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I don't really relate to Jesus as a "friend" per se, though that shouldn't be off or incorrect. He's to me more of the ultimate role model, showing how we are to relate to one another and to God. And along the same lines, he's the only sinless man to walk the Earth (so another good example for us as to what to work towards). He had beautiful and wonderful encounters with people, that we could/should strive for. And as savior, there's that important aspect.
To me, the Holy Spirit is more what I'd call a friend. This spirit can be with us everywhere, around the clock. It hears our prayers, and can spend our life with us. I don't think I've ever sensed Jesus, but I certainly have with the Holy Spirit. But it's a quiet 'voice' and 'presence', and you definitely have to be quiet and sensing, in this loud world.
I like this; it makes sense. But how do you know the difference between the Spirit and Jesus?
I don't really relate to Jesus as a "friend" per se, though that shouldn't be off or incorrect. He's to me more of the ultimate role model, showing how we are to relate to one another and to God. And along the same lines, he's the only sinless man to walk the Earth (so another good example for us as to what to work towards). He had beautiful and wonderful encounters with people, that we could/should strive for. And as savior, there's that important aspect.
To me, the Holy Spirit is more what I'd call a friend. This spirit can be with us everywhere, around the clock. It hears our prayers, and can spend our life with us. I don't think I've ever sensed Jesus, but I certainly have with the Holy Spirit. But it's a quiet 'voice' and 'presence', and you definitely have to be quiet and sensing and receptive, in this loud world.
Sure, I spent most of my life as an agnostic, which is why I am so full of questions that don't even occur to life-long Christians. I never questioned it until I was 18, then I absconded and "came back" 10 years ago. Struggling ever since.
I'm not "following" any particular dogma, just decided to believe in Jesus after all.
So, it's the "faith" doctrine that you are holding on to?
Makes sense.
The facts point to there not being a Jesus.
Christians use their own book (The Bible), to back up their arguments. It's all good. Some of my less astute classmates in elementary school had imaginary friends.
I like this; it makes sense. But how do you know the difference between the Spirit and Jesus?
I'm not sure we could say 100%. I just get the impression that Jesus had a main mission, more of a public presence among people for teaching the world, and the spirit has a different role, personally and inwardly. The first was outward, definite and visible (with a name and speech), the other internal, vague and mysterious.
Maybe it really doesn't matter - or should matter - where the 'boundary lines' are.
my best friend of 50 years is a devoted christian. I love her so much and respect her values. i don't share her religion, i'm jewish, but her Christianity has given her great strength, a happy life, and fulfillment. she is kind above all.
she is the most godly woman i've ever known.
Last edited by texan2yankee; 04-30-2024 at 05:15 PM..
Believe that Jesus his Lord, died for your sins and rose from the dead
Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23
Confess and Repent
Romans 10:9, Romans 10:13, Acts 17:30-31
John 3:16. For GOD so loved (insert your name)
When a person does the above, you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
One now has a relationship, to develop each day, by praying, reading the Bible, attending a church weekly.
You remind me, to say Good Morning to Jesus, put on the Armor of GOD.
But you know that people DO all those very things, sometimes for years, and yet they never feel "filled with the Holy Spirit" or as if Jesus is close by or a friend.
You have to believe it on faith, but you don't actually ever get to feel anything, at least I didn't. As mordant pointed out, this is not the first time I've addressed this. It's a question I started asking myself sitting in church years ago. I don't feel God/Jesus is anywhere near me. I have no sense of Jesus being there when bad things happen to comfort me or bring help to me, which is what a friend might do.
And so that's made me ask So what's the point of it, then? Why go to all that trouble when there's no positive benefit in return? How does an indiscernible Jesus that one cannot feel or sense become a friend? I just don't get it.
I'm talking about how does this affect one's life in the here and now, not the "Life might be difficult or sad or lonely now, but think how it will be SO GREAT when you're dead!" aspect of Christianity.
So, it's the "faith" doctrine that you are holding on to?
Makes sense.
The facts point to there not being a Jesus.
Christians use their own book (The Bible), to back up their arguments. It's all good. Some of my less astute classmates in elementary school had imaginary friends.
You are new here, so please read the rules. The existence of God/Jesus is not argued in the Christianity forum. You are welcome to take that conversation to R&S general or the Atheism subforum.
That verse where Jesus says "I no longer call you servants, but friends". (I never knew he ever called us "servants" )
And that hymn: "What a friend we have in Jesus".
YES, that's the first thing I thought of when I saw your thread.
Heard that all the time as a child, and since I was a child, I thought that was how it was supposed to be.
You could give over your troubles, your fears, your burdens to Jesus, and things would be better. You'd feel as if you had someone to help you, someone with whom you talk to find solutions to what was wrong, someone who had the power to make things better or at least make the heaviness lighter as you worked your way through whatever the difficulties were.
It's a nice song, but it doesn't work that way. Or maybe it does for some people, but as for the rest of us, there must be something about us that Jesus just doesn't like.
OR, John Calvin and BaptistFundie are correct and there're the elect, and there are the rest of us who didn't make the cut from birth.
Jesus defines himself this way, as do infinite books, hymns, etc.
I am a believer, but I have never "felt" Jesus. I'm just being honest here. If we think about the definition of a friend, wouldn't Jesus be in the "imaginary" category? Because we can't hear, see, touch or feel him in any way. How can a human have a friend like that?
I have occasionally had a thought pop into my head that seems like it might be coming from a source outside my own mind, but I can't be certain. It certainly isn't like someone is "talking" to me.
This has been an ongoing struggle for me, so I'd appreciate any thoughts of how YOU experience Jesus as a friend .
The way that I understand Jesus to be my friend, in addition to being my Lord and Savior and other things, is by knowing what He has done for me, Sand&Salt. I was created through Jesus and Jesus gave His life for me. He was the Son of God, a human being, who died long ago for me. He laid down His life for me because He loved me and now He gives me true life. He loved me even when I was not a friend to Him, but an enemy. That is a definition of a friend to me. A friend cares about you, listens to you, wants the best for you, helps you, is on your side and Jesus is all of this. Jesus had done and continues to do all of these things for me even if I cannot see Him in the flesh. In my spirit I know that He is with me, that He loves me, that He is with me through the Holy Spirit. All work together, the Father, the Son and God's Holy Spirit all work together in my life to let me know how much I am loved by God. Sometimes to bring them down to a more concrete, personal level, when I am reading the scriptures, I may insert my name into the scripture. For example:
Ephesians 1
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed Shana with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, in Christ, just as He chose Shana in Him, before the foundation of the world, that she should be holy and blameless before Him..
Sometimes I visualize myself talking to Jesus or walking beside Him. I visualize Him covering me and surrounding me with His perfect love and in the past I have written letters to Him. I hope some of this helps. God bless.
Last edited by ShanaBrown; 04-30-2024 at 08:54 PM..
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