I don't understand Christianity and no one has helped me since I was young
Q: It is taught/said that Jesus died for our sins. "He died for us". What does that mean? People sin every day 🤷♀️.
Now, I have asked this many times and I have been told go to church ! 😃 OK. I did. And it was like walking out of 2nd grade and walking into sophomore year of college. Jumping into the middle of history class.
I'm told read your Bible! OK. I did. It's awful. I don't grasp the wording. And 9 pages of the family tree history...
I have asked others, I'm told join a bible study! Ok. I did. And it jumped right into the touch of the study. And I'm lost.
I asked a pastor. I was told. Well dear, if you came to church. You wouldn't be wasting my time asking these questions.
Ok. Oh. I did go to his church, and people were rude, mean, distant to me. "Well, we already have our little group"
Please help me understand. I do not get it.
*I might have more questions, I hope you don't bail on me. I'm nearly 60. 7 more months!!
I just don't get it.
Make it make sense.
A: Very happy to help you with these questions and perplexities. 🙂
To start, this will explain the Gospel.
This will explain sin after salvation:
This explains about the New nature of believers:
* scroll to fruits
*You can glaze/skip over the certian areas in a couple Old Testament books that go on long genealogy and tribes info as a new reader. Only the key people matter in Jesus lineage and those who have stories told about in bigger chunks that expand on them. Even for long time readers they skimp over these as they don't need to know all of those.
*An idea might be to highlight the important names in those sections of people you are familiar with. The next time you read through the Bible [it should be a daily lifelong process to read cover to cover and repeat] just highlight a few more names you recognize. Then when reading that portion later next time you can just read those highlights and move on.
*Geneology and tribe info and numbers is historical record but was also only important to the Jews. They cared about Geneology. For us it simply shows Jesus lineage for proof of him and who his ancestors were; especially leading up to and thru the line of David.
To help a bit with your other questions and frustrations...We cannot get start to finish Bible learning at church unless they have a Bible class that starts at the same place for everyone and goes to the end. Some churches have a Bible overview class, some churches have pastors who preach through the Bible in a year, and others preach thru the Bible over their lifetime. But the thing is, if you join the church when they're in the middle of one of those, you missed all the previous stuff. Yet you can still learn about whatever is being taught. Some churches have Fellowship studies at homes and of course there and at Sunday School you are able to ask any questions to the teacher about something you need help grasping. I highly recommend you do that. Even off topic, after the class is over (if that's not the topic or portion you have questions sbout). Other bible based churches today let you catch up on the studies via online audios or videos archives.
==================================
We do grow to learn things in time by what we do gain from personal Bible reading at home, and from any Bible studies and sermons we get while at church. It is a lifetime of learning.
==================================
In your and my day (I'm 50) there were not sermons online. No Bible studies recorded for replay, no facebook church group place, and no zoom at church to join for asking or learning on these things. Today those exist. Maybe not in smaller churches, but they and solid answer/apologetics ministries now exist where we can find varied answers we have Qs about. Many of us got equipped in that area and can now help others. It is good you got online to seek out folk to try to help you. You'll get there eventually. Just keep at it 🙂🙂.
Here are Bible helps:
This study Bible will help you as you read and learn through Scripture. You will learn a lot here 😀😀
This app is related and will help you as you study through the Bible. StudyBible.org app.
*Click a verse and helpful Extra resources show up (when you click on the Resources button). 😀
*This has a deeper help area so take your time here. Not everything you need to do or use. Just use what you find helpful for you as you read Scripture. No stress. God teaches us Scripture in time.
Also you can pair your reading with an audio Bible. This one matches the studybible above. And can help if your vision isn't that great or the Bible font too small.
You can find other answers here at gotquestions.org and through this table of contents on our site here, (being link updated), and some other typically asked ones here might be helpful.
As to the pastor you encountered, I am sorry he behaved like that. Maybe he was encouraging you to join a church and get well educated in classes and the sermons, or perhaps he was not a very good pastor; since he should just answer your questions to bless you. Below are a few things you should know about Church, but also pastors, and folk who are in the church. Sadly church and those in it, while most are redeemed there, it isn't perfect; but its the closest to Heaven we can get on earth. Take the good and give grace in the rest of what you encounter. 😊
Let me know if you have other questions. Happy to help any time.
Beyond that this site can help you grow well in the faith. I hope it blesses you.
God bless.
*Bookmark this page on your internet browser, so you can have & review these resources now and any time😊.
