Oprah
on the previous post, lionfish left a link on oprah...
http://www.watchman.org/oprah.htm
its a common way of thinking today... is she wrong? and if she is how can we respond in a way that shows the truth without making us look like we are whacking everyone with our 'truth' over the head...?
6 Comments:
Its a hard one...but I would say:
1) Be yourselg
2) Ask why Jesus had to come
3) Ask them about sin
4) Ask them what we need to do about sin.
Sadly, it seems the world, even for the most-part Chrsitian, does not care about Truth, or handling doctrine with great care anymore.
Everything is relevant. Anything goes.
i think she is wrong of course but the way the other Christians come across is very self righteous. how does one get across in that situation the truths of our faith without resorting to 'the Lord said, etc' you end up reinforcing Oprahs beliefs.
It's an interesting question and a hard one as lionfish points out. We don't want to be reactionaries when speaking with people about their beliefs. I think it was Aquinas who said something like the truth is from God regardless of who says it. Acknowledging some truth in common is honest and often the beginning of further dialogue in which God opens opportunities for the Gospel. God does.
No one can truly understand unless God reveals it to them, however...
There is a day of judgement, there is a reckoning, and everyone will be judged by God, not in the balance as if weighing the good against the evil in men's lives, but by a true and righteous account from the position of absolute knowledge. If a person feels their motives and actions represent unconditional love, which is a perfect truth revealed by Christ then they can attempt to stand before almighty God on their merits, and God bless them, I hope they find mercy in that day because our God is merciful.
If however they realise at any time their utter hopelessness in dealing with their own nature, that as many steps and paths to self improvement, as many games and trends and esoteric courses we take, as much ritual and religiosity we can muster, corruption follows, mingled with every thought, tarnishing every motive, sullying every deed. And if the most perfected in their own eyes could glimpse for a moment the reality of their distance from the truth revealed in Jesus then with despair they would come to the cross and ask God for the free Gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Christ. When people hear the words of life humbly and accept Christ gratefully, then God has revealed it to them and not men.
Christians shouldn't be telling people who's not going to heaven, as if it was our judgement or as if we understand the complexities and dimensions of the eternal habitat. God is merciful and kind, and His greatest mercy revealed is the gift of Christ, the invitation to all along the roads and alleys, the desperate and destitute and poor and lonely and sinners, of every variety. God's calling those who will listen and acknowledge their own condition and accept the Gift of God, and begin the journey home.
I appreciate the teaching of The Buddha. There's a lot of truth in what he says, he speaks of love towards neighbour as the highest priority.
I'd say he was a compassionate man who understood a great deal about life and love and truth. Beyond that, his other ideas were the best he could come up with and it goes without saying that I don't believe in them or any salvation by human effort but by faith in Christ alone.
But there is a certain truth in which Christianity stands apart from all religions and that is by Christ's salvation. By this distiction we are left with but two religions in the world:
The one offers salvation through mans effort, salvation is from man. The other ascribes the entire work of salvation to God. Salvation is of God. The latter is Christianity. All religions instruct men to work for their salvation as do cults.
As I wrote before on another blog we should remember the old motto "Just as I am, without one plea". Either man must save himself through walking the trodden paths, or following the eightfold path or standing by the five pillars of conduct or by trying to live a perfect Christian life or he believes in the Savior of mankind to save him. Maybe if people do come to understand the reality of God or come to appreciate the validity of religion this could help to understand the difference between them...
Halieus
great post .. saw it a while ago but have been involved in a big arguement on PB.net.
How are you going? havent seen you post anywhere for a while.
Hi AbTruth,
I'm going OK, better than last week, thanks for asking.
I think you're doing well on PB.net, good arguments, and it's nice to see you enjoying yourself:-) I tune-in when I can and try to catch up on the various arguments being pursued on my favourite blogs.
I haven't been commenting so much, maybe that will change.
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