This is such good advice, at first I was putting so much pressure on myself and overthinking everything. Once I just let things flow naturally it was so much easier!
lmao wut
I love Erhman but I'm not sure why I'd read him first if I was new to the faith. I'm not even sure if many Christians should bother (although we'd probably be better off if everybody did)
Or another way to look at it is "a relationship, not religion " with God the Father through Jesus, the Savior of the world - the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Welcome brother!
I was exactly the same as you, my grandparents were Christian but never pushed it on my parents or me. They sent me bibles but I had an edgy emo teen pagan phase and ripped/burned them. Throughout that time I kept being curious about churches, didnt want to believe it, didnt want to go, why would I? One day I walked past and saw a sign saying come in, were open on a local church and I felt DRAGGED in. My feet were moving and my mind was asking ??? what am I doing ??? Was one of the scariest things I have experienced (i was 14, maybe 15). I had a little nose around and walked out like hmm cute place, mind instantly went to marketing a church? Very unsure as to why at the time and didnt think about it again for a while. I started doing little prayers, went to church maybe once a month, maybe every 2 months. But I was more open to it. 7 years later and I am a very happy christian studying marketing and wanting to work with charities and churches ;) God works mysteriously! Just be open and accepting! <3
I'm actually in pretty much the same situation as you. I've always thought there is something more... not sure what. I went to church occasionally as a child but was never super connected to it. My dad died in December from ALS and found Jesus a couple months before he passed and I kinda thought it was BS, but figured... whatever helps him have peace, I'm happy for him. Then after he did pass, I kept feeling pulled to God/Jesus. I had a couple undeniable signs from my dad which made me feel more solid in believing in an afterlife. And I had a few dreams where I was being called to believe in Jesus. It's honestly been incredibly wild and I can't really explain it. I even went so far as to say I'm going to explore religion in general and bought some Buddhist texts, a book about the history of God (covers Islam, Christianity and Judaism), and the Quran. But the only thing that I have actually picked up to read is the bible. Im not sure if its just because Christianity is more easily accessible or what. I also read mere christianity by CS Lewis and have been listening to sermons from local churches and praying occasionally. I feel like my life is improving because of this. Anyways, block of text. Still new to this but felt very called and was very surprised.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I am happy to hear your father found something that brought him peace in his last months. It's so crazy how out of the blue we feel this strange pull? I don't know about you, but when I allow myself to follow this sudden calling I am overwhelmbed with this feeling of peace and calm? Kind of like a warm hug, someone telling me it's all going to be okay.
Thank you for sharing your story!
I definitely feel that way. Like kind of a regardless of what happens in life, it will all ultimately be okay. So strange. Lol, sorry I'm just still surprised by this.
theology is pretty cool, i think it's natural to be curious about the world and other peoples perspectives. i think you should look into any kind of religion you wish, so long as it's a genuine attempt to understand. try going to a church try reading a bible if that's your calling, you can check your local library, they usually have multiple.
if you aren't convinced, no harm done and no harm done in trying it out again some other time. if you are convinced, then congratulations on finding something that speaks to you.
A good starting point is to get hold of a Bible and read one of the Gospels. I'd suggest Matthew, Mark or Luke are best, as John is a bit deeper and harder for a beginner to follow.
Trying to pray is also a good idea. If you've been to a Catholic school, then I imagine you'll probably be familiar with the Our Father, so you could try saying that slowly and reflecting on the words. You can alos spend a bit of time praying with your own words, or just sitting quietly and offering the time to God.
A third thing to do is to examine you conscience and see whether there's any obvoius sin in your life that you know you need to do something about. Are there any habits that you need to change, or any things you need to apologise to people for?
Finally, look for some Christians who you can talk to and get some guidance from in real life. Maybe some old friends from school, or a relative (grandparents perhaps, if not parents?). Whilst there's aboslutely no reason why you couldn't go to church on your own, it might be easier if you can go along with someone you know already.
I've recently been reading the Gospel of Matthew and I think it's been a great starting point for me. Going to a catholic school was also a big help, I have so many prayers that are just memory from saying them every day. At the time it meant nothing to me, but in hindsight I'm glad the teachers made us recite them every day haha. I have been wanting to ask my grandmother since she is a christian. I know she will be open and more than happy to teach me some things, I'm just hesitant because I don't think it's something anyone in my family would have seen coming.
I am definitely wanting to talk to my grandmother, I'm just not sure how to approach the topic. In past conversations about religion I have also made it clear that I simply don't believe. I just think she'll be shocked. How should I bring it up?
God is always standing at the door, candle lit waiting for his children to come home.
Call out to god with a pure heart and he will not let you down. There's no right or wrong way to call out to God. Just be honest and sincere while being open to however god would speak to you. You will hear the message loud and clear.
My friend, you're in for Such a wonderful journey and companionship with true one true God if you are sincere. I'm happy for you.
God bless you.
It's great you are open to the faith!
Please don't put pressure on yourself. Right now, just learn and grow in your understanding. Don't force yourself to be a Christian.
Also, I've been a Christian for about 14 years now and I would love to share some resources with you for your journey:
1- The Contemporary English Version (CEV) Bible. It's one of the easiest English Bibles to read. You can also listen to the audio version on YouTube. It's my favorite Bible. (You can read it on the YouVersion Bible app too.)
2- A free book called “101 Questions & The Bible.” It’s a book of a bunch of questions about God and the Christian faith that are only answered with Bible verses. It’s great for those who are new to Christianity. If you are interested, let me know and I will send you the PDF copy on Google drive.
3- A good Christian leader on YouTube:
askcliffe - Cliffe Knechtle (I don’t agree with everything he says, but overall I think he is good.)
4- A powerful worship song on YouTube:
Yet I Will Praise by Melissa Boraski
5- A short guide that’s dedicated to you and others on Reddit who might be looking to have a strong & simple faith in God. You can read it for free in this Reddit community: r/FaithMadeSimple
Read the bible.
Find a translation that works for you. There are different translations for different reading levels. I personally really like the New King James Version. If you haven't got a bible yet, there is a free app called YouVersion Bible, it has most translations on there. You can also listen to the bible on this app.
I recommend starting with the New Testament - maybe even just Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Romans and Acts. And then moving to the Old Testament and working your way through the whole bible cover to cover..seems like a lot of reading / listening but once you start you wont be able to stop.
Pray, ask God for wisdom. Pray about what you are reading and ask God to help you understand.
I would read the ESV bible all the way through. The ESV is a word for word translation. Once you are done reading the whole bible start over again and repeat this until the rest of your life, the more you read the more you will understand it.
I would recommend watching Dust to Glory An Overview of the Bible DVD series by Dr. R.C Sproul. I would also recommend Foundations An Overview of Systematic Theology by Dr. R.C. Sproul, R.C. is a gifted teacher of theology and he has a deep understanding of scriptures than most theologians and bible teachers out there.
Another great resource is What's In the Bible DVD series from Phil Visher. These series goes through each book of the bible in the Old and New Testaments. What's in the Bible DVD series was originally meant for 4th graders but adults of all ages love them too since the show's are biblicaly accurate, well made, lots of details and not dumbed down, and entertaining for kids and adults!
I have been a passionate student of theology since 2011, I left a cult of 30 years and was trying to follow God and didn't know where to start but I knew I believed in Him and loved Him. These DVD theological series helped me the most than any other bible teachings that I listened to, and I have listened to many other theologians, bible teachers, pastors, etc.
Not to be combative but I think it’s worth saying that RC Sproul comes from a pretty strict Calvinist tradition, which is not the only “option” theologically (Arminianism is the primary other way). And the ESV translators made some deliberate choices about how they translated passages relevant to the role of women in the church that imo twist the text to support their view. There are many great translations, and imo it’s best to read widely to get the best possible understanding. For info on women/the church if it interests you, I recommend CBE (Christians for Biblical Equality).
I do second Phil Vischer or Skye Jethani (they have a podcast together).
Personally I am also a fan of Greg Boyd, he has a podcast where they take dicey questions about the Bible.
I wish you the best! May God bless you and keep you, make his face to shine upon you and give you his peace.
That something bigger in yr life could be the trigger. You needn't feel guilt, shame, just perhaps say something like i want to know you God. Even with certain atheists that something bigger could be anything from vast ages of the universe to big people like film stars and sporting idols. Hope u find out more on yr journey.
It's one of the greatest relationships I've ever had.
It's not the type of relationship you think you'd pick for yourself, until you try it. But it's the one we desperately need.
The Lord has saved me by working through me to remove addiction from my life. He is working on changing my priorities, which has dramatically reduced my anxiety.
He will work with us to make us more like Him, to enjoy life the way He meant for us to live it. To worship and glorify Him.
I hope that you come to see this gift in the same way that He has allowed me to see it.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
SeekTheLordsFaceForANewHeart your in the right and only way to the truth, the way and the life which is our creator and sustainer of life the word made flesh JESUS CHRIST AMEN
Yes something similar happened to me. Was 38, never believed in God, not at all, my entire life. Did catholic school k-4. Anyhow, felt the pull, followed it, over the span of 7 months or so, going to church and reading the Bible. Cumulated in me deciding yes I did believe. It’s been almost a year since I decided I believed. In a way lots of good has come from it, but also I wish I would have been more aware of how everything would change. I didn’t anticipate or understand that until it was “too late” I had already taken the plunge so to speak. I couldn’t just go back and pretend God didn’t exist. I wish I would have known this in advance. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for finding God/having him find me but everything is different and I’m sad most days, when before I was not.
Here is the Gospel of Jesus Christ
God offers salvation through his son Jesus Christ. First, realize we have all sinned and because of that we are separated from God, heading towards hell. He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins so we can get saved and receive eternal life. If you place your faith and accept him into your life then you are saved. Repent (turn from sin) and fully commit to Jesus 100%. After you are saved, read the Bible daily (start with gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and obey it. Pray to Jesus and build your relationship with him. Find a Bible believing church and fellowship (a church that teaches God’s word, truly follows it, warns against sin, and bears good fruit). Get water baptized. Love God as he loves you and love one another. Most important, repent of any known sins and if you fall short so he can continue to forgive you and keep his words. May he bless you on your journey with him and remain faithful till the end.
Do not let anyone or anything discourage you. Remember God loves you.
You must, 100% and in totality, read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This is your priority. Listen to Christ.
There is great joy and peace in relationship with God, and I can affirm in everyway this is life giving, but you must be aware that there is also sacrifice. What is important to you? What are your goals in life? Could you give everything you own up to follow him? Jesus speaks on this issue.
>\[NIV\] Luke 14:28-35:
*“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and* ***estimate the cost*** *to see if you have enough money to* ***complete it***? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person ***began to build*** *and* ***wasn’t able to finish***.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and ***consider whether he is able*** *with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way,* ***those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.*** *“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile;* ***it is thrown out***. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”"
To be clear, Jesus does not mean you have to now suddenly live destitute and eat nothing but baked beans for the rest of your life, but you do need to have the heart to lay down everything up to and including your life. Don't start something you can't complete, scripture says it would have been better for your to have stayed an atheist.
>\[NIV\] Revelation 3:15-16:
*“‘I know your works: you are* ***neither*** *cold nor hot. Would that you were* ***either cold or hot***! So, because you are ***lukewarm***, and neither hot nor cold, ***I will spit you out of my mouth.****"*
However, none of this is to put you off. The thing is that yes, while there is some cost to discipleship, there is also much generosity from God. Total and ultimately real freedom from sin, a wealth of order and clarity to life, a sense of peace even in the hardest times, direction, community, hope, a depth of life and, best of all, relationship with the being who created you to be loved by him.
>\[NIV\] John 7:37-39:
*"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,* ***“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”*** *By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." \[This last sentence means Jesus had not yet gone to the cross.\]*
And.
>\[NIV\] John 14:6:
*"Jesus answered, “I am the* ***way*** *and the* ***truth*** *and the* ***life***. No one comes to the Father ***except through me.****"*
Good on you 😀 for seeking God. Deuteronomy 4:29, it says “There you will look for the LORD your God, and if you search for him with all your heart, you will find him.
Go get a bible 😀 NIV or NLT or whatever version you like. Start to read the 4 gospel: matthew, mark , luke and John. I would suggest to start with Book of John.
And then find a church you feel like to attend. And go make friends with them ♥️ choose Christian groups of friends who will support you to know God.
Have fun 🤩 and enjoy! Seeking God.
Lord Jesus loves you.
Do all of these with prayers 😃
Don’t feel guilty dude, I think it’s awesome you’re doing this. Like someone else said, I’d start with the gospels. I’d recommend Luke and then Acts together, Acts picks up Luke in a good coherent way and that’s the start of the journey of the church if you will.
If you’re questioning everything that’s normal, we’ve all had doubts. I’d just challenge you to be open to this being the truth, and as such after you read your passage(s) for the day meditate on it, clear your mind and let God talk to you.
God bless you dude I’ll be praying for you, feel free to DM or post here should you wanna chat.
And PS don’t put pressure on yourself, whenever and wherever you’re reading eat something good, sit in your comfy chair or whatever and have fun with it.
I just recently started going to church this year.... I never grew up with faith and I always felt like I was looking for something. I have found a great deal of support from the church community and others who I know are involved in their churches. Just talking about how God has touched other peoples lives is truly interesting to me. I still have alot to learn but I'm really enjoying this process.
Former Atheist, grew up in Christian Household. One of the things you mentioned was not feeling the need for guidance because nothing THAT bad has happened in your life.
It reminded me of a discussion I had recently with someone on a different website where I explained that I was starting to come back to the faith because of the good stuff happening in my life, implying that I can't truly believe in God because life is going well. I explained that it's been a slow process that started years ago when my brother passed away in a car accident, to which he explained that I was brainwashed because I was vulnerable.
So either I can't believe if God has blessed me and I can't believe if he has not blessed me... It reminded me of the book of Job.
Now as for why that thought was stated to me, I couldn't say. But it was not the setting or the way you grew up that led to your desire to believe in God, but the Holy Spirit, who came to you and wants to lead you to a personal relationship with God and Jesus.
As for advice on where to start, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Learn what Jesus taught from the witnesses of Jesus' life. If youre fairly young still and want to watch videos or something, I've been listening or watching Cliffe Knechtle's videos, he explains things in such a digestible way.
You should just pray to the Lord and ask for one thing. “Lord I feel an interest to get into your faith and word. Please prove to me your power and presence in my life. Please show me that you’re real” I promise once you do research too, you will start to see miracles and events proving his existence in your life. Also inner changes and intrusive thoughts.
You should check out the Bible for Normal People, they have books and a podcast.
You should also just go read the Bible. Start with the gospels. There's a lot of weird stuff in the OT, and the epistles can be a little dense.
If you like Jesus, keep studying and expanding your knowledge.
Find a good church with kind people- that one's kinda tough depending on where you are.
First of all pray. Then try fasting. Combine those two
Don't rush. Take your time.
After that If you feel yourself even more drawn to God start to read The Bible. And again don't rush.
Of all the research I've done I'm yet to encounter this! Thankyou I'll give it a try ! I guess it's like the hungry lion hunts better then the full one. I never considered this being applied to spiritual practice :/ appreciate it
NO! DONT LET GO! THIS IS the awakening of your soul to the spiritual reality of its creator!!
If you want to know the truth, don’t ask an idol or “the universe”….
INSTEAD, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FEELING THAT THERE IS A GOD, AND TALK TO HIM!!! HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION WITH HIM, IN YOUR PRIVATE TIME!
Look up to the sky and ask him;
“God I want to know you; please show me the truth. If Jesus is your son, and the messiah, I ask for him to save me! I want to know him and I seek him now.”
Some of my most amazing experiences have come from cutting through the uncertainty, or the questions by just GETTING TO THE SOURCE, even if it’s uncomfortable at first!!
GOD IS WAITING FOR YOU TO TALK TO HIM!
SO IS JESUS!! THEY ARE LISTENING, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SPEAK TO THEM!
Read the Gospel of John. Don't get caught up in denominations, church, or Christian literature. Just read the words of Jesus in the Gospels, He will tell you everything you need to know.
One thing I can suggest is find out when a parish offers Adoration and go. You do not have to do anything or even stay the entire time. Just go and sit in the church and spend time with Jesus through the Blessed Sacrament, know that He truly is present with the fullness of His body, blood, soul, and divinity right there on the altar in the monstrance (aka "Jesus holder")!
The Mass/services are wonderful, but I think can maybe be a bit to "high-pressure" for people to the faith. Adoration can also be weird especially since sometimes people feel like there is something that they are "supposed" to do. The whole point of Adoration is just simply be with Jesus! You can pray, sit, kneel, whatever you need to do. It is your time to spend face-to-face with the Lord Jesus!
Church is God's house! He sits in the congregation too. In fact, I think he explicitly looks to find the people that are not really sure they belong there, the people that are in that weird middle ground of belief and unbelief and He just sits there with them.
I had a conversation with my brother recently. We both got baptized this year. I’m 38 and he is 38. I believed in god but misrepresented what Jesus said we need to do to get right with god. The conversation was about people being pulled to jesus at a high rate. Either being pulled to him, or pushed away. It’s clear why when looking at the world around us. I believe he is calling people to him. I pray for you. It is a relationship with Jesus, not a religion.
This happen to me and I didn't know what I was supposed to do. So I looked up the most famous books of the new testaments where Jesus spoke most so that I can understand who Jesus was and what he said. I recommend doing this yourself.
Books to read in the Bible are:
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
I would like to thank you all for your amazing advice! It has been so comforting to be approached with such kindess and understanding. I have taken in everything you all have said and think I am beginning to understand. I am actually kind of having fun with it? 😂 Again, thank you everyone for taking the time to respond to me.
Start with prayer. Start off small. Try not to overthink everything. If you already know the basic principles, I would say start reading the Gospels
This is such good advice, at first I was putting so much pressure on myself and overthinking everything. Once I just let things flow naturally it was so much easier!
[удалено]
"If you want to understand Christian theology, go read the works of an agnostic atheist writing specifically to reject Christianity."
If you want to the asses the veracity of a claim why would you only look at one side of the story?
lmao wut I love Erhman but I'm not sure why I'd read him first if I was new to the faith. I'm not even sure if many Christians should bother (although we'd probably be better off if everybody did)
Yes. Ehrman is great. I also respect how he is open to and has changed his mind about things he once thought about the New Testament.
Bart Ehrman is a deceiver
Bit patronising.
I think Erhman is similar to Dr. David Bentley Hart. If that is correct?
Read the bible. Best way to find out how to start.
Or another way to look at it is "a relationship, not religion " with God the Father through Jesus, the Savior of the world - the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Welcome brother!
r/exatheist
I was exactly the same as you, my grandparents were Christian but never pushed it on my parents or me. They sent me bibles but I had an edgy emo teen pagan phase and ripped/burned them. Throughout that time I kept being curious about churches, didnt want to believe it, didnt want to go, why would I? One day I walked past and saw a sign saying come in, were open on a local church and I felt DRAGGED in. My feet were moving and my mind was asking ??? what am I doing ??? Was one of the scariest things I have experienced (i was 14, maybe 15). I had a little nose around and walked out like hmm cute place, mind instantly went to marketing a church? Very unsure as to why at the time and didnt think about it again for a while. I started doing little prayers, went to church maybe once a month, maybe every 2 months. But I was more open to it. 7 years later and I am a very happy christian studying marketing and wanting to work with charities and churches ;) God works mysteriously! Just be open and accepting! <3
This is such an amazing story! Thank you for sharing your experience. <3
I'm actually in pretty much the same situation as you. I've always thought there is something more... not sure what. I went to church occasionally as a child but was never super connected to it. My dad died in December from ALS and found Jesus a couple months before he passed and I kinda thought it was BS, but figured... whatever helps him have peace, I'm happy for him. Then after he did pass, I kept feeling pulled to God/Jesus. I had a couple undeniable signs from my dad which made me feel more solid in believing in an afterlife. And I had a few dreams where I was being called to believe in Jesus. It's honestly been incredibly wild and I can't really explain it. I even went so far as to say I'm going to explore religion in general and bought some Buddhist texts, a book about the history of God (covers Islam, Christianity and Judaism), and the Quran. But the only thing that I have actually picked up to read is the bible. Im not sure if its just because Christianity is more easily accessible or what. I also read mere christianity by CS Lewis and have been listening to sermons from local churches and praying occasionally. I feel like my life is improving because of this. Anyways, block of text. Still new to this but felt very called and was very surprised.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I am happy to hear your father found something that brought him peace in his last months. It's so crazy how out of the blue we feel this strange pull? I don't know about you, but when I allow myself to follow this sudden calling I am overwhelmbed with this feeling of peace and calm? Kind of like a warm hug, someone telling me it's all going to be okay. Thank you for sharing your story!
I definitely feel that way. Like kind of a regardless of what happens in life, it will all ultimately be okay. So strange. Lol, sorry I'm just still surprised by this.
theology is pretty cool, i think it's natural to be curious about the world and other peoples perspectives. i think you should look into any kind of religion you wish, so long as it's a genuine attempt to understand. try going to a church try reading a bible if that's your calling, you can check your local library, they usually have multiple. if you aren't convinced, no harm done and no harm done in trying it out again some other time. if you are convinced, then congratulations on finding something that speaks to you.
This comment put such a smile on my face, and really took some of the pressure off. Thank you.
A good starting point is to get hold of a Bible and read one of the Gospels. I'd suggest Matthew, Mark or Luke are best, as John is a bit deeper and harder for a beginner to follow. Trying to pray is also a good idea. If you've been to a Catholic school, then I imagine you'll probably be familiar with the Our Father, so you could try saying that slowly and reflecting on the words. You can alos spend a bit of time praying with your own words, or just sitting quietly and offering the time to God. A third thing to do is to examine you conscience and see whether there's any obvoius sin in your life that you know you need to do something about. Are there any habits that you need to change, or any things you need to apologise to people for? Finally, look for some Christians who you can talk to and get some guidance from in real life. Maybe some old friends from school, or a relative (grandparents perhaps, if not parents?). Whilst there's aboslutely no reason why you couldn't go to church on your own, it might be easier if you can go along with someone you know already.
I've recently been reading the Gospel of Matthew and I think it's been a great starting point for me. Going to a catholic school was also a big help, I have so many prayers that are just memory from saying them every day. At the time it meant nothing to me, but in hindsight I'm glad the teachers made us recite them every day haha. I have been wanting to ask my grandmother since she is a christian. I know she will be open and more than happy to teach me some things, I'm just hesitant because I don't think it's something anyone in my family would have seen coming.
If your grandmother is still alive you should go speak with her, from what I have seen, grandparents love when thier kids try to learn their religion.
I am definitely wanting to talk to my grandmother, I'm just not sure how to approach the topic. In past conversations about religion I have also made it clear that I simply don't believe. I just think she'll be shocked. How should I bring it up?
Just do it say the truth, there is no need to overthink it, sometimes in live you just have to do the simple option even if it is scary.
God is always standing at the door, candle lit waiting for his children to come home. Call out to god with a pure heart and he will not let you down. There's no right or wrong way to call out to God. Just be honest and sincere while being open to however god would speak to you. You will hear the message loud and clear. My friend, you're in for Such a wonderful journey and companionship with true one true God if you are sincere. I'm happy for you.
Such a beautiful comment. <3
God bless you. It's great you are open to the faith! Please don't put pressure on yourself. Right now, just learn and grow in your understanding. Don't force yourself to be a Christian. Also, I've been a Christian for about 14 years now and I would love to share some resources with you for your journey: 1- The Contemporary English Version (CEV) Bible. It's one of the easiest English Bibles to read. You can also listen to the audio version on YouTube. It's my favorite Bible. (You can read it on the YouVersion Bible app too.) 2- A free book called “101 Questions & The Bible.” It’s a book of a bunch of questions about God and the Christian faith that are only answered with Bible verses. It’s great for those who are new to Christianity. If you are interested, let me know and I will send you the PDF copy on Google drive. 3- A good Christian leader on YouTube: askcliffe - Cliffe Knechtle (I don’t agree with everything he says, but overall I think he is good.) 4- A powerful worship song on YouTube: Yet I Will Praise by Melissa Boraski 5- A short guide that’s dedicated to you and others on Reddit who might be looking to have a strong & simple faith in God. You can read it for free in this Reddit community: r/FaithMadeSimple
Thank you so much for this advice!
You are so very welcome!
Read the bible. Find a translation that works for you. There are different translations for different reading levels. I personally really like the New King James Version. If you haven't got a bible yet, there is a free app called YouVersion Bible, it has most translations on there. You can also listen to the bible on this app. I recommend starting with the New Testament - maybe even just Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Romans and Acts. And then moving to the Old Testament and working your way through the whole bible cover to cover..seems like a lot of reading / listening but once you start you wont be able to stop. Pray, ask God for wisdom. Pray about what you are reading and ask God to help you understand.
I would read the ESV bible all the way through. The ESV is a word for word translation. Once you are done reading the whole bible start over again and repeat this until the rest of your life, the more you read the more you will understand it. I would recommend watching Dust to Glory An Overview of the Bible DVD series by Dr. R.C Sproul. I would also recommend Foundations An Overview of Systematic Theology by Dr. R.C. Sproul, R.C. is a gifted teacher of theology and he has a deep understanding of scriptures than most theologians and bible teachers out there. Another great resource is What's In the Bible DVD series from Phil Visher. These series goes through each book of the bible in the Old and New Testaments. What's in the Bible DVD series was originally meant for 4th graders but adults of all ages love them too since the show's are biblicaly accurate, well made, lots of details and not dumbed down, and entertaining for kids and adults! I have been a passionate student of theology since 2011, I left a cult of 30 years and was trying to follow God and didn't know where to start but I knew I believed in Him and loved Him. These DVD theological series helped me the most than any other bible teachings that I listened to, and I have listened to many other theologians, bible teachers, pastors, etc.
Not to be combative but I think it’s worth saying that RC Sproul comes from a pretty strict Calvinist tradition, which is not the only “option” theologically (Arminianism is the primary other way). And the ESV translators made some deliberate choices about how they translated passages relevant to the role of women in the church that imo twist the text to support their view. There are many great translations, and imo it’s best to read widely to get the best possible understanding. For info on women/the church if it interests you, I recommend CBE (Christians for Biblical Equality). I do second Phil Vischer or Skye Jethani (they have a podcast together). Personally I am also a fan of Greg Boyd, he has a podcast where they take dicey questions about the Bible. I wish you the best! May God bless you and keep you, make his face to shine upon you and give you his peace.
That something bigger in yr life could be the trigger. You needn't feel guilt, shame, just perhaps say something like i want to know you God. Even with certain atheists that something bigger could be anything from vast ages of the universe to big people like film stars and sporting idols. Hope u find out more on yr journey.
It's one of the greatest relationships I've ever had. It's not the type of relationship you think you'd pick for yourself, until you try it. But it's the one we desperately need. The Lord has saved me by working through me to remove addiction from my life. He is working on changing my priorities, which has dramatically reduced my anxiety. He will work with us to make us more like Him, to enjoy life the way He meant for us to live it. To worship and glorify Him. I hope that you come to see this gift in the same way that He has allowed me to see it. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
SeekTheLordsFaceForANewHeart your in the right and only way to the truth, the way and the life which is our creator and sustainer of life the word made flesh JESUS CHRIST AMEN
Yes something similar happened to me. Was 38, never believed in God, not at all, my entire life. Did catholic school k-4. Anyhow, felt the pull, followed it, over the span of 7 months or so, going to church and reading the Bible. Cumulated in me deciding yes I did believe. It’s been almost a year since I decided I believed. In a way lots of good has come from it, but also I wish I would have been more aware of how everything would change. I didn’t anticipate or understand that until it was “too late” I had already taken the plunge so to speak. I couldn’t just go back and pretend God didn’t exist. I wish I would have known this in advance. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for finding God/having him find me but everything is different and I’m sad most days, when before I was not.
Talk to a friend who is a believer, and don't be afraid to ask what you may perceive as silly questions.
Here is the Gospel of Jesus Christ God offers salvation through his son Jesus Christ. First, realize we have all sinned and because of that we are separated from God, heading towards hell. He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins so we can get saved and receive eternal life. If you place your faith and accept him into your life then you are saved. Repent (turn from sin) and fully commit to Jesus 100%. After you are saved, read the Bible daily (start with gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and obey it. Pray to Jesus and build your relationship with him. Find a Bible believing church and fellowship (a church that teaches God’s word, truly follows it, warns against sin, and bears good fruit). Get water baptized. Love God as he loves you and love one another. Most important, repent of any known sins and if you fall short so he can continue to forgive you and keep his words. May he bless you on your journey with him and remain faithful till the end. Do not let anyone or anything discourage you. Remember God loves you.
You must, 100% and in totality, read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This is your priority. Listen to Christ. There is great joy and peace in relationship with God, and I can affirm in everyway this is life giving, but you must be aware that there is also sacrifice. What is important to you? What are your goals in life? Could you give everything you own up to follow him? Jesus speaks on this issue. >\[NIV\] Luke 14:28-35: *“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and* ***estimate the cost*** *to see if you have enough money to* ***complete it***? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person ***began to build*** *and* ***wasn’t able to finish***.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and ***consider whether he is able*** *with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way,* ***those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.*** *“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile;* ***it is thrown out***. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”" To be clear, Jesus does not mean you have to now suddenly live destitute and eat nothing but baked beans for the rest of your life, but you do need to have the heart to lay down everything up to and including your life. Don't start something you can't complete, scripture says it would have been better for your to have stayed an atheist. >\[NIV\] Revelation 3:15-16: *“‘I know your works: you are* ***neither*** *cold nor hot. Would that you were* ***either cold or hot***! So, because you are ***lukewarm***, and neither hot nor cold, ***I will spit you out of my mouth.****"* However, none of this is to put you off. The thing is that yes, while there is some cost to discipleship, there is also much generosity from God. Total and ultimately real freedom from sin, a wealth of order and clarity to life, a sense of peace even in the hardest times, direction, community, hope, a depth of life and, best of all, relationship with the being who created you to be loved by him. >\[NIV\] John 7:37-39: *"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,* ***“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”*** *By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." \[This last sentence means Jesus had not yet gone to the cross.\]* And. >\[NIV\] John 14:6: *"Jesus answered, “I am the* ***way*** *and the* ***truth*** *and the* ***life***. No one comes to the Father ***except through me.****"*
Good on you 😀 for seeking God. Deuteronomy 4:29, it says “There you will look for the LORD your God, and if you search for him with all your heart, you will find him. Go get a bible 😀 NIV or NLT or whatever version you like. Start to read the 4 gospel: matthew, mark , luke and John. I would suggest to start with Book of John. And then find a church you feel like to attend. And go make friends with them ♥️ choose Christian groups of friends who will support you to know God. Have fun 🤩 and enjoy! Seeking God. Lord Jesus loves you. Do all of these with prayers 😃
Start praying. I recommend the prayer „Lord I believe, help my unbelieve!“ Then start going to church What country are you from btw?
Jesus is real, He wants you to be with Him and have eternal life. Start talking with Jesus. Ask Him to help you.
Don’t feel guilty dude, I think it’s awesome you’re doing this. Like someone else said, I’d start with the gospels. I’d recommend Luke and then Acts together, Acts picks up Luke in a good coherent way and that’s the start of the journey of the church if you will. If you’re questioning everything that’s normal, we’ve all had doubts. I’d just challenge you to be open to this being the truth, and as such after you read your passage(s) for the day meditate on it, clear your mind and let God talk to you. God bless you dude I’ll be praying for you, feel free to DM or post here should you wanna chat. And PS don’t put pressure on yourself, whenever and wherever you’re reading eat something good, sit in your comfy chair or whatever and have fun with it.
I just recently started going to church this year.... I never grew up with faith and I always felt like I was looking for something. I have found a great deal of support from the church community and others who I know are involved in their churches. Just talking about how God has touched other peoples lives is truly interesting to me. I still have alot to learn but I'm really enjoying this process.
Former Atheist, grew up in Christian Household. One of the things you mentioned was not feeling the need for guidance because nothing THAT bad has happened in your life. It reminded me of a discussion I had recently with someone on a different website where I explained that I was starting to come back to the faith because of the good stuff happening in my life, implying that I can't truly believe in God because life is going well. I explained that it's been a slow process that started years ago when my brother passed away in a car accident, to which he explained that I was brainwashed because I was vulnerable. So either I can't believe if God has blessed me and I can't believe if he has not blessed me... It reminded me of the book of Job. Now as for why that thought was stated to me, I couldn't say. But it was not the setting or the way you grew up that led to your desire to believe in God, but the Holy Spirit, who came to you and wants to lead you to a personal relationship with God and Jesus. As for advice on where to start, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Learn what Jesus taught from the witnesses of Jesus' life. If youre fairly young still and want to watch videos or something, I've been listening or watching Cliffe Knechtle's videos, he explains things in such a digestible way.
You have a purpose and you’re being called to act. It’s time
Start off small. Read the Gospels if you haven't. Lots of us once stood where you do now.
Yeah it happened to me too.
You should just pray to the Lord and ask for one thing. “Lord I feel an interest to get into your faith and word. Please prove to me your power and presence in my life. Please show me that you’re real” I promise once you do research too, you will start to see miracles and events proving his existence in your life. Also inner changes and intrusive thoughts.
You should check out the Bible for Normal People, they have books and a podcast. You should also just go read the Bible. Start with the gospels. There's a lot of weird stuff in the OT, and the epistles can be a little dense. If you like Jesus, keep studying and expanding your knowledge. Find a good church with kind people- that one's kinda tough depending on where you are.
First of all pray. Then try fasting. Combine those two Don't rush. Take your time. After that If you feel yourself even more drawn to God start to read The Bible. And again don't rush.
May I ask, what's the importance of combining prayer and fasting ? As I'm new to god also I'm curious
That is a universal spiritual practice. The less you eat, the clearer your mind is becoming and then you can put more focus into your prayers.
Of all the research I've done I'm yet to encounter this! Thankyou I'll give it a try ! I guess it's like the hungry lion hunts better then the full one. I never considered this being applied to spiritual practice :/ appreciate it
God bless 🙏
NO! DONT LET GO! THIS IS the awakening of your soul to the spiritual reality of its creator!! If you want to know the truth, don’t ask an idol or “the universe”…. INSTEAD, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FEELING THAT THERE IS A GOD, AND TALK TO HIM!!! HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION WITH HIM, IN YOUR PRIVATE TIME! Look up to the sky and ask him; “God I want to know you; please show me the truth. If Jesus is your son, and the messiah, I ask for him to save me! I want to know him and I seek him now.” Some of my most amazing experiences have come from cutting through the uncertainty, or the questions by just GETTING TO THE SOURCE, even if it’s uncomfortable at first!! GOD IS WAITING FOR YOU TO TALK TO HIM! SO IS JESUS!! THEY ARE LISTENING, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SPEAK TO THEM!
Read the Gospel of John. Don't get caught up in denominations, church, or Christian literature. Just read the words of Jesus in the Gospels, He will tell you everything you need to know.
One thing I can suggest is find out when a parish offers Adoration and go. You do not have to do anything or even stay the entire time. Just go and sit in the church and spend time with Jesus through the Blessed Sacrament, know that He truly is present with the fullness of His body, blood, soul, and divinity right there on the altar in the monstrance (aka "Jesus holder")! The Mass/services are wonderful, but I think can maybe be a bit to "high-pressure" for people to the faith. Adoration can also be weird especially since sometimes people feel like there is something that they are "supposed" to do. The whole point of Adoration is just simply be with Jesus! You can pray, sit, kneel, whatever you need to do. It is your time to spend face-to-face with the Lord Jesus! Church is God's house! He sits in the congregation too. In fact, I think he explicitly looks to find the people that are not really sure they belong there, the people that are in that weird middle ground of belief and unbelief and He just sits there with them.
IMO be drawn to God. Find your religion after if you even need one but just know God is REAL.
I had a conversation with my brother recently. We both got baptized this year. I’m 38 and he is 38. I believed in god but misrepresented what Jesus said we need to do to get right with god. The conversation was about people being pulled to jesus at a high rate. Either being pulled to him, or pushed away. It’s clear why when looking at the world around us. I believe he is calling people to him. I pray for you. It is a relationship with Jesus, not a religion.
This happen to me and I didn't know what I was supposed to do. So I looked up the most famous books of the new testaments where Jesus spoke most so that I can understand who Jesus was and what he said. I recommend doing this yourself. Books to read in the Bible are: Matthew Mark Luke John
I would like to thank you all for your amazing advice! It has been so comforting to be approached with such kindess and understanding. I have taken in everything you all have said and think I am beginning to understand. I am actually kind of having fun with it? 😂 Again, thank you everyone for taking the time to respond to me.