Some mainstream Christians believe God is a man

[Fig-bearing Thistle]

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

[Vlad III]

Originally Posted by Fig-bearing Thistle

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

Good question.

My guess is that at least 100% of the LDS-critics will say God is a spirit.

[John T]

Originally Posted by Fig-bearing Thistle

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

Acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity is a defining watermark for groups that are Christians and wannabe Christians. because the LDS people (and JWs, and others) refuse to accept this, even though there is plenty of evidence in Scripture for that, then those who reject that doctrine can not be Christians, BY DEFINITION.

I am not gonna dis your step mom, but I will say that her Christian theology was not in keeping with what Christians believe and teach.

[Vlad III]

Originally Posted by John T

Acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity is a defining watermark for groups that are Christians and wannabe Christians. because the LDS people (and JWs, and others) refuse to accept this, even though there is plenty of evidence in Scripture for that, then those who reject that doctrine can not be Christians, BY DEFINITION.

I am not gonna dis your step mom, but I will say that her Christian theology was not in keeping with what Christians believe and teach.

God: "You lived a faithful life. Served your neighbors. Worshipped me. Tried to follow the Savior Jesus Christ in your thoughts words and deeds. Do you believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one substance in 3 beings, or aka. the Trinity?"

Man: "Yes."

God: "Well-done. You may enter into my rest."

----------

God: ""You lived a faithful life. Served your neighbors. Worshipped me. Tried to follow the Savior Jesus Christ in your thoughts words and deeds. Do you believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one substance in 3 beings, or aka. the Trinity?"

Man: "I believe in the Father, the Son and also the Holy Spirit. I believe that they are 3 distinct persons, one in purpose not in substance. They make up the one true Godhead."

God: "Infidel! Tou fool! Thou shalt be thrust down to the fiery lakes of Hell where tou wilt weep and wail and gnash thine teeth for eternity!!"

----------------
----------------

This is the mainstream Christians God, according to JohnT and many others.

I would just as soon be the second man than to spend an eternity in the presence of such an evil, conspiring, bigoted, and narcissistic god as the one the mainstream Christians are trying to pawn off to the LDS.

[stemelbow]

Good point, Fig. I don't know how many un-trained mainstreamers feel the same way, fo course, but I can tell you I have met many who do/have. I'd say its more of a sign that the mainstreamer hasn't been taught the full concepts of their religious belief--something Russ, if consistent at all, should complain about but won't--or the person just can't accept the illogical Trinity explanation of the nature of God. Either way it seems many other mainstreamers won't consider such a person who believes God is a man, a Christian or part of their group. Thus the exclusivity and disunity of mainstreamism.

love,
stem

[John T]

Originally Posted by Vlad III

This is the mainstream Christians God, according to JohnT and many others...

I would just as soon be the second man than to spend an eternity in the presence of such an evil, conspiring, bigoted, and narcissistic god as the one the mainstream Christians are trying to pawn off to the LDS.

When you are able to engage in a civil discussion, then maybe we will deal with you.


Meanwhile, DO NOT PUT WRONG WORDS INTO MY POSTS THAT ARE NEITHER SAID, NOR IMPLIED.

That is as rude as it is juvenile.

[Sentinus]

Originally Posted by Fig-bearing Thistle

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

In response to all:

Most I know see absolutely NO reason to try and explain what God is. Our finite minds cannot comprehend things of infinite nature. All of our attempts to personify Him are in my opinion futile and will indeed fall short of what the glory of God really is.

Kind regards,
Sentinus

[stemelbow]

Most I know see absolutely NO reason to try and explain what God is.

Indeed. If you are speaking about most mainstream Christians, I'd think the reason for that is because most of them think the explanation of what God is has already been made starting with the result of the council of Nicaea.

love,
stem

[Billyray]

Originally Posted by Fig-bearing Thistle

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

Christians believe that there are true born again believers who sit right next to non born again members of the same church each week, this is often referred to wheat and tares. The fact that your step mother left the Christian church would indicate that she was not truly born again and if this is true it would not surprise me at all that she has a false concept of the true God.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Fig-bearing Thistle

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

Not common at all.

John 4:24 and Luke 24:39 put Mormonism's ideas of God being a man from a planet near a star called "Kolob" to rest.

[Sentinus]

Originally Posted by stemelbow

Indeed. If you are speaking about most mainstream Christians, I'd think the reason for that is because most of them think the explanation of what God is has already been made starting with the result of the council of Nicaea.

love,
stem

You missed part I think..

Originally Posted by Sentinus

Our finite minds cannot comprehend things of infinite nature. All of our attempts to personify Him are in my opinion futile and will indeed fall short of what the glory of God really is.

This includes the attempts made at Nicaea for many I know.

Kind regards,
Sentinus

[Vlad III]

Originally Posted by John T

When you are able to engage in a civil discussion, then maybe we will deal with you.


Meanwhile, DO NOT PUT WRONG WORDS INTO MY POSTS THAT ARE NEITHER SAID, NOR IMPLIED.

That is as rude as it is juvenile.

LOL...rude and juvenile?

Great!! I'm glad that you disagree that God will condemn people that believe and follow Christ but that do not believe the concept of the Trinity.

BTW, you don't have to like or accept my 'parody'.

[stemelbow]

I guess i just gotta know all these most you know. I just haven't seen the same type of thinking among the mainstream crop.

love,
stem

[Sentinus]

Originally Posted by stemelbow

I guess i just gotta know all these most you know. I just haven't seen the same type of thinking among the mainstream crop.

love,
stem

You won't find them here amongst people who seek to expose their perceived problems with Mormonism, that's for sure.

Seek and ye shall find my friend.


Kind regards,
Sentinus

[theway]

Originally Posted by Vlad III

Good question.

My guess is that at least 100% of the LDS-critics will say God is a spirit.

Well… yes and no

Question to Critic:
“Do you believe that Jesus has an Eternal, glorified, incarnate, never to be separated from, body of flesh and bones?”

Critic:
“Yes”

Question to Critic:
“Do you worship Jesus as the one and only true God?”

Critic:
“Yes”

Observation to Critic:
“Then you worship a God with a body of flesh and bones.”

Critic:
“No, and kindly take your blasphemous ideas along to heck with you”

Rest of the Non-Orthodox Christian world:
“Huh… ?”

[theway]

Originally Posted by Sentinus

In response to all:

Most I know see absolutely NO reason to try and explain what God is. Our finite minds cannot comprehend things of infinite nature. All of our attempts to personify Him are in my opinion futile and will indeed fall short of what the glory of God really is.

Kind regards,
Sentinus

Well, therein lies the problem. You can not make a mystery the defining point of what you have to believe in to be a Christian.
But then again maybe you can, just don’t complain about how people perceive that mystery. For all you know they could be right.

[Sentinus]

Originally Posted by theway

Well, therein lies the problem. You can not make a mystery the defining point of what you have to believe in to be a Christian.
But then again maybe you can, just don’t complain about how people perceive that mystery. For all you know they could be right.

Originally Posted by theway

Well, therein lies the problem.

Only for those that make it such

Originally Posted by TW

You can not make a mystery the defining point of what you have to believe in to be a Christian.

Christian = a belief in Jesus Christ.. Pretty simple if you ask me, all other stipulations, interpretation etc. Were imposed by man based on his limited and finite understandings. Jesus's call is a personal one with many and varied paths which lead to him. At least in my humble opinion. I believe Christ looks down and weeps at the pain caused in his name by well meaning people. "Mainstreamers and LDS alike..

Originally Posted by The way

For all you know they could be right.

Never said they weren't either..

Kind regards,
Sentinus

[Bat-Man]

Originally Posted by Sentinus

Christian = a belief in Jesus Christ..

Satan and his followers have "a belief in Jesus Christ".

Would you like to come up with a different, and better, definition now ?

[theway]

Originally Posted by Sentinus

Christian = a belief in Jesus Christ..

I would say,
Christian = Follower of Christ and his teachings

[Sentinus]

Originally Posted by Bat-Man

Satan and his followers have "a belief in Jesus Christ".

Would you like to come up with a different, and better, definition now ?

I am sure others understand my meaning. But just for you, how about "Belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God by whose sacrifice All who accept it are redeemed and no longer found in sin, and by this sacrifice are no longer judged according to law. There is no condemnation in Christ.. I wrote the below poem perhaps it may add some clarity to my perspective, and to what the Spirit of God has lead me to understand.

DETAILS

I do, because He did,
Not because I should.

I emulate by choice,
an outward expression
of my gra***ude.
Compelled by no command.

There is glory in the law,
the law is not the glory.

His Love has set the prisoners free
Through no effort of their own.

Some act to receive,
I act because he gave,
And that makes all the difference.

(Jeremiah D.)

Kindest regards,
Sentinus

[Bat-Man]

Originally Posted by Sentinus

I am sure others understand my meaning. But just for you, how about "Belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God by whose sacrifice All who accept it are redeemed and no longer found in sin, and by this sacrifice are no longer judged according to law.

So are you saying that all a person needs to do to become a Christian is "accept" the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made ?

Please explain in what sense you believe a person should "accept" his sacrifice, and exactly what it was that you believe he was sacrificing ?

I accept the fact that the work of Jesus Christ was to save sinners, and I also accept the fact that a bunch of his corrupt and apostate people urged their Roman leader named Pontius Pilot to sentence him to die upon a cross, but I don't accept the sentence of Pontius Pilot or the urgings of his corrupt and apostate people who sanctioned his death, nor will I ever accept the idea that he needed to die on a cross.

His purpose in coming here was to live and to teach us how to live, not to die on a cross, and the fact that God sent him to help us knowing there would be wicked people who would urge that he be sentenced to death doesn't mean God approved of his death on that cross on which he did die.

There is no condemnation in Christ..

Christ is the key, Sentinus.

We are to worship and follow Jesus Christ by living our lives as he lived his, not accept his death as if his death is what saved us. His life is what saves us, and it saves us only if we live our lives as he did, and only to the extent that we live as he lived and still lives his life.

I wrote the below poem perhaps it may add some clarity to my perspective, and to what the Spirit of God has lead me to understand.

O.K.

DETAILS

I do, because He did,
Not because I should.

Okay. I think that as long as you do, that is enough.

I emulate by choice,
an outward expression
of my gra***ude.
Compelled by no command.

Okay.

I think that as long as you do as he did, as well as you can, that is enough.

There is glory in the law,
the law is not the glory.

Okay.

I think that as long as you give God the glory for the good you do, and know how to do, because of the example of Jesus Christ, that is enough.

His Love has set the prisoners free
Through no effort of their own.

Okay.

He did what he did, and you do what you do, and hopefully what he did combined with what you do is and will be enough to save you.

Some act to receive,
I act because he gave,
And that makes all the difference.

Okay.

I believe I can relate to everything you were talking about.

And now the question is: Was Jesus Christ, who is God, ever a man ?

... and is he now still a man who is also God ?

[James Banta]

Originally Posted by Fig-bearing Thistle

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

I am not surprised that she is now LDS she never believed the scriptures for the beginning.. IHS jim

[Fig-bearing Thistle]

Originally Posted by James Banta

I am not surprised that she is now LDS she never believed the scriptures for the beginning.. IHS jim

Maybe it's you who never believed the scriptures from the beginning.

[Fig-bearing Thistle]

Originally Posted by Billyray

Christians believe that there are true born again believers who sit right next to non born again members of the same church each week, this is often referred to wheat and tares. The fact that your step mother left the Christian church would indicate that she was not truly born again and if this is true it would not surprise me at all that she has a false concept of the true God.

Ah. So...

That person sitting next to you in the pew, could be a tare.

The litmus test is to ask them if they believe God is a spirit w/o form. Depending on their yes or no answer, you will know if they are a tare or wheat.

Is this what you meant?

[James Banta]

Originally Posted by Fig-bearing Thistle

Maybe it's you who never believed the scriptures from the beginning.

Really the scripture says that God is one Lord.. It says that there was never another Gof formed nd never will be. It says that God doen't even know of another God.. But I am the one that doesn't believe the scriptures.. Your 'maybe' is like saying maybe the surface of the sun isn't hot... IHS jim