Christianity
THE RESPONDEES TO THE FIRST 3 INTERNET QUESTIONS COME FROM 3
CHRISTIAN WEBSITES.
1st Internet Question: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE PURPOSE OF THE
TEN COMMANDMENTS?
THE RESPONDEES ARE REALLY DIVIDED OVER WHETHER THE PURPOSE OF
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IS TO BE A GUIDE ON HOW WE SHOULD LIVE SO
THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME LAW AND ORDER WITHIN OUR SOCIETY, OR THAT
IT POINTS TO THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T OBEY THIS PERFECT LAW SO
THAT WE WOULD NEED SOME OUTSIDE HELP AND FOR CHRISTIANS THIS
OUTSIDE HELP COMES IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. WHAT DO YOU
THINK?
1) Corbin adds: Duet 11-14 might tend to contradict the latter
answer when it states that the law is easy to follow, but I feel
one has to realize that our understanding of God's morality has
increased over time, and the understanding that the Israelis had
of the commandments during the time of Duet. differs from our
understanding today. Duet at the time looked at the outward
meaning of the commandments, whereas today our understanding is
much more internal.
WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN
To answer the question, one has to begin with what one can
actually see, and that is man himself. Now, within man (in the
generic sense which includes women) one can see a selfish core
that seems to be inherited. Christians call this original sin
(Gen. 3, Rom.5:12, Rom 6:23, IJohn I:8, Rom 3:23, and IJohn
5:17). And man has to be cognizant of this fact and the fact
that he needs help in following God's perfect law - The Ten
Commandments - (IJohn I:9-10, Ex. 20:I-17, and Duet. 5:6-21). A
more spiritual way in looking at this is that assuming God to be
perfect (Math 5:48 and Psalm I8:30), "How can a perfect being
ever mix with an imperfect being to help the latter become
obedient to the Perfect being's law?".
The only way that this relationship could be brought back
together again, that is where perfection could be united with
imperfection, is that the better state has to take the lead,
since it is the stronger suit that is needed in initiating such
a unification (ICor. 13:10, and John 4:19)
Christians believe that God did this in the person of Jesus
Christ (John 3:16). They believe that Jesus came down to earth,
mingled with humanity for awhile, sacrificed Himself for it on
the cross, and returned to His original state (Perfection as
part of the Trinity or God in relationship) through the
resurrection (Romans 5:15) In other words, Jesus Christ, who is
also God (John I:1-2, I4 and I7 and John 12:44-45) divested
Himself of everything on the cross, which included all His
power, all His possessions including all His clothes, and His
life because of our separation from God or Perfection, and then
was raised up (Math 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20&21, ICor. 15).
To put it another way, He became pure imperfection for us on the
cross before becoming Perfection once again (Romans 4:25).
Another way in looking at this is that those who are dependent
upon and confess or admit this separation with this outside
source, and believe in these activities of Jesus Christ
(Christians) are now wrapped up in a state of Perfection, just
like a Christmas package, to seal in our own imperfection
(Romans 10:9 and 5:9-10). Not that we become perfect, but when
God looks at His believers, all that He can see is the
impenetrable outside wrapping, Jesus Christ, which in effect, is
really like God looking into a mirror at Himself.
And we, as believers, though remaining imperfect ourselves, but
perfect inside Christ, grow, love more, and respond in more
beneficent ways as our whole being is more and more immersed by
this wrapping expanding and seeping into our hearts.
In other words, our actions are determined by how much of His
presence we have of Him within ourselves, and from this, love
expands and there is a greater presence of the Kingdom of God
here on earth.
And the best way of bringing this presence of Him about here on
earth is by praising Him individually, or better yet, in a group
which is called the Church.
2nd Internet Question: WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN? AND THE RESPONSES TO
CORBIN'S DEFINITION OF A CHRISTIAN WRITTEN ABOVE.
1) Hugh says: I think a Christian is more like a tootsie roll
pop. The red coating completely covers the gooey black stuff.
2) Jim says: A Christian is someone who puts their own wishes
aside and follows Christ despite the world view. He who picks up
the cross and walks alongside Jesus gains much more than world
knowledge.
3) Robert says: A Christian is someone who imitates Christ. And
a Perfect Being really has no choice but to accept an imperfect
being.
4) Noel says: Love and forgiveness must be unconditional whether
you're perfect or imperfect. Personally, I believe a perfect
Being can accept an imperfect being and much more. Would not a
perfect Being be able to love perfectly and unconditionally?
After all, that's what love is all about, accepting
imperfections.
3rd Internet Question: ARE THERE UNCONSCIOUS CHRISTIANS?
1) Thomas says: In my opinion, no. A person may be as close to a
saint as you can be on earth, but if they don't believe in Jesus
as a savior, then I don't think they can be considered a
Christian. There are many religions in the world that have moral
standards of right and wrong, and helping others in need, just
as Christianity does, but this doesn't make them Christian.
2) John says: Some non-Christians act more Christ-like than many
Christians.
3) Michael says: Within Christianity there is an inclusive
tradition which has been clearly expressed by the Jesuit Karl
Rahner who used the phrase "anonymous Christians". Without
compromising what we believe to be true or being apologetic
about our faith, it is an act of humility, a recognition of our
own limitations and God's greatness, to look beyond the confines
of our own family. Although we believe in the unique
self-revelation of God in Christ, our understanding of place and
time cannot circumscribe God's universal salvation. For this
reason, non-Christian religious traditions must be valid,
capable of mediating the saving grace of God, people of faith
are within the embrace of God's grace. and receiving this grace,
which we know in Christ, they become "anonymous Christians".
4) Alice says. One cannot be an unconscious Christian seeing as
how a person either believes or doesn't. But if you mean can a
person be Christ-like without being a Christian, then the answer
is yes, of course. We are born with a consciousness of right and
wrong which may be our soul or a bit of God in us. So,
regardless of the religious belief or lack thereof, a person may
still be good, loving, and giving. That in essence is Christian
though the belief in Jesus as Savior may not be present.
5) Sarah says: Christianity isn't the only Path to require
decent, moral, loving behavior from its followers.
6) Jim says: Let me say first that I think that the the world
religions share the same eternal truths. Each of the Founders of
the world religions were channels for the same light...same
light, different lamps. When we recognize the God-like qualities
in a person, we see that light reflected in his spirit which is
manifested and released throuhout his or her life.
7) Sam says: There is a book called "One River, Many Wells"
written by Mathew Fox. In brief it states that there is god and
many wells (belief systems, religions, etc.) that all go to the
same source. There is one underground river, but there are many
wells connected to that river: e.i. a Jewish well, a Hindu well,
an Islem well, a Buddhist well, etc. In other words, there are
many wells but one river. To go down a well is to practice
tradition, but we would make a grave mistake if we confused the
well itself with the flowing waters of the underground river. If
you look at your hands, your thumbs, and fingers, they are all
individual and independent, but when you look at the whole hand
they all come from the same source. Fox quotes from a lot of
sources, but the basis of most religions is the same, love,
acceptance, finding meaning, and the joy of creation. What I am
trying to say is that when maybe people act in a Christ-like
way, they are in contact with God, doing the actions according
to the universal understanding of what is right and just.