We Are All Deceived.....possibly?

[nailit]

According to the Bible...
God sends strong delusions to deceive people.
He hardens their hearts so that they are blinded.
Our hearts are 'deceitful' above all things
Satan can masqurade as an angel of light
God sends deceitful spirits
The parables of jesus were spoken to confuse the unelect.

But a few on here are all immune to all of the above^^

Congrats on working your way through it all ...
(verses availible on request)

Almost as if he doesnt want our adoration....
And then burns us in hell fire for not giving it to him??

[Old_Geezer]

But then you're warming to him.

[fiveleaves]

God is light, there is no deceit in Him.
The Bible says that Satan is the father of lies and Satan has been lying from the beginning.
Jesus said He was the way, the truth and the life.
The truth is not a body of doctrine but a person, namely Jesus.
If you dont accept Jesus is this life you open yourself to every deception out there, and there is a lot of deception out there.
Dont be blinded to your need of a saviour. Sadly many are on the broad path to destruction and they dont even know it

[Atheist]

I am the Son of God and I am the only way. Don't be blinded to your need of a saviour. Sadly many are on the broad path to destruction and they don't even know it. Only believe in me and you shall be saved.
Do you believe in me? If not, you are headed to destruction. Do you belive in me? (Careful how you answer! I am all-loving, but I don't forget a name!)

[goodlife]

That is the trouble. We like our own way. That was the root cause of from the beginning.

[Atheist]

Goodlife. How do you know that I am wrong and your god is right? Is it because you've 'known' him longer than you have me? How did people 'know' that Jesus was right and that the old god was wrong? Jesus was an upstart like me; but he had a good PR man - Paul.

[nailit]

//Sadly many are on the broad path to destruction and they dont even know it//

AND THAT was the point of my post!!!
According to your own scriptures you wouldn't/Couldn't know if you were on the right path or not.

*JW's believe that they are right and other Bible believers are wrong.
*Christadelphians believe that they are right and other Bible believers are wrong.
*Seventh Day Adventists believe that they are right and other Bible believers are wrong.
*Methodists believe that they are right and other Bible believers are wrong.
*Westboro Baptist Church believe that they are right and other Bible believers are wrong
*Pentecostal's believe that they are right and other Bible believers are wrong.
*Protestants believe that they are right and other Bible believers are wrong.

The list goes on, but the point is (according to your Bible) that no one could ever possibly know if they are right or wrong.

If you were deceived by Satan (for example) appearing as an angel of light, how would you know? Your own heart is deceitful anyway according to scripture (Jeremiah 17:9)

Add in to the mix that God sends lying and deceitful spirits to lead people away from the truth and that Jesus told parables to mislead people and we are all destined for eternal hellfire.
(If we havnt already had our hearts hardened by God so that we CANNOT believe anyway)
except the ones who know differently of course....

[idiosyncrasy]

Nailitt
Many people seem to feel that there are no moral laws and choose a permissive philosophy or religion that fits their own desires.
However, there are those, who choose another way, the ‘narrow way that leads to life’ as outlined in the Bible. We should not be surprised that this is the choice of only the minority, for Jesus said of the narrow way: “Few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14) Why just a few?

Well that is because the narrow path is restricted by God’s laws and principles. Therefore it would appeal only to someone who is sincere in his desire to conform his life to God’s standards. In sharp contrast with the broad road, which gives the illusion of freedom but in reality enslaves, the narrow road, which seems restrictive, sets a person free in every important respect. Its boundaries are set by “the perfect law of liberty.”—James 1:25.

Many who choose the broad way claim to enjoy their freedom. But most of them are driven by a common spirit of selfishness. This shows that they are not free at all—they have a master. They are slaves of the flesh. And this leads to many problems—pandemics of sexually transmitted diseases, broken homes, bodies and minds that are sick from drug and alcohol abuse, just to name a few. Even those acts of violence, burglary, and rape find their roots in the selfish thinking nurtured on this permissive broad road. And, as time goes on, this road only leads into destruction, at the same time, becoming moe and more hurtful.

So the discerning person would realise if he is on the "right" road to life, or the "broad" road to destruction.

[naomi24]

idiosyncrasy, //most of them are driven by a common spirit of selfishness//

You say ‘most’. What about those who aren’t - and those who have never been party to all the things you criticise in that arrogantly judgmental epistle?

[idiosyncrasy]

Naomi
Because those who aren't have no doubt decided to go on the narrow road. People are selfish! Look at the world around you - or are you blind? There maybe the odd act of compassion but it soon disappears. At the beginning of the pandemic, people would go out and clap for the NHS, they gave them free accommodation, food etc. But what do they do now? How many NHS staff are verbally abused, and even physically. Its not their fault this pandemic is still waging, and probably will do for some time to come. OAPs being mugged for what little they have by those who have no respect for age. Women and girls feel they can not walk the streets without fear of being attacked. Even boys do not feel safe. Pedophiles in every aspect of society. This world is doomed. Pollution is increasing regardless of people such as Sir David Attenborough. No one cares!

[naomi24]

Idiosyncrasy, // those who aren’t have no doubt decided to go on the narrow road//

Does that mean they’ve chosen religion or is it possible that some haven’t?

[pixie374]

Nailit, you have just described an abusive relationship. Nothing more or less.

[Paigntonian]

Nailit. Disappointed you left us Catholics out of your list. We are, of course, right and everyone else is wrong...

[nailit]

//Nailit. Disappointed you left us Catholics out of your list. We are, of course, right and everyone else is wrong..//
Sorry Paigntonian.
I will of course, correct my heresy forthwith ;-)
*Catholics believe that they are right and other Bible believers are wrong.

*BUT* Your church did put an innordanite amount of people to death..
witch trials, protestants, etc.
Tried to avoid that time in your church history

[Theland]

If Malachy is to be believed, Francis is the last pope.
Then what?

[naomi24]

He won't be. Just the usual drivel of 'prophecy'.

[Theland]

''Drivel Of Prophecy.''
That would be a good title for a fresh thread.
Any takers?

[fiveleaves]

Nailit, I dont believe in a particular Christian denomination, I believe in the Gospel.
In my time as a born again believer, I am have been members of Baptists, Independent Evangelical, Pentecostal and now Church of England. Never in my time in any of these denominations have I heard anyone in leadership say they are right and all other denominations are wrong.
If you hold to the fundamental tenets of Christianity you are in the club. Disagreements about infant baptism, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the importance of Mary are ok.
Cults and fringe sects such as JW's who deny the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus are not Christian

[Atheist]

Gosh, fiveleaves, you've been around a bit! Have you finished flitting from one lot to the other? Have you decided that one is better than the rest?

[fiveleaves]

Atheist, That is exactly my point I dont one denomination is better than another.
All I want to find is a loving, faithful group of Christians who love God and love each other and try their best to live as outlined in the New Testament. The Church also needs to have an identifiable vision

[nailit]

//Never in my time in any of these denominations have I heard anyone in leadership say they are right and all other denominations are wrong//
Bet you never heard them say that they are right either...?

//If you hold to the fundamental tenets of Christianity you are in the club//
Depends on whose club!
Why is your club any different from Catholics or Christadelphians.
Or Calvinists or Armenianists?

//Cults and fringe sects such as JW's who deny the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus are not Christian//
Why arnt they?
The Bible can be interpreted anyway you want.
A couple of examples...
The earliest gospel (Mark) portrays Jesus as a sinless man. Nothing more, Nothing less.
The later gospels (Matthew & Luke) portray him as semi-divine.
The last gospel, John, portrays him as God Incarnate (so take from that evolutionary myth what you will)
The point is that you can pick or choose from a rag-bag collection of early stories anything to fit your belief..

The second example is the idea of eternal torture for unbelievers.
(And please tell me how I could possibly be happy in 'heaven' while God tortures my beloved parents in hell...and while awaiting my mothers funeral next week).
The Bible actually speaks surprisingly little of the afterlife when read in the original Greek/Hebrew.
There are 4 words, all translated as HELL, in English Bibles.
Not one of them mean eternal torture or anything remotely close.