ImmaUpgradeYou: I want to become a Christian. How or where do I start? I'm sorry if this is against the rules. Serious responses please.
Daniel: Start here. Don't go to church; most of them lead to hell. Don't listen to the people on [this forum]; most of them are not in the truth.
Shabanana_XII: On the contrary, I personally advise against this, ImmaUpgradeYou. This source makes claims like, "Polygamy, while condemned in America, is not condemned in the Bible. This shows that America is not always the arbiter of truth," or something like that. Also, it says sex while menstruating is a sin; that may be so (Idk), but the source they give for that is Leviticus, which also says that if a man has nighttime emissions, he must "leave" civilization for a week.
Finally, going to church is a must. Christianity is a collectivist religion, not an individualistic one, in which the community is unimportant. Go to church!
Daniel: Indeed, polygyny is not forbidden by God.
Sex during menstruation is called an "abomination" by God. He doesn't call "night time emissions" an abomination.
Where does the Bible say you must attend church,i let alone a false one? My advice to avoid church is due to the fact that most churches are not in the truth. You don't need anyone but Christ to save you, (John 8:31-36ii) and He surely doesn't save anyone in a false church.
saved_son: The Bible tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Hebrews 10:25iii
The church in the book of Acts met together everyday and held all things together. Acts 2:44-46iv
Paul tells us we are like a body, each needing the other parts to be encouraged through each others spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12v
Christianity is not to be practiced alone but in community. A church is the followers of Christ coming together.
Your focus on which church is in the "truth" or not in "the truth" worries me. Who are you to decree truth?
Daniel: Indeed, fellowship with believers is a good thing.But it is not required.vi
Who am I to decree truth? I am a believer of the Bible, and the things I say are from the Bible. It says to not have fellowship with darkness, but rather expose it. (Ephesians 5:11vii)
saved_son: Required? I'm saying to tell someone who wants to become a Christian to NOT go to church is bad advice.
In my experience, every Christian who says to themselves "I'll just be a Christian at home, I don't need anyone else.", either leaves God entirely, or ends up creating some very bad theology from their own understanding.
Daniel: If they go to a false church, they are in a worse spot than if they were alone.
Marali87: In fact, hide away in an underground bunker and don’t trust anyone!viii
Naugrith: What is that site? It seems to be the writings of one man, and not any church, though he pridefully calls himself a "true" church, while rejecting Christians and Christianity at every turn.
Christ is not followed by rejecting his people, but by embracing them in love.
Daniel: It is a church. We've got some members. We don't reject true Christians. We expose false Christians and false teachers. (Ephesians 5:11) It's out of love that we warn them; we don't want anyone to perish.
Darwin: Hebrews 10:
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Problem is, the world's idea of church is a false church.
- John 8:
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. - Hebrews 10:
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
- Acts 2:
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, - 1 Corinthians 12:
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
Darwin: I think Hebrews 10:24-25 is a command, a requirement. But again, the world's idea of church is false. Also, those who love God love those who love God.
1 Peter 1:
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
- Ephesians 5:
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
- Said sarcastically.↩