Zone1 Things that block people from God

[buttercup]

1. Sin (Isaiah 59:2, Colossians 1:21)
2. Pride (Psalm 10:4, James 4:6)
3. The enemy (2 Corinthians 4:4)
4. Preoccupation with this world (1 John 2:15, Romans 1:25)

Sometimes I hear nonbelievers say things like "I would like to believe, but I just don't." So for the sake of those who say that with sincerity, I felt it would be worthwhile to point out that certain things can block people from God. Or another way to put it is, there are certain things that are blinding.

This may not be a complete list, so if you're a believer, feel free to add to this list, in case I left anything out.

 

[rightwinger]

I have heard the stories my whole life…

I just don’t believe them
Seems like a Fairy Tale

 

[shockedcanadian]

1. Sin (Isaiah 59:2, Colossians 1:21)
2. Pride (Psalm 10:4, James 4:6)
3. The enemy (2 Corinthians 4:4)
4. Preoccupation with this world (1 John 2:15, Romans 1:25)

Sometimes I hear nonbelievers say things like "I would like to believe, but I just don't." So for the sake of those who say that with sincerity, I felt it would be worthwhile to point out that certain things can block people from God. Or another way to put it is, there are certain things that are blinding.

This may not be a complete list, so if you're a believer, feel free to add to this list, in case I left anything out.

Greed and the evil within them. Men are evil. They are more evil when they don't believe they answer to anyone else. It's a.vicious cycle.

 

[buttercup]

I have heard the stories my whole life…

I just don’t believe them
Seems like a Fairy Tale

I get that. I was that way for many years of my life. I know this sounds hard to believe, but what changes everything is when God Himself will open someone's eyes. From a Christian perspective, God is the one who makes that first move (“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them...” John 6:44) But, there are things that can block that from happening, that's why I posted this list.

 

[buttercup]

Greed and the evil within them. Men are evil. They are more evil when they don't believe they answer to anyone else. It's a.vicious cycle.

Yep, and when you say greed, what came to my mind is “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24) .... as the song goes, you gotta serve somebody, so at some point everyone needs to choose.

 

[shockedcanadian]

Yep, and when you say greed, what came to my mind is “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24) .... as the song goes, you gotta serve somebody, so at some point everyone needs to choose.

Wanting to make gobs of money isn't the problem. The means of how.one.makes it is. Those who most abuse power for personal benefit have little hope of avoiding hell. That:s how I see it. G-d isn't going to reward dark spirits.

 

[buttercup]

Wanting to make gobs of money isn't the problem. The means of how.one.makes it is.

I agree, I was talking about greed... not simply having wealth. I think greed goes hand in hand with idolatry, when people put money / possessions first, above all else, even God.

Those who most abuse power for personal benefit have little hope of avoiding hell. That:s how I see it. G-d isn't going to reward dark spirits.

That may be true, but even those types aren't hopeless. Remember how the story of the rich young ruler ended? After Jesus said "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"...... Those who were listening were like, "Man. If if that's hard, then who can ever be saved?"

And Jesus said: “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

 

[Alan Stallion]

Adding:
Desires of pleasure; desires of the flesh.
(see Galatians 5:19-21)

While nothing new, we see an ever-increasing desire for pleasure. Desire for the latest high. Desire for sexual pleasure, with pornography now more readily available through your computer or "smart phone," or sexual pressures through said devices via social media, with an increase push to sexualize the children, especially in our government schools. The "bread and circuses" of entertainment and gaming.

With pleasures of the flesh, it is always temporary with a need to reach or exceed that rush.

We have outlets for pleasure generations past never had, yet we are a miserable generation. Unintended consequences of our pleasure-based actions, an unquenchable thirst for desires of the flesh, a "God-shaped" hole we cannot fill on our own.

 

[rightwinger]

I get that. I was that way for many years of my life. I know this sounds hard to believe, but what changes everything is when God Himself will open someone's eyes. From a Christian perspective, God is the one who makes that first move (“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them...” John 6:44) But, there are things that can block that from happening, that's why I posted this list.

I’ll tell ya what

If God comes up to me, I will sit down and have a beer with him
Till then, I will be skeptical

 

[mudwhistle]

1. Sin (Isaiah 59:2, Colossians 1:21)
2. Pride (Psalm 10:4, James 4:6)
3. The enemy (2 Corinthians 4:4)
4. Preoccupation with this world (1 John 2:15, Romans 1:25)

Sometimes I hear nonbelievers say things like "I would like to believe, but I just don't." So for the sake of those who say that with sincerity, I felt it would be worthwhile to point out that certain things can block people from God. Or another way to put it is, there are certain things that are blinding.

This may not be a complete list, so if you're a believer, feel free to add to this list, in case I left anything out.

Most Democrats are going to Hell.

 

[buttercup]

Adding:
Desires of pleasure; desires of the flesh.
(see Galatians 5:19-21)

While nothing new, we see an ever-increasing desire for pleasure. Desire for the latest high. Desire for sexual pleasure, with pornography now more readily available through your computer or "smart phone," or sexual pressures through said devices via social media, with an increase push to sexualize the children, especially in our government schools. The "bread and circuses" of entertainment and gaming.

With pleasures of the flesh, it is always temporary with a need to reach or exceed that rush.

We have outlets for pleasure generations past never had, yet we are a miserable generation. Unintended consequences of our pleasure-based actions, an unquenchable thirst for desires of the flesh, a "God-shaped" hole we cannot fill on our own.

Thanks, that may be an unpopular thing to say, but I don't see how it can be denied. A case in point would be celebrities or rock stars who literally have all the pleasures of this world at their fingertips (sex, drugs, money, fame etc) but it's never enough and sadly many end up dying before their time by either a slow or fast suicide.

And after what you said in the last paragraph, how can I not post this song, lol (it totally reminds me of the movie Bruce Almighty.)

 

[buttercup]

Most Democrats are going to Hell.

Well.... even though I can't understand why a believer would vote Democrat, considering some of the things the Dems promote, I think there actually is a chunk who are believers. But I dunno, at the end of the day, only God knows what's in people's hearts.

 

[mudwhistle]

Well.... even though I can't understand why a believer would vote Democrat, considering some of the things the Dems promote, I think there actually is a chunk who are believers. But I dunno, at the end of the day, only God knows what's in people's hearts.

Unfortunately, Democrats have a tendency to say out loud what's in their hearts.

 

[Meriweather]

If God comes up to me, I will sit down and have a beer with him
Till then, I will be skeptical

Perhaps he is waiting for you to come up to him...

 

[onefour1]

disbelief or a lack of faith.

 

[jackflash]

1. Sin (Isaiah 59:2, Colossians 1:21)
2. Pride (Psalm 10:4, James 4:6)
3. The enemy (2 Corinthians 4:4)
4. Preoccupation with this world (1 John 2:15, Romans 1:25)

Sometimes I hear nonbelievers say things like "I would like to believe, but I just don't." So for the sake of those who say that with sincerity, I felt it would be worthwhile to point out that certain things can block people from God. Or another way to put it is, there are certain things that are blinding.

This may not be a complete list, so if you're a believer, feel free to add to this list, in case I left anything out.

Pride/arrogance & rebellion seems to be at or near the top of reasons people block out their Maker, @ least until a "blocker" is staring physical death in the face!

 

[Dagosa]

1. Sin (Isaiah 59:2, Colossians 1:21)
2. Pride (Psalm 10:4, James 4:6)
3. The enemy (2 Corinthians 4:4)
4. Preoccupation with this world (1 John 2:15, Romans 1:25)

Sometimes I hear nonbelievers say things like "I would like to believe, but I just don't." So for the sake of those who say that with sincerity, I felt it would be worthwhile to point out that certain things can block people from God. Or another way to put it is, there are certain things that are blinding.

This may not be a complete list, so if you're a believer, feel free to add to this list, in case I left anything out.

Hmm. Sounds like a theory. Maybe you should try to demonstrate and illustrate it instead of just rolling over and accepting it.

 

[buttercup]

disbelief or a lack of faith.

Thanks...I guess I was presupposing disbelief. When I said "blocked from God" I meant that they can't believe, or even if they do have some belief in the existence of a higher power, there's still something blocking them from accepting and trusting God.

 

[buttercup]

Unfortunately, Democrats have a tendency to say out loud what's in their hearts.

True, the loudmouth ones make it pretty clear, but maybe they aren't all the loudmouth types.

 

[buttercup]

Pride/arrogance & rebellion seems to be at or near the top of reasons people block out their Maker, @ least until a "blocker" is staring physical death in the face!

I think you're absolutely right. And you just reminded me of a C.S Lewis quote. Actually, I'll post more than just a quote, but a couple excerpts from Mere Christianity:

According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.​

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As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.​

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