Thank you.
This is refreshing.
Usually ppl slide the topic and force assumptions onto their opponents statement as a defense.
The comic tragedy is: they aren't opponents.
Now I'm sliding but it's important for ppl to realize Christians are not opponents of non-believers we are their advocates against the evil one and we stand as their legal defense to the Father by pleading their case.
All Christians are miraculously given this new heart. It's called regeneration in the Bible it's real, it happened to me and it changed the way I see things. It's a nice change. I like who I am now and I am not responsible for this peace it was given to me.
-in your first comment you misread, I said the Bible has 'not' been watered down.
Reading it that way should answer several of your followup questions.
-what books are in the Bible: it's a consensus of what people knew were written by an apostle of Jesus. They also produced results and ppl enjoyed them and they were known to be and/or were documented to be written by an apostle.
Truth is, the need for more is a normal defense mechanism. Humans can always use that as an easy out to put off making a decision.
I would ask: Have you read the NT? all of it? Anyone who hasn't and then does is surprised by Jesus' words and that their original assumptions were untrue.
Jesus words are life abundant read them if you haven't and see for your self. It's why ppl marveled and said nobody ever talked like this before. He blew their minds. He's still blowing minds today.
The other thing about wanting more is it's moot, we can find every requirement about what God wants from us and how to be born again from a few pages out most any book of the NT. For all intents they're homogeneous they all say the same thing just in another way.
As for giving - God gave all. He set the pattern. Paul asked the congregation to give so preachers could study more and still feed their families. Paul worked as a tent maker and he preached. There are Churches who blatantly take advantage of the ppl it's obvious. That's easy don't give money to those churches. Eventually they'll be found out and get in trouble with the law what's worse they'll answer to God.
Church attendance & learning the word of God - I got saved reading the gospel of John over a one week period. I was by myself nobody else was around. I saw my sin was keeping me from God and I learned Jesus broke that roadblock by the cross so I admitted my guilt and asked forgiveness. I still sin but the cross happened in the past and covered all my future sin so now I'm free of guilt in the court of heaven until my death. As I said I still sin some sins are violations of the law so I can still be found guilty in the court of man but I will never be tried and found guilty in the court of heaven.
On faith - it's not by prayer necessarily it's reading what Jesus said and saying to yourself 'I believe what Jesus said makes sense, I believe his offer is good so I choose to believe what He says and I trust that He is willing and able to take me over the finish line. I've tried I know I can't do it He's the best hope I have so I am going to take Him at His word and hope that when judgement day comes I will be safe because I will tell Him I trusted Him with my eternal soul'
That's faith. It's not trying harder or being better or learning more or praying more or whatever you think it is - its believeing He made you an offer and He will follow through. It isn't rocket surgery…ppl believed Him during His life after one conversation they were called believers. They simply decided He was legit and chose to believe what He was saying. Want faith? Ask yourself this: Do I believe Jesus made that offer and will He keep me safe on judgement day?