Originally posted by LouisBooth ALL other major religions REQURE works, buddism, hinduism, taoism, Islam, etc.
There are a number of branches of Buddhism, but none of the ones I know anything about "require" works; in the end, if you achieve enlightenment, you're done, and it doesn't matter what you did or will do.
Originally posted by LouisBooth "there are faith-based beliefs in other religions. "
This is very much true. I'd like to be shown otherwise...
Men..if you're going to cite something, give me a holy book to look it up in and in what religion. ALL other major religions REQURE works, buddism, hinduism, taoism, Islam, etc.
Um, the triple rede? It doesn't require works, but warns of consequence of action.
The purpose of living, in many religions that promote reincarnation, is to learn. Enlightenment is the goal, 'works' is just something you do. Those that have achieved buddhahood may stick around, to teach those that have not passed beyond this level, but they have achieved enlightenment before they perform such works.
__________________ Humble card-carrying member of the Clergy since 10 AUG 01.
"The purpose of living, in many religions that promote reincarnation, is to learn"
Ahh..aquireing knowledge, very much a work.
"I thought the works/faith thing was faith in God, and works for the benefit of fellow man..."
Historical christianity claims that its faith alone in God. Through faith by his grace you are saved. By no work of your own. All other religions say you have to take steps to be saved, reach nirvina, become one with the universe, etc. Only Christianity says no works.
Originally posted by LouisBooth "there are faith-based beliefs in other religions. "
This is very much true. I'd like to be shown otherwise...
Men..if you're going to cite something, give me a holy book to look it up in and in what religion. ALL other major religions REQUIRE works, buddism, hinduism, taoism, Islam, etc.
To their credit.
What kind of logic twists "we don't require you to do good works" into a positive thing?
The fact that Christianity does not require good works weakens its case as a source of good morals.
Originally posted by gunnysgt What makes Christianity different and unique from all other belief systems?
1. All belief systems apart from Christianity are works based. The individual's works are the way they receive favor from whatever they believe their god to be.
2. All belief systems are devoid of One such as Jesus Christ who made the claims He made about Himself.
i.e. "I am the way, the truth and the life.", "I and the Father are One." Christianity alone, has a Savior.
Christianity states that man can not save Himself nor can he become his own savior.
rather than doing good things to others, you concentrate on doing good things for yourself and praying to God for forgiveness.
what's doing good things for yourself? Jesus died on the cross for us, He did it for others. Many of the apostles went into jail, they did it for us. They could've sit and preached in a safe distance and prayed and did nothing, but instead they went into the midst of unbelievers and risked their own lives. No, i don't agree that Christians only do good things for ourselves, we're commanded to do good things in the world.
Bearing fruit=good works, which are the demonstration of the individual that indeed has been saved.
yep... good works come from faith, but for those who only do good works with a wrong motive, eg. seeking to please men instead of God, don't think they're saved.
So really, we could say that Christianity has added a layer between 'good works' and 'heaven'. From the 'usual' pattern like:
[GOOD WORKS]-->[HEAVEN]
is added:
[GOOD WORKS]-->[PROOF OF ACCEPTING GOD PROPERLY]-->[HEAVEN]
Is this a fair way of describing the situation?
nope, good works with a wrong motive as "proof" will never gain a person's salvation, unless one is humbled before God, which brings us back to the issue of faith.
Faith being that we believe only Jesus can wash us clean of our sins, it is after the first step of faith been taken do we show our good works.
faith ---> salvation righteous ---> works demonstrate salvation rigteous.
the action itself doesn't make one righteous (in a sense, saved), but the good action, coupled with faith, demonstrate the person to be saved.
such as Rahab, she demonstrated her righteousness by letting the spies go (refer back to James chapter 2).
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