Deutsche Version | Wiki Start | Topics Collection vii

Questions of Faith ...

Monday, Jan 19, 2015. How do you clarify your questions of faith? What is your own personal strategy to gain more clarity in questions of faith? Are you making progress? Or have you given up already, being convinced that there are no answers to sincere questions?

Youth Group Questions …

We had sincere questions in our youth group last evening. When we started to discuss what attracts us to faith or to Jesus, I also asked: what is it that you do not like, what is it that does cause difficulties? What is it that you did not understand. And we got into a long discussion of some of the points. It was interesting, that these pressing points reached deep into the heart of Christianity: heaven and hell, being found and being lost, faith and salvation!

In our youth group, we talked about the question of heaven and hell. Can it be that there is a decision at some point? How can God allow some to be lost? Does it fit to the love and justice of God? Jesus is clearly warning us, that it is possible to miss the kingdom of God. He even claims that many people miss it. How does it fit? Can we understand it?

When we talk about Christianity and this decision point, the first thing we need to understand is the role of Christ Jesus, the role of the cross. At the cross, God is already making justice real. His judgement is carried out on Jesus at the cross. When we search for God's mercy, for his love, for his ability to forgive, to open a door into heaven which every single human can use, we find it all here, at the cross!

Already judged …

When we understand, that judgement is already carried out on Jesus, we can also gain understanding about the words of John: this is judgement, the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness more than the light (John 3, 19). Judgement takes place by our own decisions. It is our choice, not to believe. It is our choice, not to ask. It is our choice, not to clarify our questions.

Let us go one step back: what do we believe? If God is as real as the bible claims, there is a decision point. It is there, independent of what I think or what you think about it. It is a reality, and it happened already in Jesus, and it happens now, today and tomorrow. And it will happen when time is replaced by eternity. The bible claims that there is an open door in Jesus. Everyone is invited.

I think that everyone needs to come to his own conclusions. You need to ask yourself. Go to God, talk to him, and find out! What does it help you if I am convinced, if I have found him. Yes, I can tell you that he is wonderful. But you need to see it yourself. Your own trust and faith is needed, not a big faith, but faith as tiny as a mustard seed. Go and ask God yourself! (RWEP) ... more texts