Is part of the Christian message, "no pain, no gain"?

Godlovesmetwo

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Is living as a dedicated Christian like being a professional athlete? That to become more like Christ, we have to surrender to a journey of pain?
Is such an approach frowned upon? I mean to treat daily prayer as a form of exercise. Getting fully fit and ready for battle.
This approach has some appeal to me, if it is acceptable that is. :)
 

Widlast

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The saints have had much to say about this. Perfection is a battle, against self, the world, and the devil. The greatest saints have been those who have accepted suffering as the main part of their trial. They suffer so that others may not have to (for those who have not the ability). Jesus willingly accepted his fate, abuse, torture, and death. Of His favorites, He would like the same.
 
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timewerx

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Luke 6:20-26
20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

24 “But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
 
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Godlovesmetwo

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I imagine there is some problem if we treat our Christianity as a professional job in which we have to become "performance ready". Isnt it less about me and more about Christ and His message of Love?
 
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cre8id

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I imagine there is some problem if we treat our Christianity as a professional job in which we have to become "performance ready". Isnt it less about me and more about Christ and His message of Love?

His message of love includes repentance of the sinner and the knowledge that it is ONLY through accepting Christ that any of us can escape God's Holy judgement against our sins (which means eternal damnation to hell). One cannot see the Good News as really GOOD News, until they first realize they are lost.
 
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Godlovesmetwo

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John 12:25
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Is this how you have conversations in real life?
a) How are you today?
b) Matthew 7:11
a) Have you been busy?
b) Luke 10
a) OK, well have a nice day
b) John 4:15
 
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archer75

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I admit, especially the last few months, I have been depending a lot on transformation through prayer. I believe it is very real, although I wouldn't say / don't know either that I am praying well or that this practice is for everyone.
 
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Godlovesmetwo

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John 12:25
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
I don't quite get this one.
I mean I love my life now. I have nice partner, dog, car and house. I don't really want to lose any of them, especially partner.
So by being grateful for them, I am going to lose my life? what?
 
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archer75

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I don't quite get this one.
I mean I love my life now. I have nice partner, dog, car and house. I don't really want to lose any of them, especially partner.
So by being grateful for them, I am going to lose my life? what?
I understand this to mean one who is unduly attached to things. Clinging.
 
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archer75

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Attachment eh. Very Buddhist actually.
I mean, maybe I'm wrong. But Jesus still thought of his mother as he was dying, clearly had special friendships and so on, so I feel I can't take it to mean "actually hates all aspects of life".
 
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Calvinist Dark Lord

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Is living as a dedicated Christian like being a professional athlete? That to become more like Christ, we have to surrender to a journey of pain?
Is such an approach frowned upon? I mean to treat daily prayer as a form of exercise. Getting fully fit and ready for battle.
This approach has some appeal to me, if it is acceptable that is. :)
Greetings old friend. To give a quick answer to your question, some aspects of Christianity can be compared to an athlete training. This is not unique to myself. The Apostle Paul came up with the analogy first in the New Testament.

If one looks at how abject lessons were taught by both Jesus and Paul, one finds a lot of analogies drawn from things such as farming, domestic life of the family unit, and military training.

i think it would be profitable to study not necessarily what Jesus and the apostles taught in the New Testament, but HOW they taught those lessons. It would be helpful in our own presentation of the gospel.

The idea certainly does not originate from myself. In my home town of Pittsburgh, there exists ministers on the radio on Sunday evenings. Amongst those ministers is a Father Ron Lengwin, who often uses stories as illustrations of certain points. He has been very successful.

He may be the best Catholic Presenter in the US since Bishop Fulton Sheen.
 
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HenryM

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So we should seek pain and suffering if our life is too comfortable?

No, but think about it - those who are spiritually closest to the next world, which is non-material, are naturally uncomfortable in this one in ways others aren't. It's something to be neither judged or glorified, though, as everyone gets his or her cup.
 
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Godlovesmetwo

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those who are spiritually closest to the next world, which is non-material, are naturally uncomfortable in this one in ways others aren't.
Uncomfortable as in disillusioned with things like money, status and success?
 
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timewerx

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I don't quite get this one.
I mean I love my life now. I have nice partner, dog, car and house. I don't really want to lose any of them, especially partner.
So by being grateful for them, I am going to lose my life? what?

Of course, you need a house and car. You don't need to abandon your partner and pet unless they drove you out of the house.

According to the way Christ and the disciples lived, it seems to be a factor of modesty. Some of them had a house (or lived in a house), they collectively had a boat and possessed a few other things. But they were modest by any standards, they weren't rich (in this world) by any standards as well. Most of their expenses seemed to be on food. Seeing they weren't gluttons, their expenditures would have been very little.
 
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HenryM

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Uncomfortable as in disillusioned with things like money, status and success?

I'd say it goes deeper than that - uncomfortable with material side of our world like someone is uncomfortable with nails on the chalk board. Not to that degree, but in that direction. Uncomfortable to live in a world where love and hate coexist.
 
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