Comments on: Would Jesus be a Christian? http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/ Bringing Scripture and Theology to Life Fri, 18 May 2012 12:08:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jeremy Myers http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-12881 Jeremy Myers Mon, 27 Feb 2012 02:37:13 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-12881 Great, great point! Great, great point!

]]> By: B Crump http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-12867 B Crump Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:49:56 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-12867 Yes yes and yes. (apparently I agree) The question is whether we're worshipping our beliefs (Christianity) or God. The two are not the same. Yes yes and yes.

(apparently I agree)

The question is whether we’re worshipping our beliefs (Christianity) or God. The two are not the same.

]]> By: Jeremy Myers http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-7120 Jeremy Myers Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:25:20 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-7120 Dan, Thanks for the comment. Yes, Christians are those who follow Jesus. In Scripture, "Christian" is equivalent to "disciple" or follower. Dan,
Thanks for the comment. Yes, Christians are those who follow Jesus. In Scripture, “Christian” is equivalent to “disciple” or follower.

]]> By: Jeremy Myers http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-7119 Jeremy Myers Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:24:17 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-7119 John, There is "religion" and then there is "religion." One form of religion I reject, the form that most people think of, which is a list of dos and don'ts whereby we can work our way to heaven. If that is what someone means by religion, I want no part of it. However, if by "religion" you mean a way of living life in fellowship with God and other people, then by all means, sign me up! Technically, this is what the Bible means by "religion" as we see in verses like James 1:27 where true religion that God accepts and pure and faultless is to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world. I don't mind that kind of religion, focused on purity, love, and service. It's the other kind that I am against. Anyway, since most people think of the first kind when talking about religion, it is easier to say "I'm not religious" than to say, "I am religious, but here is what I mean by that..." John,
There is “religion” and then there is “religion.” One form of religion I reject, the form that most people think of, which is a list of dos and don’ts whereby we can work our way to heaven.

If that is what someone means by religion, I want no part of it.

However, if by “religion” you mean a way of living life in fellowship with God and other people, then by all means, sign me up! Technically, this is what the Bible means by “religion” as we see in verses like James 1:27 where true religion that God accepts and pure and faultless is to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

I don’t mind that kind of religion, focused on purity, love, and service. It’s the other kind that I am against.

Anyway, since most people think of the first kind when talking about religion, it is easier to say “I’m not religious” than to say, “I am religious, but here is what I mean by that…”

]]> By: John Fisher http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-7116 John Fisher Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:34:23 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-7116 I agree with Keep Walking (provided that I understand him correctly). I really don't understand why so many Christians are so eager to make 'religion' into a dirty word, other than apparently to say about other religions 'Those things are religions, they're bad, we're nothing like that.' "Religion is man’s attempt to work his way to God." That's simply not what religion means, certainly there are religions that have practices that attempt to 'work their way to God' in some fashion, but that isn't what makes something a religion. A religion is a belief system about the cause and purpose of the universe (or usually more to the point the cause and purpose of Man). If what you believe is not a religion, then you simply believe that Jesus was just an ordinary person who taught a nice way to live your life and you choose to follow it, clearly your beliefs don't stop there. If you also believe that God created Heaven, Earth, Man, and everything that exists, and furthermore that God revealed himself to us in the person of Jesus the Christ and that in addition to teaching us he sacrificed himself for us and that faith in Him is necessary and sufficient to be given the unearned gift of an everlasting life with God, then what you believe is by definition a religion and there is no reason to treat the word scornfully. The prompt for Keep Walking's 'protracted monologue' is that when you say "...screw religion. Let’s learn to live in love with each other." you are saying (and I know you don't mean this) that you do not believe anything at all about God, you simply chose to live your life by following someone's guidelines to love each other. I agree with Keep Walking (provided that I understand him correctly). I really don’t understand why so many Christians are so eager to make ‘religion’ into a dirty word, other than apparently to say about other religions ‘Those things are religions, they’re bad, we’re nothing like that.’

“Religion is man’s attempt to work his way to God.”

That’s simply not what religion means, certainly there are religions that have practices that attempt to ‘work their way to God’ in some fashion, but that isn’t what makes something a religion. A religion is a belief system about the cause and purpose of the universe (or usually more to the point the cause and purpose of Man).

If what you believe is not a religion, then you simply believe that Jesus was just an ordinary person who taught a nice way to live your life and you choose to follow it, clearly your beliefs don’t stop there. If you also believe that God created Heaven, Earth, Man, and everything that exists, and furthermore that God revealed himself to us in the person of Jesus the Christ and that in addition to teaching us he sacrificed himself for us and that faith in Him is necessary and sufficient to be given the unearned gift of an everlasting life with God, then what you believe is by definition a religion and there is no reason to treat the word scornfully.

The prompt for Keep Walking’s ‘protracted monologue’ is that when you say “…screw religion. Let’s learn to live in love with each other.” you are saying (and I know you don’t mean this) that you do not believe anything at all about God, you simply chose to live your life by following someone’s guidelines to love each other.

]]> By: Jeremy Myers http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-4902 Jeremy Myers Sat, 18 Jun 2011 23:23:21 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-4902 HPSala, I am curious to see what Keep Walking says to this. I hope he/she (??) is still reading. HPSala,

I am curious to see what Keep Walking says to this. I hope he/she (??) is still reading.

]]> By: HPSala http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-4887 HPSala Sat, 18 Jun 2011 05:37:02 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-4887 Keep Walking, I must admit I am curious about what you mean by 'THE' truth. THE Catholic truth or THE Jewish truth or THE Wiccan truth or THE other truth? (I am, however, not interested in converting. Just curious.) HPSala Keep Walking,
I must admit I am curious about what you mean by ‘THE’ truth. THE Catholic truth or THE Jewish truth or THE Wiccan truth or THE other truth? (I am, however, not interested in converting. Just curious.)
HPSala

]]> By: HPSala http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-4886 HPSala Sat, 18 Jun 2011 05:32:22 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-4886 Keep Walking, I disagree completely with your last statement. Some people may choose to follow one religion or another because they fear they will burn in hell when they die, but I will not be one of those people. To people of my generation, hell is nothing but an abstract concept. And, someone who has no attachment to a particular faith sees it this way: if Catholics are right, all non-Catholics are going to hell; if Muslims are right, all non-Muslims are going to hell; if Evangelicals are right, all non-Evangelicals are going to hell; if Scientologists are right, when we die our alien souls will be recycled into the collective energy. I have no reason to believe that one religious faction is 'more correct' than any other. I believe that if you strive to live a moral life, put more back into the world than you take out of it, and don't tell anyone they're going to hell unless they convert to X religion, you are my friend and fellow human. Best wishes to you as well, HPSala Keep Walking,
I disagree completely with your last statement. Some people may choose to follow one religion or another because they fear they will burn in hell when they die, but I will not be one of those people. To people of my generation, hell is nothing but an abstract concept. And, someone who has no attachment to a particular faith sees it this way: if Catholics are right, all non-Catholics are going to hell; if Muslims are right, all non-Muslims are going to hell; if Evangelicals are right, all non-Evangelicals are going to hell; if Scientologists are right, when we die our alien souls will be recycled into the collective energy. I have no reason to believe that one religious faction is ‘more correct’ than any other. I believe that if you strive to live a moral life, put more back into the world than you take out of it, and don’t tell anyone they’re going to hell unless they convert to X religion, you are my friend and fellow human.
Best wishes to you as well,
HPSala

]]> By: Jeremy Myers http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-3311 Jeremy Myers Sun, 17 Apr 2011 04:19:28 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-3311 Keep Walking, I am not quite sure what you thought I was trying to say. Religion is man's attempt to work his way to God. All such attempts are doomed from the start. As such, I don't trust or hold to any religion. I do, however, believe in Jesus for eternal life, and am learning to follow Him every day. You can see this by reading a few more of my posts. Keep Walking,

I am not quite sure what you thought I was trying to say. Religion is man’s attempt to work his way to God. All such attempts are doomed from the start.

As such, I don’t trust or hold to any religion. I do, however, believe in Jesus for eternal life, and am learning to follow Him every day. You can see this by reading a few more of my posts.

]]> By: Keep Walking http://www.tillhecomes.org/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-3310 Keep Walking Sun, 17 Apr 2011 03:46:06 +0000 http://www.tillhecomes.org/blog/2007/12/27/would-jesus-be-a-christian/#comment-3310 HP Sala, As a former agnostic of purportedly Hebrew descent, I would like to encourage you to look at the reality of our universe with as much objectivity as possible and with utmost open-mindedness and honesty ask: " Is there God, and if so, who or what is right?" This was my path, and I found the answer as God revealed Himself to me in this quest, though I did not seek anything specific. I just wanted to know THE Truth, whatever it may be. Now, almost a decade later, I can testify of events and occurences absolutely inexplicable by the current state of scientific and technological human prowess, things that are physically impossible according to our understanding, and yet, they were. If you would like to know more, we can discuss this; meanwhile, I encourage you to look for THE Truth, having bracketed your pre-assumptions, begin with a clean slate, so to speak. After all, if we all err, and there is no existence beyond this carnal one, we'd simply disappear into the oblivion, but if there is something, it's better to be on the right path, in this life, and in the one to come. Best wishes to you! HP Sala,

As a former agnostic of purportedly Hebrew descent, I would like to encourage you to look at the reality of our universe with as much objectivity as possible and with utmost open-mindedness and honesty ask: ” Is there God, and if so, who or what is right?” This was my path, and I found the answer as God revealed Himself to me in this quest, though I did not seek anything specific. I just wanted to know THE Truth, whatever it may be. Now, almost a decade later, I can testify of events and occurences absolutely inexplicable by the current state of scientific and technological human prowess, things that are physically impossible according to our understanding, and yet, they were. If you would like to know more, we can discuss this; meanwhile, I encourage you to look for THE Truth, having bracketed your pre-assumptions, begin with a clean slate, so to speak. After all, if we all err, and there is no existence beyond this carnal one, we’d simply disappear into the oblivion, but if there is something, it’s better to be on the right path, in this life, and in the one to come.

Best wishes to you!

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