I think there are some people on lemmy who come here just to downvote everything, regardless of what it is.

If they don’t actually read/write Chinese, then it took more effort to do this than it would have to just write the letter in English as intended. It’s impressive.

The point is that this community is a place for Christians. Debate between Christians is fine as long as it is done with a good spirit, but there are other spaces for Christian–Non-Christian debates. Allowing such debates here will still turn into “a side [sic] for people to throw arguments at eachother [sic] with everyone already having decided what the outcome of the debate will be for them”. Human nature is human nature.

I have no problem with Christians posting “news that will put Christians in a very negative light” for informing fellow Christians and inviting discussion. In fact, I think it’s healthy to look at the good and the bad. I believe that Christianity needs a fresh wave of reformation. I used to frequent r/Reformed a lot, and it was there that I learned about a lot of church scandals because they were not afraid to discuss them. I’d like that same attitude to be here.

Mod here:

Please be aware that this is a community of Christians and for Christians. While you are welcome to ask sincere questions, this is not a place for Christians and non-Christians to debate. It certainly is not a place to come in swinging with accusations against Christianity as a whole and those who adhere to it. Consider this a warning.

If you would like to debate, feel free to start a DebateChristians community of your own. If you want to vent, there is already at least one exchristian community that would be more than happy to have you.

Welcome! While this community cannot replace church, I hope that it helps fill in the gaps.

I think our ability to have faith is rooted in the love God has for us. It is because He loved us that He sent his Son in whom we have faith. If God didn’t start from His end and reach out to us, we would have neither faith nor hope. The true realization of the love God has for us is what sparks our faith in His salvation in the first place.

I would actually postulate that it’s not possible to have faith without hope. Hope is the expectation of good, and faith is that expectation of good combined with thoughts and behaviors that are in accord with said expectation. Why would I have faith that God will save me if I did not have the hope of salvation?

But faith and hope are predicated upon God’s love for us. Without that, the rest is moot.

Now, faith should produce more love in our lives, and I would argue that true faith, in fact, does so. The closer we draw to God in faith, the more of His character is developed in us, and God is love.

Is love equal in importance to faith or is it subordinate to it?

But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13

Scripture outright states that love is greater than faith. That’s not to say that we don’t need faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), but Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 makes his point very clear that faith without love is nothing and does no good.