Hi everyone. My name is Ron. I'm 39 and live in Canada. I've been a Christian most of my life. I was raised as a Catholic, but over the last 15 years I have been a member of the Shepherd's Chapel church in Gravette, Arkansas.
As a Catholic, I truly never understood very much about what the Bible actually teaches. During weekly mass, there was always a reading from the Old and New Testaments and then usually a 40 minute or so sermon based on whatever the particular priest wanted to speak about and more often than not, the sermon had nothing to do with what was written in the Bible. There were the feasts and celebration of saint's days, but the truth of what was spoken in the Bible was simply not understood. I became friends with various priests, but even they could only explain so much and I found myself disillusioned in my early twenties. I looked at life and kept asking myself, "Is this life all that there is?"
In my mid twenties I was watching TV one day and I came across the broadcast for Shepherd's Chapel. Over the years I watched every TV evangelist there is, so I decided to spend an hour watching this program, just to give it the benefit of the doubt. I thought it would just be more rehetoric from some guy who wanted me to send cash donations. I found the complete opposite.
During the last 20 minutes of the broadcast there was a question and answer session from viewers. Pastory Murray who runs the Chapel said something I found amazing. He said that Cain was the son of Satan and Eve. The first question that came into my head was, "What kind of heresey is this?" Growing up as a Catholic, I was taught that Cain was the son of Adam. Pastor Murray went on to explain the meaning of Hebrew word used for "tree" in the Genesis creation account and I was hooked. I knew that the Bible was much deeper than I ever thought or was taught. And then Pastor Murray said, if you don't believe me, then check out the meaning of the word yourself. I did and he wasn't lying.
Understanding that, along with there being three different heaven and earth ages or eons, two seperate creations of man and that the rapture theory was false, were ground breaking theological epiphanies for me. I was also amazed that he didn't ask for money. And I joined the church shortly thereafter. Jesus says, "It is written. Haven't you read?" And Paul states in the Epistles that God is not the author of confusion. So instead of depending on other people to explain what verses in the Bible actually meant, I instead studied it myself and continue to study it every day. I have yet to find one contradiction within the pages of the Bible and I now believe what the Bible says about itself: that the Word, works and way of the LORD are perfect.
As for science and God, true science easily shows the truth of a creator God. The two most brilliant genius scientists who ever lived were Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. Newton is one of my personal heroes. After discovering the theory of gravity, developing the refracting telescope, mathematically proving the cycle of precession of the earth, explaining the spectrum and the development of colours and inventing calculus, Isaac Newton spent the last 50 years of his life studying the Bible. In his various biographies, his biographers stated that he was quite introverted, probably because he was so smart that very few people he could even relate to. I find it fascinating that a genius like Newton would study the Bible. But after reading it many times myself, there is only one reason why a genius mind like his would find it so appealing. And that is because within it's pages he found an intellect far greater than his own. The great laws of physics he discovered were put in place by God for him to discover he once said. Einstein was a Jew, but my favorite quote from him is this one: Jesus Christ is no myth for no myth contans such life. it is a travesty and a shame that in our present time there are so many arrogant scientists that claim there is no God, when there peers who were greater geniuses than they ever could hope to be, wouldn't deny Christ. I would suggest for those of you that haven't read it to read Isaac Newton's last book published posthumously entitled, "Observations on the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation."
I use the King James Version (KJV), not the new one because it is closer to the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek manuscripts, than it's predecessor the Latin Vugate or Catholic Bible. The Bible wasn't written in Latin. A modern Catholic Bible is a English Bible transcribed from the Latin language. A King James Bible is an English Bible transcribed from the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek languages, thus there is no filter language it has to pass through. The altering of the Bible into Latin then English caused much distortion and has led to many different denomination being formed, when Paul states in 1 Cor 1, that there is not supposed to be any divisions within Christianity.
And just to note, there was origianlly a preface to the KJV by the priests and scribes that King James asked to have included in the Bible, which was never reprinted after the 1611 version. To sumarize, it is a letter from the priests saying that they have done they're best to interpret and translate the origianl languages but they may have made some mistakes. Here is a link to the letter that was included in the original.
http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/pref1611.htm
Anyways, a pleasure to meet you all. If you have any Biblical questions please ask, it keeps my mind active. I'm sure you will see various posts from me as time goes on. And I do have a favorite verse in the Bible. It is Isaiah 45:7.
Isa 45:7, I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
And that is either the most audacious statement ever made or it is the truth. Jesus said I tell you the truth and my Word is truth. And if his Word is truth, than it can not be a lie.
And as for those who don't believe that the Holy Spirit is God, Jesus slams the door shut on all doubters when he says,
John 4:24, God is a Spirit.
Peace to you all
Psalm 147:5, Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
Victor
Victor
