r/TrueChristian

I have been reading through various apocryphal texts recently. Many of them I fully understand why they were excluded (i.e. the Nag Hammadi texts).

But I don’t understand why the Book of Enoch was not canonized. I consider it to be a very valuable text that does not seem to contradict scripture or the Gospel. It further provides details about the Fallen Angels, the flood, the Nephilim, proclaims the coming of the messiah, and even describes God as a man!

Many of the Church Fathers/theologians from antiquity seemed to view it in high regard. Justin Martyr used it as a source when writing his book the Second Apology about the Fallen Angels. Tertullian went as far to state it was divinely inspired & stated that non-believers and Jews rejected it because it plainly tells of Christ.

Many scholars view Jude 1:14-15 as a direct citation of the Book of Enoch. Yet, only the Oriental Orthodox consider it part of biblical canon.

Why was it not canonized? Does anyone else find it to be a valuable & reliable apocryphal resource on the Fall?

I am interested in starting a discussion to understand Christian perspectives on pacifism.

My own opinion is that while pacifism is ideal, it is not a realistic expectation to have. The maintenance of society requires a police force to enforce laws and a military force to enforce national security.

I believe it is possible to be a Christian and support using violence in self defense or the defense of others. I will readily concede that the police can be immoral and the military can be immoral.

However, I find that the position that: “true Christians ought to be pure pacifists” to be unrealistic and not rooted in reality, despite pacifism being an ideal that we should move towards.

It's hopeless.. Why even try?

People always say the exact same stuff, which doesn't work.

"Give it up to God"
"Let God do the fight for you"
"You need to stop fighting"

I've been wasting, solid 3-4 hours of my life, just on porn.. wasting it, loathing it..

I have been given so many gifts from God.. and my OCD want to throw it all away, and even that has caused me depression over so many things.. for months those thoughts have kept coming in.. Porn is my only escape, I've been here for 12 years, I got addicted when I was about 7-8.. I'm 19 now..

I'll always be an addict..

I have a problem with deliberately sinning. I do not know how to stop. I will sin and then feel bad and ask God for forgiveness and then I will be fine for a couple of days and make the same decision as before. I have stopped Lying and I no longer steal. But i still have a problem with Fornication,Masturbation, and just lustful acts and thoughts in general. I dont want to reach the point that God can no longer forgive me because of my choices and that is what I am scared of. I have tried praying and asking for guidance as well as talking it out with my Christian friends but I can not stop. I want to stop. I want to give my life to God and actually mean it. Not just give my life over to God because I am scared to go to Hell. I mean sometimes I feel like I mean it, but then I go out and fall right back into the same sinful patterns as before. I know it is wrong. That is why I want to change my ways and give myself completely and whole heartedly to God. I do not know how to go about it.

I am interested in discussing this topic here, I'm interested in the reactions. Are people here still trying to make a Christian Nation? and if so, why? I don't think it's biblical.

I haven't listened to the whole sermon (nor his other sermons), so please realize that I am NOT endorsing Loran Livingstone. I don't know enough yet.

Thanks.

Were the ten commandments only for the people that were with Moses or also for christians? I know that Jesus restated 9 of the ten and that Paul says that sabbath was a shadow of Jesus so what does this mean for us. Do we obey the ten commandments or only the ones that Jesus thaught everone including the gentiles?

This is a question I've seen many Christians wrestle with, and I don't think it deserves a simplistic answer.

On one hand, Scripture is clear that believers are called to pursue holiness. We are not to make peace with sin or excuse it (Romans 6:1–2).

On the other hand, the New Testament repeatedly describes the Christian life as a struggle. Paul himself writes:

"For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." (Romans 7:19)

He also tells believers:

"Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other..." (Galatians 5:16–17)

This passage has always made me think. If the flesh and the Spirit are in conflict, then the presence of a struggle is not surprising. In fact, Scripture seems to assume that this conflict exists in the believer.

What concerns me is not that a Christian struggles, but whether they have become comfortable with sin or continue to fight it. There is a difference between falling and surrendering, between grieving over sin and justifying it.

When we fail, we also have this promise:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

And that promise reminds me of another beautiful truth:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38–39)

I don't see this as an excuse to become comfortable with sin. Rather, it is a source of hope for those who truly belong to Christ and continue to repent, even while struggling. Our confidence ultimately rests in His faithfulness, not in our own perfection.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, Amen.

My motive to share this deeply personal testimony is inspired by the words of the Holy Apostle Paul in 2. Corinthians 1: 3, 4 -

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God!"

I realized that this vision was the Divine Comfort that came to me when I was experiencing perhaps the darkest and most difficult time of my life. Therefore, I want to share the comfort given to me by the Almighty God the Father with you, His believers and children.

Since january last year, demons have been openly and aggressively attacking me. I suffered from nightmares and sleep paralysis, and I began waking up every night around 3:00 AM.

The whole problem with demons started because I broke my covenant with God. That night when I broke my covenant, I had sleep paralysis, where I was being strangled by a demon that looked like a black bat, he had sharp bloody teeth, black leather wings, and the third evil blue eye that cursed me, He also repeated to me twice: "Why did you break your covenant with God?"

After that night, I was never the same person again; it felt like the old me had completely died. I cried often, feeling deep sadness and disappointment. All of this was the consequence of that demonic, third evil blue eye that cursed me.

However, my greatest advantage and weapon was that I had read the Bible and I believed with all my heart and mind that God is good, righteous, and full of love and mercy, and that by His permission and providence, He allows various trials to come upon believers just as in the case of righteous Job in order to strengthen and develop our Character, Spirit, Will, Hope, Faith and Love.

I went to church daily, and most importantly I sincerely prayed to God day and night with tears and with all my heart and mind to deliver me from the evil one.

And then, the most special and beautiful night of my life arrived. On March 25th of last year I got up as usual at 3:00 AM to pray.

I performed about ten prostrations which in Orthodoxy are known as great metanias, recited the Lord's Prayer, and then lay back down in bed to go to sleep. Suddenly, lustful images appeared in my mind. I knew these thoughts were not my own.

While I was in bed with my eyes closed, I began to pray to the Lord again, but this time even more intensely than when I was doing great metanias.

Suddenly, God the Holy Spirit granted me an unforgettable vision and above all, the comfort, that strengthened and confirmed my faith in the Holy Trinity!

In the Acts of Apostoles in chapter 2: verse 17 it is written - In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Chapter 1: The Vision of the Saviour!

In a vision, I saw myself drowning in blue water, which was completely flat and calm, stretching out endlessly. But then, as I watched myself drowning, I saw that on my right side appeared the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ walking on the water without any difficulty.

His walk on the water was so powerful, effortless, and calm that it was an absolute joy to watch Him. He wore a beautiful white robe, He had shoulder-length hair, but His face was not shown to me.

The moment I saw Him, I stretched out my right hand toward Him the best I could, crying out within myself for Him to save me so I would not drown. He immediately took my hand and effortlessly lifted me out of the water.

This scene reminded me of when Jesus saved the Apostle Peter, who was also drowning.

Then, I was standing on the water with Jesus, He extended His right hand to me, which had a nail hole in the center of the palm. I kissed His hand and fell to my knees, bowing my head all the way down to His feet, which also had nail holes.

Then I stood up and I remember, that I hugged Jesus tightly, just as He did me. Afterward, we both turned around, He took my left hand and we ascended, surrounded by white clouds!

Chapter 2: The Throne of the Almighty God!

Then, I saw myself kneeling on the floor with my head bowed, and before me stood the massive white throne, upon which sat the almighty and holy God the Son in His divine glory.

He was Huge; He wore a beautiful white robe. His face was like the sun, emitting the uncreated divine energies like molten lava. You could feel His supreme authority, justice, glory, infinite power and immortality, but also His unique and unconditional agape love for all humans.

In Colossians 1:15 it is written - The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

In Mathew 11:27 Jesus says: All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

In John 10:30 Jesus says - I and the Father are one.

In John 14: 6 and 9 Jesus also says: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“ Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

Then, God the Son stood up from His throne and approached me. I could no longer see Him.

Chapter 3: The Finger of God!

I saw the Finger of God vertically descending upon my head and gently touching me. This moment is a direct reference to Matthew 12:28 and Luke 11:20 - Where it is written - But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, than the kingdom of God has come upon you.

The Finger of God is actually another name for the Holy Spirit.

Afterward , I saw my guardian angel leading me out through the golden gates of the Kingdom of God.

This entire holy experience was the grace and comfort of God the Holy Spirit, Who encouraged me to persevere in my personal spiritual warfare against sin and demons—a battle that began the very moment I read the New Testament and believed with all my heart and mind in the Almighty God the Father and His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave His sinless life on the cross and shed His most pure blood to wash all His followers from sin and make them perfect in the eyes of God!"

There are many similar testimonies on the internet about Jesus, heaven and hell. I highly encourage you to watch as many of these testimonies as possible from various people who had near-death experiences, because they serve as living proof that the spiritual world is real.

I would recommend two channels on youtube: God Encounters with Janie DuVall and God's Voice Daily.

My advice to all Christians is: read the New Testament, pray to God sincerely, be part of the Apostolic Church, wear your cross around your neck, because it is a great protection against demons, above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it as it is written in Proverbs 4: 23, help the helpless, the weak, and the homeless for such actions are beautiful in the eyes of God, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 25! Never give up and always fight, because stronger is He Who is in you than he who is in the world!

God's peace, love and blessings be with you all, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, Amen.

I think I’m going crazy. I believe in Jesus and God but my brain keeps saying what if I don’t believe in them and my religion. What if u believe in Islam. I hate this so much I’m so scared to live and die. It’s like never ending. Everything revolves around my relationship with God. What if it’s not the right religion blah blah. I don’t want to think this. I’m so tired of this looping. I think God is leaving me

Why Deuteronomy 21:10-14 was WAY outside of it’s time 

Deuteronomy21:10-14

10 When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives, 11 if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. 12 Bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails 13 and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. 14 If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.
Deuteronomy 21:10-14 was so progressive for it’s time

It gave the woman a mandatory 30 day wait to mourn her parents.

Deuteronomy 21:13
After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month…

We can see Deuteronomy caring for enemy protection
a (goyim). Compared to other societies which had none of that.

Also a concession to lust from the soldier
Deuteronomy 21:12 “Bring her into your home and have her shave her head and trim her nails and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured.”

This makes the woman less desirable and therofore the man is not gonna act on his lust as well as symbolising break from her previous status (family, nation, possibly even religion) so the bible says : You must bring her into your domestic life, allow her to look unappealing through grief and shaving, and wait 30 days.” The concession is designed to let the soldier’s temporary battlefield mania wear off. Also It forces the soldier to see her as a traumatized human being rather than a sexual trophy.

Compared to other societies
Hammubari:
§ 134: “If a seignior was taken captive and there was no maintenance in his house, but his wife has entered another’s house, because that woman did not keep her body safe and did enter another’s house, they shall bind that woman and throw her into the water.”
§ 135: “If a seignior was taken captive and there was no maintenance in his house, if his wife has entered another’s house and borne children, if afterwards her husband returns and reaches his city, that woman shall return to her first husband, while the children shall follow their father.”

Hammubari provides zero waiting periods, zero mourning rights, and zero protections for a foreign captive woman [1]. She was immediate, functional property from day one.

Assyria
“Many soldiers I captured alive… their boys and their maidens I ravished the city I overthrew, razed, and burned with fire.”
— Annals of Ashurnasirpal II [1]

Assyria law Explicitly brags about the immediate sexual violation of captured maidens on the battlefield as a trophy of war.

Hittite Law
§ 191: “If a free man sleeps with several captive women [free civilian prisoners/slave women] and their mother, or with sisters and their mother, who were brought as captives from an enemy country, if he sleeps with them in one and the same country, there is no punishment.”

The text explicitly permits a Hittite man to have immediate sexual access to an entire family of captured women—the mother, the daughters, and sisters—living under his roof simultaneously. There is no legal mechanism forcing him to isolate one woman, wait 30 days, or treat her as an exclusive wife you can just rape a whole family immediately.

Also the woman had to get Israelite wife status this was extraordinary for the time
Deuteronomy 21:11-13: “…if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife… and after that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.”

Compared to other societies
Hammubari:
§ 170: If a man has children with his main wife and also has children with his captive slave-woman, and during his life he points to the slave’s children and says, ‘You are my children,’ then those children are legally adopted. When the father dies, the slave’s children get an equal share of the family’s property alongside the main wife’s children.”
§ 171: ““But if the father never officially adopts the captive slave-woman’s children during his life, those children do not get any inheritance when he dies. However, the captive slave-woman and her children must be given their freedom. The main wife’s family cannot force them to stay as slaves.”

Hammurabi’s code keeps the captive woman trapped as a servant her entire life. Even if she bears the master’s children, she still has to serve his “real” free wife. Her kids only get an inheritance if the master explicitly chooses to adopt them. Her only chance at freedom happens after the master dies; until then, she is treated strictly as a servant, never a wife.

Assyria
Tablet A,S”A concubine… when she goes out into the street alone she is to be veiled… but a captive slave-woman must not be veiled… If a man sees a veiled slave-woman, he must seize her… They shall cut off her ears.”

In Assyria even if she claims the same status of the free woman she is to be punished with cutting her ears let alone actually getting that status.

Hittite law
“If a free man sleeps with several captive women and their mother, or with sisters and their mother, who were brought as captives from an enemy country, if he sleeps with them in one and the same country, there is no punishment.”
Again The Hittite code explicitly permitted a master to use captured foreign women for immediate, shared sexual access without ever upgrading them to a wife.

But heres the cherry on top
Deuteronomy 21:13-14 If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.

Because she is brought down on status being divorced or rejected it gives an enemy captive immediate, unconditional freedom of movement and protecting her from ever being treated as property again, it treats her as a human being with a right to her own future.

Now compare the humanity in this with other societies
Hammubari: If a man decides to divorce a wife or a concubine who bore him children, they shall return her dowry to her… so she can raise her children. After she has raised them… she may then marry the man of her choice.”
Even though she is freeborn, she is legally tied to that property and cannot just leave “wherever she wishes” until those children are fully grown and also this doesn’t include the woman who didnt have any kids they were just to be sold.

Assyria
“He may sell into a foreign land an Assyrian man or an Assyrian woman… a person who has become a full slave can be sold” again the woman can be sold wherever he is pleased to sell her.

Hittite
“If a man buys a trained slave, a craftsman, he shall pay 20 shekels of silver… If a man buys a slave woman, he shall pay 12 shekels of silver.
A captive woman is valued at exactly “12 shekels of silver” (§ 177) and can be traded or liquidated like a piece of livestock whenever the master wants to make a profit.

The point of this post
it is to show how extraordinarily progressive this is for the time And that the only conclusion to get from This passage is that goyim women have dignity

now some may argue yeah it was very progressive but it was still rape, tho heres Why Deuteronomy 21:10-14 neither infers consent nor denies it 

Scholars consistently show biblical law is:

conditional (“when/if X happens”) → legal consequence (“then Y follows”)

In Deut 21:

• War condition is stated
• Procedure is regulated
• Outcome is assigned

casuistic law rarely encodes inner mental states.

👉 Therefore:

Consent/coercion are not categories the text is built to express. 

• it follows a condition already set (war + captive woman + procedure)
• “may” = legal permissibility of outcome

So it means:

“this is the lawful resolution available under this condition” 

Heres the scholars :

Raymond Westbrook

biblical law is structured as conditional case statements in which situations are defined and legal consequences are assigned, rather than as narrative accounts of events or internal states.

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Bernard Jackson

biblical law is a formal system of legal communication that classifies actions and assigns consequences, not a narrative describing interpersonal negotiation, intention, or psychological states such as consent.

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Bruce Wells

biblical legal texts function as instructions for adjudication, specifying what legal officials do when certain conditions occur, rather than describing how social events unfolded.

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David P. Wright

biblical law belongs to an ancient Near Eastern legal tradition of stylized formulations that define consequences of actions rather than narrating how those actions were negotiated or consented to.

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Moshe Greenberg

biblical law is concerned with regulating outward behavior and maintaining social order rather than representing internal intention or subjective psychological states.

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John H. Walton

ancient Near Eastern law codes focus on maintaining functional social order rather than expressing modern categories such as individual autonomy or consent.

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Tikva Frymer-Kensky

ancient legal systems are structured around status and household roles, regulating social relations and outcomes rather than individual autonomy or mutual consent.

Like Academic Scholar Carylon pressler notes  “the passage never narrates any act of consent or dissent by the woman, and instead focuses entirely on the man’s obligations, restrictions, and the transformation of the woman’s status from captive to wife”

 So in her framing:

• the law is about male conduct and legal regulation, not mutual decision-making,

and the question of consent isnt said here at all

 

also academic scholar on ANE secular scholars Raymond Westbrook     “Ancient Near Eastern law collections are not comprehensive legal codes but selective and schematic statements of legal principles or typical cases, rather than full procedural accounts of how events unfolded” as well as scholar Calum Carmichael 

“The biblical legal collections are not straightforward codified law in the modern sense, nor are they simply practical case law. Rather, they are literary compositions that draw on and reinterpret earlier traditions, narratives, and legal motifs. Individual laws often echo or are shaped by prior biblical stories, and their meaning is best understood through these literary connections rather than as isolated legal rules describing social procedure.”

For the critics who say” Absence of consent language is itself significant 

Exodus 22:16

“If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall surely pay a bride-price for her and make her his wife.”

If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.”

Here we clearly see an parallel to Deuteronomy 22:28 where the father could refuse in seduction yet in rape it’s not mentioned at all because it’s already assumed 

“

Deuteronomy 22:28–29, ESV-style wording):

28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found,

29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.”

Ancient legal texts like Deuteronomy are not comprehensive legal codes in the modern sense. They are selective and highly compressed, focusing on key legal obligations and disputes rather than recording every procedural detail of how events unfolded Ancient Near Eastern laws often frame marriage and family regulations from the perspective of the male head of household     the man is treated as the legal actor (he “takes,” “marries,” “divorces”)

the texts often describe marriage in terms of male action and status change rather than recording explicit consent procedures for women. However, the fact that the law is framed patriarchally does not, by itself, prove that women did not consent in practice 

we can see that from this verses :

Genesis 24:57–58 (ESV)

They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.”

And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”

Genesis 24:67 (ESV)

Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

the Hebrew is laqach the same word used in Deuteronomy 21:10-14

Here we see explicitly that Rebekah consented but yet The marriage is described in standard ancient style: “he took her… 

So “  he took her and….she became his wife  functions like:

• “enter into marriage status,” not “seize against will”

Also     The claim Absence of consent language implies coercion”

This is an argument from silence in the wrong direction.

• Ancient legal texts rarely encode consent in any case

Silence is normal legal style, not evidential direction like Raymond secular scholar put it “ANE  describe outward actions and legal consequences rather than subjective intention or internal mental states

He frames casuistic law as concerned with:

“legally relevant facts and their consequences,” not psychological states like intent or consent.

So the declarative in Deuteronomy 21:10-14 is read as legal-status statements (what the law results in), not step-by-step accounts of how agreement occurred 

The phrase describes what is legally permitted/recognized, not a step-by-step moment of personal choice.

So:

• “He may take her as wife” = legal permission / permitted outcome

Not = “he unilaterally decides her fate in a relational sense”  like scholar bernand Jackson pointed out “I approach biblical law as a formal system of legal communication. What the casuistic laws give us is not a narrative account of events or relationships, but a structured set of rules expressed in conditional form. These rules are concerned with identifying legally relevant conditions and assigning consequences to them. They are not designed to describe interpersonal negotiations, intentions, or psychological states such as consent; rather, they function as a system for classifying actions and determining appropriate legal outcomes within a community’s legal order.”

And more pointedly in the same spirit of his argument:

“We should not read these legal texts as though they are incomplete narratives of social life. Their purpose is not to tell us what was agreed or felt, but to specify what the law requires when certain defined situations occur.

And scholar David P. Wright

Wright is regularly cited as saying (in substance):

“biblical law is part of an ancient Near Eastern legal tradition in which laws are stylized formulations defining consequences of actions, not narrative records of how those actions were negotiated or consented to.”

1. Classic conditional structure (Exodus 21:28–29)

“If an ox gores a man or a woman and they die, the ox shall be stoned…”

Structure:

• Condition: If an ox kills someone
• Legal outcome: the ox is executed

No narrative, no dialogue, no intent discussion—just legal consequence.

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2. Exodus 21:26–27 (master/slave injury law)

“If a man strikes the eye of his slave… he shall let him go free…”

Structure:

• Condition: injury occurs
• Required outcome: emancipation

Again:

• no consent language
• no emotional framing
• only legal result

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3. Exodus 22:16–17 (your key comparison text)

“If a man seduces a virgin… he shall pay the bride-price… If her father refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money…”

Structure:

• Condition A: sexual encounter occurs
• Outcome A: bride-price + marriage obligation
• Condition B: father refuses marriage
• Outcome B: monetary compensation only

Important:

• The father’s “refusal” is itself part of the legal branching system
• The focus is who owes what under which condition, not relationship psychology

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4. Deuteronomy 22:28–29 (your passage)

“If a man finds a virgin… and lies with her… he shall pay fifty shekels… and she shall be his wife…”

Structure:

• Condition: sexual act with unbetrothed virgin
• Outcome: payment + marital obligation

No:

• consent discussion
• negotiation scene
• dialogue

Just:

legal consequences triggered by the act

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5. Deuteronomy 22:13–21 (false accusation law)

If a husband falsely accuses his wife…

then elders shall punish him… and he shall pay money

• Condition: accusation proven false
• Outcome: financial penalty

 

For critics who claim War capture is intrinsically coercive”

Rebuttal:

Yes, the initial condition is coercive, but that does not determine what the passage is describing.

• The text is not narrating the capture event itself

It is regulating post-capture legal status

Structure The whole point of this passage is to to infer the humanity of the captive so the argument that she is a captive and captives dont choose is very wrong because Israel is distinict in treatment from other societies  also Even if ancient warfare involved coercion, that only describes the historical background, not what the text is doing.

Deuteronomy 21:10–14 is written as a casuistic legal rule: it starts with a condition (“when you go to war and see a captive”) and then gives required procedures and outcomes (mourn, wait, take, release). It never narrates the capture event or introduces consent/coercion language.

• So in conclusion we can not infer whether the woman consented here or not  or what guided by Moses and Aaron the priests would command  on  how these instructions are to be applied and the procedure

 

Lately I’ve been afraid that I am spiritually dead or at least heading in that direction. I still go to church 3 times a week, I still worship and I still believe God is real whole heartedly. But ever since I’ve started fighting with some difficult questions about my faith I’ve found it incredibly hard to pick up my Bible or pray.

The hardest part is that I don’t want to feel this way. I genuinely want to grow closer to God but it’s like something is holding me back. Reading Scripture and praying used to come so naturally and now I struggle to do either. Sometimes during worship I cry, but i don’t believe it’s because I feel God’s presence but it’s because I miss feeling close to Him.

When I pray it often feels like I don’t hear anything. I know God doesn’t always answer in the ways or timing we expect, and I know “not yet” is sometimes His answer. But if I’m being honest it’s hard. I’m not angry at God I just feel distant from Him and I don’t know what to do.

For those who have gone through a season like this, how did you get through it? Is this what people mean by being spiritually dead, or is it something different? If you’ve been through something similar, what helped you draw close to God again? I’d really appreciate biblical advice and prayer.

This feels so impossible. I, 18f and my old boyfriend, 19m, just broke up last Wednesday. He was on a vacation and I was pet sitting for him. I don’t want to get into specifics, but this feels so impossible. How can I feel better? I try to distract myself and it works sometimes, but I keep bouncing between the 7 stages of grief (other than acceptance).

I feel like my world is ending. I know I’ll be okay, and I understand his reasoning (he wants to grow spiritually and mentally, find out who he is as a person, etc.) but I just don’t know how to deal with it. Sure, we fought! But I didn’t think it was that bad, I thought we could just overcome it.

It’s so hard. It’s been six days and I don’t know what to do. I can’t delete any pictures so I put them in my hidden folder. I can’t get rid of anything so I’m putting it all into a box in my closet. i can’t even call him my ex yet. I want to grow, but I also just want him back so desperately. It feels like he doesn’t care. Of course we aren’t speaking right now so I don’t know that for sure, but when we did speak I was so devastated and he just… wasn’t. And I know guys usually have issues with that, but I want to know if he’s as hurt as I am.

We were together for two years. All of my junior and senior year of high school were spent with him. All of his senior and freshman year were spent with me. I don’t know what to do. I thought we were going to get married. It feels like my world is crashing down around me. What do I do? How do I do this? How can I get over this? I know we could reconcile one day but I obviously can’t hold out hope for that.

I want to get closer to the Lord so desperately. It feels like He isn’t present. I just want everything to be okay. I want the Lord to promise me that me and my old bf will grow into who He wants us to be and then reconcile, but I know that isn’t a promise that will be made. It hurts so badly. I just want Jesus, but I also want my old boyfriend. I want him so badly.

I don’t know why I’m making this post. I guess I just want to feel less alone. I want advice. I want to know what other Christians think. Yeah I have a support system, but no one really understands what I’m going through. Gosh, this sucks so badly. It isn’t fair. If anyone has anyone advice it would be so appreciated. Prayers, scripture, anything. I don’t know. I’m just so broken. I’m holding onto Psalm 34:18 and Proverbs 3:5-6, but I still feel so empty

When someone makes these jokes or scenarios on the internet where God finds out that you laughed at a "If You Laugh You Go To Hell" compilation or that one joke where a guy goes to first layer of hell for cheating on a science test in 7th grade, thinking that it "could be worse" but it's actually the hottest because heat rises from the ground yadda yadda yadda, I feel even more scared of my past actions. I don't want my entire faith or devotion to Christ to be shattered because of something I did in the past that could be considered trivial, especially before my teenage. Despite me being a goody two-shoes in elementary school, I've gotten in trouble, teased classmates, and more (even as a 16 year old). But despite the fact that I've repented for them, I'm scared that I may be rejected from salvation because of my past.

I used to have a sailor's mouth when I was younger. After I accepted Christ, though, one of the first changes in my life was my language. Profanity no longer felt right, and it gradually disappeared from my vocabulary

In my early twenties, I stepped away from the church for a while and fell back into some old habits. Even then, using profanity felt unnatural, and it was pretty rare for me to curse. Over the past couple of years, I've returned to the church and now serve in ministry. I don't typically use profanity, but every once in a while a curse word slips out as an automatic reaction like when I stub my toe, drop something or get startled. This wasn't something I struggled with before, so it caught me off guard.

Recently, I accidentally let an F-bomb slip in front of a group of Christians. Everyone was gracious about it, but I was really embarrassed.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a practical way to retrain those automatic reactions so profanity doesn't come out in those unexpected moments?

A topic that comes up often here is the struggle with porn, lust, and masturbation. Many believers love Christ, hate their sin, confess it, try harder, fall again, and then drown in shame.

Do not confuse a long battle with a lost battle.

I’m convinced this is more than a “lust problem.” It is often an identity problem.

Before the behavior, there is usually a thought. Beneath the thought is often a lie. Beneath the lie is often a false identity we have slowly built over time.

Lies like:

“I am dirty.”
“I am powerless.”
“I will never be free.”
“I need this to cope.”
“My past defines me.”
“God is disappointed with me, so I may as well hide.”

Those lies are not harmless. They shape desire and make sin feel inevitable.

Romans 12:2 says we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. That means we do not just need better filters, more willpower, or longer streaks. Those things may help, but we need the truth of Scripture to replace the lies we have agreed with.

When the lie says, “I am powerless,” Scripture says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

When the lie says, “This is just who I am,” Scripture says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

When the lie says, “I am condemned,” Scripture says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

When the lie says, “I cannot escape,” Scripture says God provides a way of escape.

A practical step: write down the lie you usually believe before you fall. Then write down a Scripture that confronts it. Speak that truth daily, especially before temptation comes.

Also, bring the sin into the light. Confess to God, yes, but also tell a mature believer who will walk with you in grace and truth. Accountability should not only ask, “Did you fail?” It should also ask, “What lie were you believing, and what truth did you practice?”

Freedom is not merely, “I stopped looking at porn.” The deeper goal is becoming whole in Christ.

I am in Christ.
I am set free.
I am defined by God’s truth.
My body belongs to the Lord.
The Holy Spirit lives in me.
God provides a way of escape therefore I walk in His light and truth.

Lies keep us bound. Truth sets us free.

Have you been struggling?  What have you done to overcome this issue?

I want to know more about God and understand his love for me. I’m wondering if you have any advice about me getting to know God more and being Christian? I’m also planning to start reading the Bible, but I don’t have an actual physical copy of the Bible yet so I think I’m going to read some from my phone for now.

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So I'm a fat burger okay. I cannot go 6 hours without eating. But I really wanted to hear God, and I brought myself to fast for 72 hours. I struggled a lot. And I've prayed and read the Bible during the 3 days. I just ended the fast, had a big meal and got too relaxed, and I'm so wicked I already watched porn twice. I'm the scum of the earth bro, mocking God in his face, even after fasting 3 days. And after that I couldn't live with myself, with what I've done, and posted in reedit for help.

I'm so messed up and sinning so much, I thought it'd best if I leave the planet. I have no marker of anything you would regard as success in this world. I'm a guy who uses his intelligence against himself. I've been fighting demons of lust, gluttony, and sloth. I'm a malfunctioning adult, my family would be utterly devastated if they ever saw the real me.

As I was about to post my thread, my friend called me out of nowhere. Honestly, we both were so screwed that we both needed that call. So I just spoke to him and he said the most surprising thing. He said wake up early in the morning, and read the Bible. The dude ain't even a Christian. But he knows I am. He told me the words I needed to hear. It did really feel like God spoke to me through him.

We spoke for a long time, and it felt like God has been reaching me and asking me to not quit. To try again.

But what's wrong with me though? Am I possessed or something?

Please I need your prayers, advice or anything at all. Even a word of encouragement or criticism.

I really hate this belief that atheists or more so non-believers, want there to be nothing. I don’t. I’m terrified of what may be after death, but I try to stay logical and it’s gotten me here. I’ve heard this comment from my religious friends, online, really just everywhere, and it’s “if you live as a Christian and there’s nothing, what did you lose? Would you rather risk it and go to hell?” Honestly, it just makes me really question everything and upsets me. I’ve always struggled with asking too many questions or being too curious, and I guess that’s why I’ve strayed away from any religion. What I’m asking is, is there any non-deniable or just anything really that proves an afterlife/Christianity to be real? Or is it all really based on faith? I’ve always wanted to believe more than anything, but my nature of wanting an answer to everything messes it up for me.

I guess I need to add that I wasn’t raised with any religion, that also plays a big part in this. My parents raised us to believe in anything we want. Just feels even harder when you’re not surrounded by religion and faith.

I'm not a Christian, but after ten years of struggling, my prayers were answered when I prayed to Jesus Christ . My wife had been given a miniature Jesus statue for repair by a friend. The statue was sitting on the kitchen counter for days, until on the third day, when alone at home and in desperation, I knelt in front of him and told him that I had never solicited his help and asked him for his help. My prayers were answered... On that same day! Couldn't believe it... Have you had such an experience?

I am not be a Christian nor a Muslim... But Jesus answered my prayers. I am sure of it... I am intelligent enough to know it... I feel it in my bones...I have since been baffled... The nature of my problem was such that it couldn't have gone away by itself.. I had tried everything for years .. I felt I had to share this with a community. Sorry if this is a regular thing with you and for taking your time..

Ps. I am from Iran and was raised a shia Muslim until I lost my faith at the age of 15. In Iran Muslims do believe I. Jesus Christ though.

I feel so lost because part of me for the past year wants to read the Bible more and grow closer and all but im just terrified after a bout of intrusive thoughts last year. Not only that but now im just scared im reading it wrong and just will never do enough and I keep letting fear win and stuff. I'm so on and off with reading and I need more words than just "keep going, just pray, I'll pray for you." I can't do this in my own strength but it feels like that exactly what everyone around me is telling me to do. I will never doubt Jesus but even when I am like I need your help im failing. People don't get that I have genuine fear. Hard to just keep plowing through that alone. Any unhinged tips? Like something that could really work and not the cliches?