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Joined: Feb 2006
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I saw this question posed by an atheist to an online atheistic community. I felt that the original question might be worthwhile answering and so I'll pose it.

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I am completely confused as to why christians believe that Jesus died for them & their sins.

What is it exactly that I'm supposed to gain by Jesus dying? And what about the people who lived before Jesus' time?
How would we as Eastern Christians answer this? It sounds to me that this person has an honest question and perhaps, with the right explanation, might be led to the Church. I'm sure that they'll like get a bunch of uneducated answers from other atheists, and even should they ask in a Christian forum I fear that sadly, they'll get some of the more "fire and brimstone" answers rather than the answers focusing on the love of Christ.

So, how should this question be answered?

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Ask him why he is isolating Jesus' death? It is the life, death AND RESURRECTION that matters - together, one shouldn't take that out of context. By dying He destroyed death, Rising He restored life - isn't that what the Latins pray?

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Dear Lurker,

Athiests are away from all Grace since they deny God. By denying God they are sinning against the Holy Spirit and therefore it is impossible for a Christian to 'reason' with them. By denying the existance of God, every concept they form has to be a 'negation' of the love and creation of God.

Therefore the 'rational' formed within our minds by the Holy Spirit, cannot be understood by one until they themselves are willing to open their hearts to the existance of God.

So that said, we have to reach an athiest at the most elementary lesson. Once they have accepted God's existance, then the Holy Spirit will take over...and lo and behold, they will start reasoning in a more Grace filled and positive way.

I frankly would just tell an athiest that if someone told them it would be beneficial for them to take a look at something, then wouldn't it be worth their while to do so, rather than simply denying the benefits?

Zenovia

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Dear Lurker you posted the following by an athiest:

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I am completely confused as to why christians believe that Jesus died for them & their sins.

What is it exactly that I'm supposed to gain by Jesus dying? And what about the people who lived before Jesus' time?
I would tell that person that the gain is the elimination of one's 'pride' and 'ego', because by accepting that Jesus died for them, a person has to accept that they are sinners in need of redemption. It is that acceptance of oneself as being a sinner in need of redemption that differentiates Christianity from all other religions, and it is that acceptance that opens one's heart to our Lord's Grace.

As for the people that lived before Jesus' time, one can only assume that God sent His Son, (the Word of God) at the fullness of time. In other words, at a time when people were prepared to receive Him within their hearts.

Will those that lived before Jesus came be able to grow spiritually, we do not know. We do know from the Fathers, that we who have accepted His Grace will continuously grow in perfection within the afterlife.

We also know that our God is a God of Love, and He will not deny Himself to anyone that wants to be with Him. But humanity has been given a free will, and so it will always be a person's choice.

Zenovia

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Dear Lurker,

I would suggest getting Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Professor Peter Kreeft of Boston College and Father Ronald Tacelli, SJ.

If you want more help, please reply to this post.

God Bless You

Dr. Eric


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