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Questions From a New Believer

Questions From a New Believer

A new believer in Christ, who is an online listener, wrote in with a list of important questions about Come and Reason and our beliefs, which I think everyone can benefit from.

Question. You said that trust in God comes from observing nature, from understanding Scripture, and from experience. What do you mean by experience? And how can we incorporate these truths into our lives?

Answer. This is such a great question because many people misunderstand how experience can inform and grow our faith. The experience that results in maturing, healing, and character growth is the intelligent testing of ideas against how reality actually works. This requires that we have some understanding of design law—the protocols upon which God constructed reality to operate—and then choose to take actions that test the truthfulness of that law, experiencing the outcome, and noting the impact in our lives and the lives of others. Experience goes beyond theoretical knowledge to applicable knowledge—to the actual doing in one’s life.

For instance, you can study the mechanics of swimming in a classroom, perhaps even write books on the best techniques, but until you get in the water, you still don’t know how to swim; you have no actual experience with swimming. 

Real experience is putting into practice the truths that one understands, then examining the results and adjusting one’s beliefs and practices based on the outcomes. This includes when we put our trust in God, examine our experience with Him, and reassess based on evidence. For example, when someone does us an objective wrong, we are often tempted by an angry desire for retaliation, but design law realizes that harboring anger and seeking to harm another person is out of harmony with health and life. Thus, we choose to forgive—which doesn’t mean what happened was okay, and it often doesn’t change the one who did wrong. Forgiving someone will relieve the offended from the anger, bitterness, and resentment and allow them to heal and experience peace. 


Q. How can I know I’m on the right track and not just satisfying my intellect with these teachings? How can I apply them?

A. I recommend Come and Reason’s Integrative, Evidenced-based approach, which harmonizes Scripture, science, and experience. You can know you are on the right path of implementing truths when all three threads agree. One cannot avoid injury when in violation of God’s design laws for life. Conversely, one cannot avoid improvement when one chooses to live in harmony with God’s design laws for life. 


Q. Since I’ve been studying Christianity with my church, I’ve been wondering if there’s anything else to being a Christian besides going to work, going to church, and being a decent and kind person. 

A. Genuine Christianity is being like Christ in character. Meaning, one has a heart motivated by love and practices the principles of truthfulness, presented in love, and leaving others free. This is a fundamental change in our typical inmost motives, moving away from a fear and self-survival approach to a love and trust approach to life. As such, one develops a mind that seeks to grow in truth, wisdom, and the knowledge of God’s designs with every passing day and live in harmony with God’s designs, because it makes so much sense to do so—no matter where one is in life. Such an approach goes far beyond attending worship services; it is transformational within the person. 


Q. Do you have testimonies of the Remedy really working? 

A. Yes! Tens of thousands have communicated to Come and Reason that when they changed their views about God from a dictator, who imposes law and is the source of inflicted punishment for sin to the Creator God, whose laws are the design protocols for life, their entire experience of life changed. Their fear of getting in trouble went away, their trust in God increased, and their love, admiration, and appreciation for God improved. Because of the law of worship (by beholding we are changed) they experienced change in how they treat others, saw improvement in their relationships, and experienced less conflict at home and work, less anger and frustration, and greater happiness and health.


Q. How much of it do we need, since perfection isn’t possible? Or is it?

A. What law lens do you understand “perfection” through? Imposed rules or design law? The traditional understanding is imposed rules, which makes perfection all about behavior—how well one performs and, thus, this leads many to discouragement and fear. 

However, design law is all about the attitude of the heart—the desire, the intent, the growing up into a mature trust relationship with God, such that we trust Him with our lives. Can a person come to trust God with his or her life, even to the point of death? History is filled with many examples of this. This is Bible perfection: a mature love for God and others, such that our intentions are to do good. But when we replace God’s design law with the false human-imposed law, people focus on performance and live in fear of punishment from God rather than in the freedom of love. 


Q. Do we continue to attend our local church, whose beliefs we don’t completely agree with anymore? They’ve been encouraging and pressuring us to get baptized and become members.

A. There is no black-and-white answer to this question. It must be answered individually, based on the evidence of what is transpiring in the congregation, your understanding of reality, and God’s leading in your life. I would encourage you to make this question a matter of prayer and ask God to lead you to where He wants you to be at this time in your life. 

We are not saved by institutional affiliation, nor ritual, nor proclamations of faith. We are saved by a personal trust-relationship with Jesus Christ: “This is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). If your congregation is helping you grow in a trust-relationship with Jesus, knowing more fully His character, methods, and principles, then stay. But if your group is obstructing your growth in godliness, instilling confusing ideas, ideas that incite fear and undermine your trust in God, then perhaps it is time to seek a new group with which to fellowship.

 

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Testimony 52

Your unique way in spreading the truth is what we all need today. Most of us don’t recognize the contamination coming from all the lies and selfishness in the world. Because of our fear of death, we forgot how to live. Lies left and right. I was losing hope and faith, because of so many ideas that are always contradicting each other – so many questions answered by other, more complicated, questions – until I found your channel on YouTube.

You did not just give me answers, you also taught me how to answer new questions that arise in my mind. Now I see things differently. I see God’s mercy, grace, and Love everywhere, in spite of all the chaos that we all have done as humans. I don’t fear death anymore. Accepting the Truth and Love about God is truly a genuine Freedom from all the confusions, sufferings, selfishness, pain, and death.

I just wanted to say, thank you, sooooo much for revealing the real Remedy for our infected life. I have a new hope and now see the world in a different perspective!

Wheinny P., University Place, WA, USA

 

Testimony 17

The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, USA

 

Testimony 32

The message [of Come And Reason Ministries is] for all Christians (and those who may become Christians) and not just Adventists or any other group. It is difficult to imagine why any [anyone] with intellectual and spiritual honesty could find fault with the way you explained the healing substitution concepts and the truth about God’s character, though I know some will reject and criticize. On behalf of those in our group near Tacoma, WA, thank you and your staff for all of the hard work and for sharing the Gospel in this manner. God’s message of healing love will be carried to the whole world and then Jesus will come – He promised it.

Terry U., Tacoma, WA, USA

 

Testimony 24

I wanted to thank you very much for presenting your understanding of God. I’ve always been troubled by this question: Why did Jesus have to die? Since my conversion I understood that The Father & Jesus are one, I did not have issues with that. But was there not any other way to save us than for Jesus to die? I guess I actually had a question about God – if He is so wise, how come He did not find another way? I did not see the real ‘beauty’  in the cross. Only when you explained the picture in the medical context, Jesus providing medicine for my selfishness, have I started to finally ‘see the light’. Thank you so much. Your seminar, “Healing the Mind,” are absolutely marvelous & have shared them with my family and many other people, including colleagues at work. Thanks, thanks, thanks. May God bless you abundantly in your ministry.

M. W., Australia

 

Testimony 59

I’m a native Ghanan, but am currently in France for my master’s degree. Prior to this, during my final years at undergraduate studies in Ghana, I was introduced to your ministry and I’ve been immensely blessed by what you share, especially about the Design and Imposed Laws. God richly bless you for that.

One of the first things I did when I arrived in France was to buy all four of your books. They not only helped me, but those I shared them with. I shared the message with an atheist student and I marveled at how God worked mightily in his life. Today this person shares the Love of God with others and debunks theories of who God is not. I want to share what you present in your “Heavenly Sanctuary and Investigative Judgment” pamphlet, because the message brought rest to my soul and I live today as a healthy person.

God bless you so much and your ministry.

Michael A., Ghana

 

Testimony 36

Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

Joleen H. GA, USA

 

Testimony 19

I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 42

I am just writing to say that I have been so blessed by the teachings of Come And Reason Minitries recently. I watched last week’s bible study lesson on Youtube and am thankful that the error in the printed lesson guide you use was pointed out and this week’s study was of equal benefit, if not more so. My understanding of God’s nature has been very confused of late and I am so grateful for clarity in this matter. I have never really fully understood previously how a good God can cause bad things to happen and now I realise that He doesn’t, it’s a natural consequence of sin. May the almighty Father and His Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, continue to bless your ministry.

Laura P., United Kingdom

 

Testimony 3

My husband is a pastor and I listen to your lesson almost every week. Thank you for helping me in my study life and to help me love the “real” God more.

C. F., NC, USA

 

Testimony 71

When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto

Testimony 38

Since November 2015, when I started studying Gods word from this God Is Love point of view, my life has been transformed. My troubled marriage of 15 years has been healed and my husband and I are truly happy for the first time in 15 years. Now When I read the word of God I understand it so much better and I can’t help but see Gods love radiating through the pages to humanity. Gods word is living and active and I am blessed beyond measure to be having this amazing experience. God has given me a beautiful understanding of Jn 3:16 that amazes me more and more each day. Thank you again for your ministry.

Helen D., London, England

 

Testimony 26

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 2

I continue to enjoy your lessons every week. The more that I research your conclusions, the more I am convinced that the Holy Spirit has lead you to distill out the essence of human redemption. Thank you for your courageous stand for the truth.

S. G., TX, USA

 

Testimony 20

I just wanted to personally thank you for your teachings and insight into scripture. I came across your website via my cousin who suggested I look into “Healing the Mind” information. My youngest daughter has been struggling over the last couple of years and it all came to a head this spring. When I started listening to the “Healing the Mind” lectures my own life began to be transformed. I began sharing with all my daughters the concepts you laid out so clearly. I ordered your book and soaked it up. I just want to say “Thank You!” My walk with the Lord has been refreshed and renewed. Your obedience to the Lord is a blessing to so many.

R. K., Anderson, SC, USA

 

Testimony 68

Your message of design law vs imperial law is so uplifting and makes so much sense- it is a game changer for me. The fact that Jesus’s death is not a big payment by an angry God is , quite frankly, a relief.

Laura G., London, Ontario, Canada