r/TrueChristian

God knew humanity would fall - the Bible tells us Jesus is the Lamb 'slain from the foundations of the earth'

He created us. Adam did sin and caused the fall. We all inherit that sin nature and cannot not sin.

So we go to hell without salvation. Jesus died for us, took our punishment. (I believe ALL of that, I was raised in the AoG)

But i'm starting to see God as someone not very pleasant. In some ways, it's like a guy who wants a woman to love him, so he cuts her brake lines and waits for her at the place where her brakes will fail, so he can swoop in, save her and she will love him and be grateful forever.

Because of this whatever-it-is, His insistence that we do things in this weird way of His, where we have free will and can sin and we gt the Fall, which resulted in untold suffering, death, as well as uncountable souls in hell. For me, it's very hard to see such a God as omnibenevolent, or very benevolent at all.

I don't want to go to hell. I don't like God. I hate the Devil and what he stands for. But I believe if I don't like God, if I'm not soo grateful for Salvation, I'll go to hell.

Any insights that are not 'shut up', or hand-wavy 'His ways are not our ways' kinds of responses would be greatly appreciated.

Hey everyone its my first time typing in here. Over the recent days ive heard alot of people talking about how stephen furtick is a fasle teacher or a heretical guy but nobodys ever able to actually give proof outside of a taken out of context quote or thought hes had. Im decently into my faith and have done quiet a bit of research into different doctrines and apologetics as well as my personal faith. Could someone just give me a little help? Also ive been struggling with the idea that we as a faith driven community are consistently putting eachother down when hes clearly doing alot of work for the kingdom whether you agree or not, because of what hes done many more people know of God and Jesus and his story. Thanks anyways

So I just joined this sub and I'm kind of confused. If y'all don't mind, chime in and tell me what you believe is a true Christian because I'm completely unaware of all of the different ways that you can be a Christian besides what I grew up with as I believe that I am a true Christian. TIA! No hate, truly just want to understand different views.

It’s that time of year again when the leaves change colors and the debate over Halloween begins anew.

Is it merely a holiday centered around children dressing up as superheroes and collecting candy?

Or is it something more nefarious: a demonic holiday created by Satan to trick TrueChristians into worshipping him.

Whichever side you’re on, this is the place to make your case.

Please note, all other posts about Halloween will be removed.

I’m a Buddhist, and while I understand Christian theology and its main doctrines, I don’t believe in God or the resurrection. I believe in Buddhist teachings and still consider myself a Buddhist.

However, I really enjoy the sense of community among Christians, as well as the services, fellowship, and especially the music. Would it be okay for me to regularly attend church services and fellowship with Christians even though, deep down, I’m still a Buddhist and don’t believe in Christianity?

She's... idk, she claims to be Catholic (not Christian, Catholic (idk why she insists on it)), and a few minutes ago we were debating about Jesus.

My parents are both claiming to be Catholics, but they are NOT following the Bible, they are "believers but not practicing", to this day I still dont know what's up with that.

So we were having a nice dinner, until my (antitheist) sister said something like "that girl from my school is annoying she keeps talking about Jesus", so I was like "What was she saying ?", she said "She asked me about the current students' movements and what Jesus would think of that" (we live in France and rn there's a big social movement involving students about the poor state of public school).

So we were having this interesting debate and she was respectful, so that was good. We didnt agree but at least we were both respectful, no insults. I then said "She's kinda right tho, as Christians we should always think about what Jesus would do".

That's when my mom... Oh man... I love her so much, she's my queen, I'd take one bullet on my skull and two in my heart, but for a Catholic she seems to not have a great theology...

My mom said "Jesus wouldnt think of anything because when He was on the cross He wasnt aware of how bad humanity became".

I stopped eating and turned to her, and said "Jesus wasnt aware ?", she doubled down "He was too good for this world, I'm sure if He comes back He couldnt stop humanity".

I said "So you think God isnt All-Powerful or All-Knowing ?".

She then said "I'm talking about JESUS" (implying Jesus ≠ God).

I replied "That's what I'm saying, God is All-Powerful and All-Knowing".

She said "No we're not talking about God but about Jesus"

I was shocked, she ALWAYS brings up her catholic identity, ALWAYS (we're portuguese living in France), but she then said the most BLASPHEMOUS (YES I said it) thing you could think of.

But that wasnt the first time she said something like that (I remember her saying "I trust in Jesus way more than God"), so I instead wanted to talk about her opinion on Jesus "not being aware of our present".

She said "Jesus only forgave human sins of His time, things werent AS BAD as today" (Are we serious ? Are we gonna talk about the Old Testament and how crazy was humanity already ?), that was CRAZY, I said "Mom, Jesus saved ALL HUMANITY, Past Present and Future, on the cross He washed us all in His blood", she then replied "No, Jesus was perfect and if He was aware of what we are doing today, He would've been smart enough to NOT be the sacrifice". I then brought up the prophecies, God's Grace and how our Salvation was ONLY up to GOD, and we are now saved through Him, but she refused.

She then told me this (be ready) :

"You are being intolerant, Jesus preached tolerance and you are not following that, you cant accept the fact everyone cant have YOUR vision of religion"

I'm sorry but what ? No, showing the OBJECTIVE TRUTH OF WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE BIBLE is NOT intolerance, it's like saying "You are being intolerant because you cant accept the fact I think 2+2=3 and not 4".

Her vision of Christianity is so nihilistic, she thinks God abandonned us (she implied it at least) and Jesus was a naive little carpenter who had so much love so he was killed for being too nice. WERE WE READING THE SAME BIBLE ?!

Also, she brought up how "If Jesus was powerful then why are pastors touching children ?" (I would like to answer and help her, but she couldnt let me finish), and also "I can be Catholic while not agreeing on EVERYTHING on the Bible" (sadly she ended the conversation before explaining herself).

This is sad to see, really. Also, a part of me might know why she thinks like that.

My parents are pretty much right-wing (far right), and in France this party is the most nihilistic thing ever. I dont see myself in any party, left wing is too secular (and celebrates sin), right wing is too hateful (and celebrates sin too), my mom might have a strong opinion on something, if the politician is saying the total opposite you can be sure you'll hear her say "He's right", they are WAY MORE into politics than into into religion, they NEVER pray (they say it themselves), they HATE church (my mom mostly, she thinks they are all hypocrites with purity culture and all that) but they LOVE rallies and political speeches.

So all these years of them being nihilistic and hateful most def affected their own faith (If they even got one past 18yo), also the fact they are extremely racists AND LGBTQ+ allies (YES this is a match made in hell), you know how crazy they can twist Bible verses, she even said during the debate "The Devil never attacks me" (I dont think this is a good thing mom, or you are being arrogant...).

So now I'm in this pretty difficult situation where I am the only one standing for the Faith they claim to follow, and EVERYTIME I explain to them with as much kindness as possible they hit me with the "Stop forcing YOUR vision of Christianity to US, we were Catholics way before you were even born", and the worst ? They have A LOT of Virgin Mary (bless her) statues in the house, and while I love the decoration, with all the context it makes me extremely uncomfortable because it is almost like they WANT to prove they are Catholics, but they never prove it to GOD Himself.

They grew up in the portuguese immigrant culture, where Catholicism is a central point of it, my mom did catechism, but once she left her parents she left church too, but she confirmed that there was no trauma, she was just not into church anymore. So I didnt grew up in Faith, I only got baptized at 3yo but that's it. I was atheist most of my life (I'm 19M) because well I wasnt raised to believe in anything, Faith was a background thing to me, a simple neckless. And then in my worst I met God, and I converted to Christianity (I'll follow Catholicism after long considerations), so Faith became really important to me, and when I first realized my family wasnt Christ-friendly AT ALL I really took a hit.

I love them, I love my family, I pray for them, but man if only they open their own Bible instead of watching videos about debunking the Quran, that'd be great...

Sorry for the long post.

So, as someone who is studying Christianity and its doctrines and teachings, most Christians I know keep telling me to stay away from Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and Adventists.

I’m curious why that is. I’ve met and become friends with some people from these groups, and they’re really kind and nice people. So why do so many Christians tell me to avoid them?

As a Buddhist, I’m genuinely curious about this. Christianity seems like such a vast, diverse, and sometimes deeply divided movement.

You have Catholics and Orthodox Christians, then thousands of different Protestant denominations, and restorationist movements like Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Yet all of these groups, in one way or another, claim to be the TRUE followers of the TRUE Jesus and the Bible.

One of my best friends is Mormon, and he explained it to me from the LDS perspective. He believes that after Jesus and the original apostles died, Christianity gradually fell into a “Great Apostasy.” People continued believing in God and practicing Christian ordinances, but the true priesthood authority established by Jesus had been lost. This eventually led to many different churches and denominations. According to his belief, God then restored the original true Church and priesthood authority through Joseph Smith beginning in 1820.

I understand that this is specifically the Mormon explanation, and obviously Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Protestants, and other Christians would strongly disagree with it.

To be honest, I’m going to keep this relatively short. I’m a believer. I’ve believed in God since I was 14, although I was never really a follower, didn’t go to church, etc. Because of a dream, I eventually ended up going back to church (I’m 21 now), and I actually had a pretty good time there for a while.

But I have a social problem. I’m pretty antisocial, and I struggle with being in places with a lot of people, feeling like I belong, or feeling like people actually welcome me.

I’ve been in rebellion for about a month and a half now. I feel a huge emptiness in my soul. I’ve felt empty for years, but somehow God made it worse. Before going back to church, I was barely keeping myself afloat on my own. Now I feel like a complete mess, with no hope for life. And sometimes I feel like God is so selfish that He won’t even let me die.

I feel like God abandoned me. And to make things worse, I refuse to go back to church because I feel like people are going to look at me differently or judge me. And yes, I know you’re supposed to go to church for God, but I’m not going to pretend that my discomfort and feelings don’t matter.

I made a lot of mistakes during my teenage years. I almost killed a family member during a fight, and later I caused a lot of chaos and hurt my ex-partners badly. The emptiness and silence I feel now sometimes feel like God’s ultimate punishment.

Or maybe God wants me to take a leap of faith, risk everything, and put everything in His hands? I honestly don’t know.

All I know is that I’m extremely angry at God right now, and I feel disgusted by everything surrounding Him.

"Can you imagine Jesus dropping the cross,

I’ve had enough. If you people didn’t change by now, you’ll never change. I’ve done nothing but good, you broke my heart and trust, time and time again, and I’m done with you. And even if you say I'm sorry how do I know you won't still do it. I'm done with you I've had enough!!!

Everyone one of us... has felt like that and talk like that and treated one another like that and we can't even imagine Jesus doing that!

But the reason he does what he does is to set the example to become what He is.

He doesn't just wanna lavish you in love He wants to transform you in love."

-Dan Mohler

The power of Love (sermon title)

just have some really tough questions.

So most of my friends dont know god but are really good people. When they die does god just go, hey you heard about me but never put anytime believing in me so you're going to hell. I feel like thats wrong but then again in the bible it says that the only way to heaven is to have a relationship and believe in jesus.

What im trying to say is people might hear about god but think religion is bad so they dont want to believe. But they live their life's perfectly good, are they going to hell?

Also it feels like I know I have a choice to believe in God but it feels like if dont believe then im going to hell. That just seems so messed up like, and feels like forced love or else. I dont really know how the afterlife will play out or how to get into heaven. Also i dont want to go against any athiests but can only cristians answer to this post.

I would like a little encouragement from anyone because.. I'm either in a season of spiritual dryness where I'm not sensitive to the Holy Spirit, experiencing true love, joy, and peace daily, and a dimmed or lack of desire to actually read the Word and fellowship with God... or I'm completely dead: Not seeking, nothing.. Because I know that I've strayed further and further away from God for a long time and I haven't been faithful or kept faith.. I'm just going through the motions and letting trials, sins, and mistakes rock me. By God's Grace, He'd wake me up and then I'd go about the day but there's no purpose no.. joy.. and it's been like this for a while. Yes I do hate sin.. I don't want to coddle with it, especially these lustful thoughts and intrusive ones.. I really hate lust..

Each day, I try to pray but I'm repeating the same words and I'm compulsing. Emotional highs are deceptive.. A big thing that I'm not doing actively is walking by faith, not by sight. Like when I actually try or want to sit down and read the Word or pray.. I'm getting nothing out of it. And I'm being real, I haven't been consuming the Word; I'm just scanning it..

(If y'all may, would y'all pray for me that I'm able to endure though this spiritual dryness and actually reconnect with Godly community who'll hold me accountable? Because I don't want to be lethargic and apathetic towards God and the Holy Spirit. I don't want to keep relying on my own willpower to overcome these intrusive thoughts.. I really want to experience true love joy and peace.. I do want to experience God love and let Him change me instead of me trying to change myself.)

will non-denominational christians go to heaven? I ask this as a 16 year old to better understand, because I've heard that God looks at a person's heart and relationship with Jesus rather than at what part of his followers they are.

I, personally, believe myself either non-denominational or MAYBE catholic. though it probably is the former.