Believing or Not Believing Because of Evidence

[seer]

Well, that depends on which version you are using. ESV says: "...God, who never lies..." NIV says: "...God, who does not lie..." I was going from memory but it has a semantic range apparently.

This is what I was referring to:

Hebrews 6:18: (ESV)

18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

completely unproven theory and assumes God did not willingly enter into time when he created it with no evidence. The Scriptural evidence says He did.

We agree, I believe that God entered time, works in time, when the universe was created. But that God does not only exist in time, time is His creation He is not limited by it... He is not contained by a time bound universe.

OVT is really Cal-Minian at it's core. It posits that the future is as open as God wants it to be. That lets God meticulously control what He wants and needs to while giving man pretty much free will at all other times. ISTM it's the only explanation for every verse in the Bible whether it suggests God is ordaining something or letting man do the driving and sometimes being "surprised", dismayed etc at the decisions of man. It allows for a true testing of individuals without God lying (which we both believe God does not/cannot do)

Well if I had to choose, I would be a Molinist. Which I'm sure you wouldn't like either.

[TimothyRB]

I have heard that if you believe that the Bible is the word of God because of some evidence outside of the Bible, then you don't believe that the Bible is your final authority. Is this true? What do you think about this?

Suppose someone asks you, "If you were shown strong evidence that Christianity is not true, would you be willing to give up your belief in Jesus?" I have heard some people say that if you answer "Yes" to that question, then you don't believe that the Bible is your final authority. What do you think about this?

A few months back, I had someone actually ask me how I know there is a God and whether I am capable of proving to them whether God existed or not. Here is what my response was, and still is:

There is no proof for the existence of God, nor is there any proof to say God does not exist. For me, living a life that is devoted to God helps me know that He does exist as it gives me a framework in which I guide my life. This means, my life is founded on the simple truths of two things: Love God with all that I have and all that I am, and to love others as I love myself. Concerning the first, I had to come to the end of my own understanding of myself and radically give myself over to God as my Heavenly Father, and learn to walk according to His will and desire for my own personal life. To the second, by me learning and experiencing God's gracious love toward me, I am able to not only come to accept myself for who I am, understand and come to know my personal life meaning and purpose, I'm also able to love other people. For me, that sums up the totality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One cannot scientifically prove, nor disprove love.

[seer]

A few months back, I had someone actually ask me how I know there is a God and whether I am capable of proving to them whether God existed or not. Here is what my response was, and still is:

There is no proof for the existence of God, nor is there any proof to say God does not exist. For me, living a life that is devoted to God helps me know that He does exist as it gives me a framework in which I guide my life. This means, my life is founded on the simple truths of two things: Love God with all that I have and all that I am, and to love others as I love myself. Concerning the first, I had to come to the end of my own understanding of myself and radically give myself over to God as my Heavenly Father, and learn to walk according to His will and desire for my own personal life. To the second, by me learning and experiencing God's gracious love toward me, I am able to not only come to accept myself for who I am, understand and come to know my personal life meaning and purpose, I'm also able to love other people. For me, that sums up the totality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One cannot scientifically prove, nor disprove love.