independent churches. They together comprise the body of Christ from all Christian groups.

[Ray the atheist]

[Replying to BruceLeiter in post #16]

@Ray the atheist, my "self-esteem" is present

You wrote that you are unworthy, undeserving.
Did you change your mind?

[BruceLeiter]

[Replying to Ray the atheist in post #18]

God has humbled me by allowing four kinds of physical pain in my life for forty years now, @Ray the atheist.

The Apostle Paul had something similar in his life that God permitted but didn't cause:

2Co 12:7  So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 
2Co 12:8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 
2Co 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
2Co 12:10  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

That's the reason I feel unworthy of all God has done for me in raising me up to be his adopted son.

[OneJack]

[Replying to OneJack in post #15]

@OneJack, there are Christians in denominations and independent churches. They together comprise the body of Christ from all Christian groups.

If they were Christians, why would they be in the denominations? Christians are only under the shepherding and guidance of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, though they do not see Him. Denominationalists are under the shepherding and guidance of various men pastors, ordained by their fellow brothers of other denominations. You're talking of the latter, not of the former, Bruce.