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Life is Empty and Meaningless
What is the meaning of life? I extract phrases from the bible and then relate it to the concept taught in the Landmark forum. Check it out, it's amazing... 1. Life is meaninglessWhat does King Solomon the wisest person in the bible say about life? Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” ..."I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind."13 Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen:Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.15 Just as he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked will he return as he came,and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.16 This is another misfortune:Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?17 Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger. Ecclesiastes 5:13-17And the mighty King David says: 5 Indeed, You have made my days as hand breadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.Psalm 39:5-62. So that you can enjoy what He madeLife being meaningless does not mean it is valueless, you are immensely valuable to God who is making YOU day by day with painstaking love. God made life and everything around us for you to enjoy while walking with Him and He made it good... Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. Genesis 1:31King Solomon says: 24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Ecclesiastes 3:12-1418 I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.20 For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.Ecclesiastes 5:18-243. Life is better with friendsAfter I moved countries and lived in a place where I had few Christian friends, I can say from personal experience the incredible value of friends in my life who love Jesus and who build a similar purpose in their lives as I am. I yearn for having that kind of friends again. Jesus said: 11 I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.King Solomon said: 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.How does this relate to the Landmark forum?With this background from the bible, it is interesting to note that the Landmark forum, a secular for-profit company that teach self-actualization uses this concept as a central tenet of their teachings. It shows how teachings from the bible can be universally applied whether you are a Christian or not because in this case, it is a universal concept. The difference between the Landmark forum and how the bible explains it is in the conclusion at the end. If life as we know it is empty and meaningless then what can we do to give it meaning? Through the bible, we define the value of life in our relationship with God and how we walk with him. In the Landmark forum, you are asked to choose what is of value to you personally, your values and principles allow you to create a purpose for "your life" even though "life" is empty and meaningless. As you can see, if you attend the Landmark forum as a Christian, you can choose the bible as the source of your values on which to create the purpose of your life. The Landmark forum does not attempt to answer any eternity related questions but rather teach you how to make the most effective life you can. Warning: For some people the concept of life being empty and meaningless can be extremely stressfull if they don't succeed in creating a purpose from their values. Some people may even commit to Landmark as their life purpose instead of creating a life outside of it. There is nothing wrong with dedicating one's life to a company that exist to give other people a life purpose but it must be done from a true understanding of your values. Personally, I prefer to make Jesus the rock on which I build my life. As always with any secular teaching, you as a Christian must guard your heart and ask the holy spirit to protect you. Do not simply take what you are taught but learn from others while constantly praying for personal guidance. Ephesians 6:10-18 Although I do not agree with the following links' negative contents I add it here for you to evaluate if you wish: https://forum.culteducation.com/read.php?4,55321,55322 https://forum.culteducation.com/read.php?6,109836,109836  |
Christians and the law
Here is a re-interpretation of statements made by Phil Drysdale on his website about the law and how it impacts Christians. My interpretation of all this is that for the Christian, the law comes into play when we persist in a sinful life. That is, doing an act that is indicated as a sin does not bring us back under the sinful nature but the law serves to highlight the problem and guide us back to the life Christ wants for us. If we however persist in sin then we are choosing to go back to living in sin and not holiness and the law then will expose the sin and gradually bring death. 11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[d] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] 4 Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”One sacrifice has made us perfect forever. (Hebrews 10:14-16) 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.The purpose of the law was to increase sin. (Romans 5:20) 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Christians are not under the law. (Romans 6:14) 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.Christians have been delivered from the law. The law is good, perfect and holy but cannot help you be good, perfect or holy. The law which promises life only brings death through sin. The law makes you sinful beyond measure. (Romans 7:1-13) 7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.There is now no condemnation. (Romans 8:2-3) 8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.The law is a ministry of death, condemnation. It produces a mind-hardening and a heart-hardening veil. (2 Corinthians 3:7-15) 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.The law curses all who practice it and fail to do it perfectly. The law has nothing to do with faith. The law was a curse that Christ redeemed us from. (Galatians 3:10-13) If the law worked God would have used it to save us. The law was our prison. (Galatians 3:21-23) The law functioned in God’s purpose as a temporary covenant from Moses till John the Baptist announced Christ. (also see… Matthew 11:12-13, Luke 16:16) 10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”[a] 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”[b] 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”[c] 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”[d] 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. 15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”[e] meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. 21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23 Before the coming of this faith,[f] we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. The law is for slaves not children. (Galatians 4:24) 21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:“Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child;shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor;because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”[e]28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.The law is only good if used in the right context. It was made for the unrighteous but not for the righteous. (1 Timothy 1:8-10) 8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine The law is weak, useless and makes nothing perfect. (Hebrews 7:18-19) 18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.There is something wrong with the first covenant and it's been made obsolete . (Hebrews 8:6-13) 6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another...13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.References: |
Why God doesn't want Christians to have promiscuous sex
When God made Adam he intended the first human to be God's companion. God wanted to be absolutely united with humans in a way that we have not known since the garden of Eden. Later when He made Eve as a helper for Adam He still wanted to be united with humans similarly to how God is united as father son and spirit. Sin brought separation between God and humans and between humans. Sex is representative of the coming together like it was in the garden of Eden and it is the only way we can get that close to another person. When we have sex with a person, our body soul and spirit blend with that person's for a short time. Afterwards, there are connections and fragments that remain. Humans have made sex cheap by doing it with so many people we became mixed up with so many unions that we no longer notice the bonds we are creating on ourselves. This means God is no longer sharing you with just one other person as He created you but He has to share you with lots of other people and the spirits that may reside with them. How can God truly live through you if you fill your heart with the souls of other people? By having sex with only one person is a way of showing God how much you love Him and give Him full ownership over your life. Read this very good article: "This is what happens when we have sexual experiences outside the confines of marriage. Actually, it’s what happens when we have sexual experiences regardless of our marital status. Every time we have a sexual experience, we are creating deep-rooted bonds with the other individual. There are a few different terms used to describe these bonds but the most popular, and the one I use in my book is “soul ties.” 4 Key steps to breaking soul ties: Acknowledge Confess and Repent Forgive Break and Remove References Non-Christian: I DO NOT agree with the teachings in the following links but use it to point out how sexual bonding is known in multiple religious and naturalistic views: https://earthconnections.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/sexual-energy-and-spiritual-energy-2/ http://gnosticwarrior.com/occult-forces-sex-sexual-union-souls.html |
living with sin vs living in sin
As Christians, we are made free from the eternal consequences of sin but not the earthly consequences. If we do a sin, God forgives us that sin afterwards but at the time that we are doing the sin, He will not be giving us all His blessings. The problem is when we make a decision in our minds to do a sin in the future. So say I decide that because God will forgive me, I can do sexual sins as much as I like. This decision causes us to be constantly living in a state of planning to do a sexual sin. Although we are saved from hell, we end up living like unbelievers and denying ourselves the blessing God has for his children. This means we are forgiven individual sins but if we make a decision to continuously sin then we are continuously living in that decision. This robs us of the relationship that God has planned for us and makes us weak vessels for Him. |
Christian Evolution
The Bible was meant to be a book of faith, not one of science. I do not believe that every word of the Bible was written by God Himself as a "biblical literalist" would. Rather I believe it was written by men who were inspired by God to present a spiritual message and who explained that message with historical and poetic detail. They wrote what they believed was true, but since they were men of faith writing what essentially was a spiritual message. They used daily events, folklore, and mythology to fill out the message and help with the interpretation by anyone who may read it. As such, like Galileo, I am not surprised that the Bible is scientifically inaccurate because I look to the Bible for spiritual truths that only God can reveal, not for scientific truths that are best determined by the direct observation of nature. This, in turn, leads me to the second reason why I agree with both creationist and evolutionist theories. The purpose of science is to determine the mechanisms by which the universe operates, of which evolution is one, whereas the purpose of religion is to determine the meaning of the universe, its purpose for existence. As such, it is perfectly legitimate to believe that a supernatural entity created by supernatural means the foundation of space-time and the natural laws and forces that operate and control space-time, then used those very laws and forces to create the universe from the Big Bang onwards. I distinguish between the ultimate origin of space-time and the way space-time subsequently operated. Science may never be able to tell us where space-time came from, but it will be able to explain - from the moment of creation onward - where the universe came from and how it developed. Religion, on the other hand, can tell us that space-time was created by God, and offer reasons why He chose to do so. It's also important to note that God is not bound by time, so although science may measure that it took 14 billion years for the universe to be created, God could have done that in an instant or over 6 earth days or 6 God days, whatever He wanted, and it may still look to us for all possible ways of measuring that it took 14 billion years. |
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