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I'm not referring to Christianity as a religion, so why should you or anyone else refer to it as such? I'm asking you, what are our beliefs for? What is the point of believing what we do? What reasons do we have to believe as we do, what is the purpose of our beliefs? What do we do with out beliefs?
I work with kids. Discipleship and mentoring, mostly.How involved are you in active, engaged and deeply meaningful ministry?
I ask this not to denouce or condemn you, but to get a sense of the framework from which you are operating.
To love God and love others as yourself, is neither vague nor overly broad, I think, once you've engaged in a ministry in which you really pour yourself out for the sake of 'the other.'
How does one love God?
Consider this. The other, better, way to translate the word 'love' in that context is 'charity.' God provides for us a grace that is unearned. In turn, provide an ever-giving-love for the sake of another(s) with no expectation of return or acknowledgement. Do it out of love for the love that God has given you. Then you will be loving God as the scriptures command.
As ebia said, the objective of the church is the realization of The Kingdom of God, The Now-And-Not-Yet, here on Earth.
The next question being, what then is The Kingdom of God?
I work with kids. Discipleship and mentoring, mostly.
Why would I do it if it wasn't? And how does that related to my questions?That's awesome.
Do you find it rewarding?
Why would I do it if it wasn't? And how does that related to my questions?
The Great Commission (classic name for the passage you quoted) is the job of the Church, to be sure, but it is neither the only job of the Church nor the universal command to all Christians. For that you need to look at Matthew 22:34-40 and its parallels in Mark and Luke, Matthe 7:12, and John 13:31-35. Those are the commands to every Christian that were defined as greatest by our Lord and Savior.
Todd, it seems like you're saying that we should be making Christians out of people no matter what, that that should be our goal and focus. Is that correct?
If that is the entire purpose of the church, then what happens to all the useful ministries that do not aim to 'fulfill' those goals but instead simply focus on loving people, like work with the homeless or building houses for those that have none?Actually we were given two commands in that - one to lead people to faith in Christ (evangelism) two, to teach them to observe His commands (discipleship). That is the purpose of the church.
Then what do you do with this:You've described the purpose of religion, which is pure and undefiled before God. Christianity is destined to leave the one who we see who is homeless, to find the ninety and nine who are lost, spiritually.
Perhaps you can answer my question in response to your claim?Because you have it completely backwards. If the goal of Christianity is this transformed life of holiness, then God should strike us dead the moment we come to faith, because as long as we live here on earth we will continue to make mistakes, fall short and do that which we shouldn't. However, Jesus did not give one Great Commission, He gave many. It was woven into His high-priestly prayer, it was in Matthew 28, the end of Mark, the begining of Acts ... again and again we are sent out to the world. The goal of the church is the salvation of the world, the carrying of the Gospel.
If that is the entire purpose of the church, then what happens to all the useful ministries that do not aim to 'fulfill' those goals but instead simply focus on loving people, like work with the homeless or building houses for those that have none?
I'd say that The Lord knows how to guide His children in The Kingdom, to do His Will. I don't see a conflict with The Great Commission and the command to feed, clothe and welcome strangers with drink or a visit. The thing He wants to do is to challenge our daily grind, such that we come to Him, every single day for our Manna.Then what do you do with this:
Mat 25:34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
Mat 25:35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
Mat 25:36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'
Okay. Next question. If we, as Christians, cannot even agree on what our goal is as Christians, why do we follow it?
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