I am a Christian and my whole life have been taught about Hell. I would say I feel a bit confused on this topic due to some things. Could it be that we take the verses about it too literally? How would we know what Hell is like. I just wanted to hear about what other people believe or think about it.
I feel as of lately the way I’ve been following the Bible is I been looking at the Old Testament and what lines up with a loving God and Jesus teachings but that doesn’t justify the stuff that that’s written in the Old Testament so I don’t know very confusing to me. Lately, I’ve been thinking about the Old Testament verses and stories in it, like Deuteronomy 22:20-21:
"If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you."
I’m a Christian, but I’m struggling with verses like this that completely go against what Jesus teaches. Yet, he does say he didn’t come to abolish the Old Testament. I see problems on both sides of things: Christians will defend these verses and find a way to justify them, but at the same time, maybe I’m just not looking at the context well enough?
I love following Christ. I love God with all my heart, but the Old Testament just doesn’t sit well with me. I feel lately, due to this, I’ve been a "Red Letter Christian." There’s just so much more, like Numbers 31:17-18:
"Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man by sleeping with him. But all the young girls who have not known a man by sleeping with him, keep alive for yourselves."
Or Hosea 13:16:
"The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open."
I feel as of lately, the way I’ve been following the Bible is that I've been looking at the Old Testament and trying to see what aligns with a loving God and Jesus's teachings. But that doesn’t justify the stuff that’s written in the Old Testament, so I don’t know—it's very confusing to me.
In our version of the Exodus timeline, Moses killed an Egyptian taskmaster and fled to the land of Midian for 40 years. If Moses controlled his anger and stayed in Pharoah's palace, he would have remained a prince of Egypt with access to the Pharoah's inner circle. He could have influenced gradually on Egypt's policy toward the Hebrew slaves from within. The Burning Bush encounter might have happened in Egypt instead of Mount Horeb. The message of God could have been delivered through the Egyptian palace politics rather than wandering in the wilderness. The ten plagues of Egypt would have been avoided through diplomatic negotiation and the royal influence. The liberation of the Hebrews would have been a gradual political process rather than a dramatic exodus. The parting of the Red Sea would never happen because there would not be any desperate chase. Moses would have received the Ten Commandments in Egypt instead of Mount Sinai. The 40 years of wilderness wandering would be replaced by immediate settlement in Canaan. Would this diplomatic version of Moses have changed the entire foundation of Jewish faith and history and what over Biblical moments could have unfolded differently?
Are False prophets identified by their preaching of doing works, when we are witnessed by apostle Paul that it is not by works of righteousness which we have done ? ( Jeremiah 23:16. Titus 3:5.)
Or false prophets use verses of scripture to stand in the way of what else the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ did, to try to confuse their examples, with the words they use to block the world from doing righteousness.
Apostle Paul is a true example of God to the entire world, for everyone to follow.
Here is a brief summary of this.
Paul was persecuting Jesus, by what he was doing and what he was following after. ( the law) Paul asks what the Lord Jesus will have him to do, Jesus tells him it shall be told to him in the city of Damascus.
Paul was chosen specifically to bear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ before the Gentiles, and the children of Israel. ( along with kings) for Jesus would SHOW HIM how GREAT THINGS he must suffer for His name's sake.
Paul was strengthened and was with the disciples at Damascus, and straight away preached Christ in the synagogues that He is the Son of God.
Barnabas then takes Paul away ( those who heard him of the Jews in the law wanted to kill him) and relates to the apostles that Paul had seen the Lord in the way and Jesus had spoken to Paul, and then Paul had preached BOLDLY at Damascus in the name of Jesus. ( before this Saul who is Paul, had gone to Damascus for the intention of bringing men and women to Jerusalem by the authority of the chief priests in the law, to put all who call on the name of the Lord to death.).....
Acts9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Acts9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Acts 9:19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus..
The transformation of apostle Paul and the difference in what he NOW DOES, is so important that it is repeatedly witnessed.
Paul recalls how the Lord says to him to arise and go into Damascus, and THERE IT SHALL BE TOLD TO PAUL OF ALL THIGNS WHICH ARE APPOINTED FOR HIM TO DO.
Paul was told, the god of their fathers had chosen Paul, for Paul to know the will of Jesus Christ and to see that just One, and that Paul should hear the voice of His mouth. ( FALSE PROPHETS HEAR NOTHING, BELIEVE IN NOTHING, FOLLOW NOTHING, HEAR AND SPEAK VANITY AND DECEIT.)....
Acts22:10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Acts 22:14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
Paul answers against what those in the law and who are not of faith call as heresy, that Paul is now WORSHIPPING ( WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.) the God of his fathers, having hope towards God of what those in the law do allow for, for a resurrection of the dead, both of the JUST, and UNJUST, and in this, apostle Paul EXERCISES HIMSELF TO HAVE ALWAYS A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE TOWARD GOD AND TOWARD MEN. ( all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, to love your neighbour as yourself.)....
Acts 24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.
Paul preaches before the kings, that it should not be too incredible a thing for God to raise the dead, as before this Paul had also thought he should DO MANY THIGNS CONTRARY TO THE NAME OF JESUSOF NAZARETH, shutting up the saints in Jerusalem, having received authority from the chief priests, ( those in the law or anyone against the faith) and when they were put to death he had given his voice against them.
Paul repeats again the same testimony, for Paul to get on his feet as Jesus tells Paul why He appeared to him, for THIS PURPOSE, to make Paul A MINISTER, and a witness of the things which he has seen, and of what Jesus would appear to apostle Paul for.
Delivering Paul from the people of Israel in the law, or from the Gentiles who also were against the good Paul would now be preaching and doing, which is to OPEN THEIR EYES, AND TO TURN THEM FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, FROM THE POWER OF SATAN UNTO GOD, THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND INHERITANCE AMONG THEM WHICH ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGH FAITH WHICH IS IN JESUS.
Apostle Paul was NOT DISOBEDIENT UNTO THE HEAVENLY VISION, but showed first unto those in Damascus, and then at Jerusalem also, through all Judea, then to the Gentiles, THAT THEY SHOULD ( LIKE PAUL AS WE SEE) REPENT AND TURN TO GOD AND DO WORKS WORTHY FOR REPENTANCE.
( from the power of Satan which is death/dead works, to the power of God/the power of an endless life/the works that Jesus Christ our Lord fulfilled/being risen FROM THE DEAD, to destroy the works of the devil who had the POWER OVER DEATH. 1 John 3:8. Hebrews 9:14. 2:14. 7:16.)...
Acts 26:8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
Acts26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance....
1 John 3:^(8) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
I am proposing an experiment, to find out, by weighing, exactly what worth all the preaching/teaching, debating, discussing, arguments, questioning, opinions, shared knowledge, revelations, all that the many false teachers have shared on forums since the internet began, 25-30 years WORTH OF IT.) the constantly created/invented posts that ( by man or AI global mind) appear every hour, right here on r Christian, on any of the reddit Christian or r bible, as ministers of righteousness speakers, who claim to learn everyone about God. ( many false prophets/many false teachers among us, does not deter any of them.)
By scripture here are the values of these VANITY SWELLING WORDS.
EVERY MAN AT HIS BEST STATE IS ALTOGETHER VANITY.
MEN OF LOW DEGREE ARE VANITY, and MEN OF HIGH DEGREE ARE A LIE, to be laid IN THE BALANCE, they are ALTOGETHER LIGHTER THAN AIR.
SURELY EVERY MAN IS VANITY.
THE LORD KNOWS THE THOUGHTS OF MAN, THAT THEY ARE VANITY.
WHEN THEY SPEAK GREAT SWELLING WORDS THEY ALLURE.
( the evidence are the debates and the divisions/offences caused, and they that are such SERVE NOT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, but their OWN BELLY, and by good words and fair speeches DECEIVE THE HEARTS OF THE SIMPLE.)
Can any of the many posts/pages/topics, show anything at all of usefulness, when the testimony is that they are VANITY for their VALUE?.........
Psalm 39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Psalm 39:11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
Psalm 94:11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law;13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.
Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
2 Corinthians 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2 Peter 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2 Peter 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
I believe that God will not judge us if we are a Christian or not but he will judge us based on our heart. So its not absolute that if someone doesnt believe in religion/God doesnt mean they will automatically go to hell (because of environmental influence such as parents religion and the culture of their country, etc..). Lastly Religion/Churches should be only treated as Club thing(where fellow Christian should meet and interact to each other as well to God) not a space for performative act such as praying in churches even though they don't pray in their home and learn knew verses/word of God even though they surely know that they will never apply that in their live.
So what i want to say is that being in a religion and claiming you are a Christian just because you are active in church doesn't make you a Christian and that can be apply to the opposite as well where if you don't believe in a God/believe to other God doesn't mean your afterlife would be hell.
That's why its better to learn your theology first and find the most rational path before joining in any religion.
INC (Iglesia ni Cristo) - one of the most dominant Christian branch in Philippines where they believed that if you are not part of their religion then you will not receive salvation or be save.
I've been researching the historical development of the antichrist concept for a video, and the actual textual picture is a lot more interesting than the popular one.
The term itself only occurs in the Johannine epistles, four times total. It's absent from Revelation, from 2 Thessalonians, and from Daniel, texts that are commonly assumed to be "about" the antichrist. What we now think of as a single unified figure is actually a later synthesis of at least four distinct traditions: John's "antichrist" (a category of false teachers already present, not a future individual), Paul's "man of lawlessness," the Beast of Revelation, and Daniel's "little horn." These come from different authors, different centuries, and arguably different theological concerns, and nothing in the texts themselves merges them.
The patristic sources are also more divided than commonly assumed. Polycarp treats it as a present spiritual category (essentially, heresy itself), while later figures like Irenaeus and Hippolytus expect a future individual. There's no single "early church position."
I also traced the popular modern conception (a world-dictator figure tied to a pretribulation rapture and seven-year tribulation) to 19th-century dispensationalism, specifically John Nelson Darby in the 1830s, popularized through the Scofield Reference Bible and later fiction. That timeline is worth knowing since it's often presented as the historic Christian view when it's a fairly recent theological innovation.
Video here if you want the fuller treatment with sourcing: [ https://youtu.be/XLrxFr917GE ]
Genuinely interested in pushback on the patristic reading in particular, that part is the least settled.
It does not make sense that God wants people to pray for missionaries for them to bring them the message of God. If god wants them to be saved, then why doesn't he just automatically send a copy of the bible to their house?
Having a copy sent to you automatically would be one of the easiest ways to get salvation.
I'm trying to understand what the Bible teaches about salvation.
Jesus said:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life." (John 6:47)
Paul wrote:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8–9)
"To the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." (Romans 4:5)
So here's what I'm struggling with:
If salvation is truly a free gift received by faith, why do some Christians say I have to deserve it, prove myself, or earn it through my obedience? Doesn't that make it something earned instead of a gift?
I often hear that salvation is a free gift from God through faith in Jesus, not something we can earn. But I also read passages about obedience, repentance, good works, and enduring to the end. That sometimes makes me wonder if I have to somehow prove I'm worthy or deserve salvation after all.
How do you reconcile Jesus' simple statements about believing with the idea that salvation has to be deserved? Do people actually think it's a gift?
I built a free website to help Christians examine their assurance of salvation according to Scripture.
It doesn't try to tell you "you are/aren't saved." Instead, it asks about your testimony and understanding of the gospel, then uses AI to put everything into a biblical assessment, always pointing you back to the Bible.
Some features:
The goal is to give you all a confident, biblical assurance of salvation, leaving no room for false self-condemnation :)
Peace be with you.
How can I best align with God, Jesus, and His teachings in practicing genuine Protestant faith, given that—even when reading and interpreting the Bible for myself—I am aware that (1) I am reading translations with built-in biases, (2) there are radically divergent interpretations of core issues, (3) I cannot access the original texts to adjudicate between them, and (4) the community offers a ready-made doctrine that I rationally suspect is culturally and historically conditioned, as well as morally questionable?
So it seems that a certain country on the other side of the world is celebrating its 250th anniversary. While I have never been to that country, I've heard of how it was founded, which made me wonder how to interpret a certain Bible passage.
Romans 13:1-2 ESV [1] Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. [2] Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.13.1-2.ESV
This passage seems to suggest that all authority comes from God, and so we must submit to them. According to this interpretation, wouldn't that have put the American Revolutionaries in the wrong, since the British government would have been a divinely ordained authority over them?
Now, I know that there are some exceptions in which we must not submit to authority, for example, if they make a law that commands us to do something wrong. Still, if the reason for rebellion was taxation without representation, then doesn't the passage also tell us to pay taxes to our government?
So, what exactly do you think this passage means? Should we submit to all authority, or are there exceptions? Has it ever been right to refuse to pay taxes for any reason? Did the US' Founding Fathers have anything to say about this?
Hello everyone and thank you for reading. I am talking about the god prophecy to the serpent in Genesis 3:14-15 :
« The Lord God said to the serpent, ´Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel’ »
Here I make a link between a giant serpent and a possible hidden reign of Arthur Pendragon :
https://www.reddit.com/r/starseeds/s/JWCOnIrPs0
But it could have been the woman called then the lady of the lake
I’ve never read that part of the bible before.
Hello, this is a question I’ve had for a very long time, especially since the Epstein Files came out. People are talking about how all the celebrities are sacrificing children to gods for fame, or people sell their souls to get rich.
In the Bible it says that the gods the Amalekites and Ammonites worshiped were false gods that they created. Baal worship is what everyone says these celebrities were doing, but since Baal isn’t real how are they able to get money, fame and power?
Is it that these false gods are under Satan and basically are allowed to operate like demons (under God’s control and permission) to those who invite them into their lives?
I’d really like to keep looking into this if anyone also has videos or books to recommend to me!
How de we determine which sins declared in the Old Testament were tribal and conditional sins that were removed with Jesus' sacrifice and how do we know which ones still should be applied today? Can anybody help? Thanks, God Bless!
I hope this is appropriate for this community. If not, i guess it could moved to another one. I've recently gotten an nrsvue and have read through wisdom of solomon and some of sirach. I was raised Protestant and always told they're not scripture and that they taught things that contradict the bible. However, I think there are really good words of wisdom and proverbial sayings in sirach that would be worth living by, and some echo things that are written in the old and new testaments.
I'm just unsure of how I should read them appropriately.
Jerome said to read the books for "example and instruction of manners" but does not "apply them to establish any doctrine."
Martin Luther said they were useful and good to read, but not to be held equal to Scripture.
But I am also aware there are other early church fathers that supported them and cited them.
I guess I'm just not sure how much weight to give them. Because if they have good teachings like from sirach and incorporate that into my life and memorize them, is that treating them like scripture? Appreciate any direction!
what are your guys favorite commentaries?
Do you guys tend to use digital or physical commentaries?
Do you usually go for in depth or straight to the point commentaries?
Do you like older or newer commentaries?
Do you prefer commentaries that focus more on semantics or theology?
Wikipedia page on the Miqra'ot Gedolot if you have no idea what it is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikraot\_Gedolot.
Not sure if this is allowed here because this is a post about commentary on the Bible, rather than specifically the Bible, but if gets taken down then it gets taken down.
Why don't Christians read the Bible? Most believers would say they know it is important, yet life has a way of pushing it aside. Busy schedules, exhaustion, distractions, and the feeling that Scripture is difficult to understand often become reasons we neglect God's Word. What begins as good intentions can slowly become spiritual drift.
Many of the obstacles to Bible study are not as difficult to overcome as we imagine. Reading passages in context, using trustworthy Bible study resources, learning a little history and geography, and recognizing the different types of literature found in Scripture can make the Bible much easier to understand. The goal is not simply to gain knowledge but to allow the Holy Spirit to shape our hearts into greater obedience to Christ.
The Bible still speaks because the people it describes struggled with many of the same fears, temptations, failures, and questions we face today. As we spend time in God's Word, we come to know Him more deeply, are strengthened for the spiritual battles we face, and are reminded of His faithfulness, His love, and the hope we have in Christ. Bible study is not just another Christian discipline. It is one of the primary ways God transforms His people.
Recently I was preparing a talk on the Kingdom of God/Heaven and I was interested in seeing how frequently it was mentioned in the bible, especially in comparison to other words/themes.
Now, admittedly, using word frequency to make a point about significance/importance is a pretty bad idea and not something I would generally encourage.
That being said, it can be a useful or fun tool to highlight things. And whilst it isn't a good technique to use in isolation, it can point to the significance of certain words or concepts.
I initially tried finding a way to do it automatically, but found most of the tools/sources unreliable and ended up just doing it manually via the Blue Letter Bible.
During this process, I "vibe-coded" my own automatic way of doing it. It's able to handle words, phrases and groups of words (i.e if you want to count all instances of sin/sins/sinner/sinned as one group). It supports the free bible versions (KJV, ASV, RV and DRA).
It also supports* Greek via Nestle 1904.
I also ensured that it reports a list of references too, so you're able to manually verify the output (I for one am not very trustworthy of some tools, especially relating to the Bible).
I made it on a whim, there's no ads or data collection and it's essentially open source (static webpage). So if anyone finds any use out of it - awesome.
You can access it via: https://biblecounter.vercel.app/
*I'm not an expert in Greek, or the Bible (from a historic/literature perspective), and as far as I can tell, the implementation is reasonable. But if anyone sees any bugs/issues or problems in methodology, please let me know.