cslewislover wrote:1 Timothy 6:17-19: "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
Paul doesn't say here that the rich or anyone else has to give everything they have away, but to be generous and willing to share. But I'm more concerned with your belief that you believe in the Lord mentally, but not spiritually, basically. I find this hard to fathom as biblical. I don't mean you are bad, LOL, I just believe what the bible says: that for anyone who believes in Christ and that he died for them, that they will be saved. How can you say you believe, yet are not be saved (I mean, I get what you're saying . . . )? Jesus said you'd be saved, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned . . . " (John 4:18a). It seems like something Satan would do to keep you from your joy in the Lord, and any encouragement you would get from Him.
To me it dosn't seem that hard to understand as I said I believe as a
logical thinker believes, With His Head or Brain, and not with my Heart as Jesus said we must do to be "Born Again". Paul more or less quotes Jesus in Romans 10 :9,10 when he [inspired by God] states "If you confess with your mouth and believe in your
heart you will be saved, Using human reasoning I can concieve of an all powerful God or spiritual being that is able to create a universe and based on that assumption be able to do all the other things an all powerful God could and has done, but in thinking this way I am using my brain not my heart, to me logically thinking my heart is only an organ for pumping blood and has no ability to believe or disbelieve anything I have to depend on my brain for that and as Jesus stated "The people do honor me with their mouth but their
Heart is far from me"(Talk is cheep) I guess what I am saying is that I am able to except the bible from a logical point of view but not a spiritual one, When Jesus told Nicodemus "You Must Be Born Again" Nick couldn't understand it and Jesus told him in so many words that that kind of birth only comes from God. And thats the part I don't have, The bible says "ask and you will recieve, seek and you will find"Etc. well I have done that under my own power but with no results, I'm not about to say God is a lier, as the bible also states He cannot lie, but what ever it is I lack I have come to the conclusion that only God will be able to provide if He chooses to do so....God Bless...Ray