Saints

[boswd]

They lived for the Glory of God - not their own. If you wish to honor them - give Glory, Honor, and Praise to God. In the area of Glory for God, it's all His.

1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV) 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace [which was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.


Good News!

The Holy Bible is the WORD OF GOD!

God The Father, God The Son, God The Holy Spirit - The Creator Of All Things!

"GOD'S GRACE" and "OUR WORKS"

Do you give honor to our War Veterans?

 

[Dorothea]

We give honor to God by honoring His Saints. Recognizing the Grace of God in them.

The Saints are the best role models. Much better than celebrities and sports figures.

 

[Shredhead]

Care to share those verses?

2Chronicles 33:6 springs to mind , for one . But I think the clincher is Isaiah 8:19

 

[Shredhead]

St. Nicholas is not dead, and neither are any of the other Saints in Christ.

If he's stopped breathing , he's dead . If he died in Christ , then he's awaiting resurrection , not hearing or answering prayer .

 

[Shredhead]

The Saints are the best role models. Much better than celebrities and sports figures.

Wouldn't Jesus be our best role model ?

 

[Polycarp1]

Wouldn't Jesus be our best role model ?

Of course. Now, do you know for a fact how Jesus would react if dealing with a 'virtuous' Moslem ruler? Or how He would deal with a wild wolf threatening Him and His followers? We can make some good guesses, but we don't know for sure -- but we do know how someone who spent his life trying to follow Him, Francesco di Bernardone, of Assisi, did. We don't know how Jesus would behave if He had been a young girl in a country occupied by foreign armies. But we do know how Jeanne d'Arc behaved, and she tried to follow Him. Or how about a famous German organist and theologian who felt the call to evangelize the natives of Central Africa, like Albert Schweitzer? It's examples like that which make the saints useful.

 

[Dorothea]

Wouldn't Jesus be our best role model ?

He sure is. Since Christ is Sinless and 100% Divine as well as Human, it's very difficult to be just like Him. But for us struggling sinners and mortal human beings, to see our fellow human beings grow in Christ to the point where you can see Christ's Light permeating from these people through their holiness, it inspires you and gives you hope to be able to maybe someday reach at least a small part of that type of theosis before we die.

 

[prodromos]

Wouldn't Jesus be our best role model ?

He would be the easiest role model. Many of the saints surpassed Him in the suffering they endured or the miracles they performed (John 14:12).

John

 

[nChrist]

He would be the easiest role model. Many of the saints surpassed Him in the suffering they endured or the miracles they performed (John 14:12).

John

They were nothing other than what God gave them. They didn't perform a single miracle - God did.

 

[christianmomof3]

We don't need "Saints" or Jesus to be our role model. It is not our job to act like them. Jesus went through the process of incarnation, a sinless human living, an all inclusive death and resurrection so that He could become the Life-giving Spirit who indwells His redeemed and regenerated believers. Once we are born again we simply need to turn to Him, the Holy Spirit who is living within us in our human spirit and follow Him. He will lead us and guide us and express Himself through us.

 

[Sphinx777]

In Christian theology, particularly in Catholicism and Orthodoxy, theosis (written also: theiosis, theopoiesis, theōsis; Greek: Θέωσις, meaning divinization, deification, or making divine) is the process of transformation of a believer who is putting into practise (called praxis) the spiritual teachings of Jesus Christ and His gospel. In particular, theosis refers to the attainment of likeness to or union with God, that is the final stage of this process of transformation and is as such the goal of the spiritual life. Theosis is the third of three stages; the first being purification (katharsis) and the second illumination (theoria). By means of purification a person comes to illumination and then sainthood. Sainthood is the participation of the person in the life of God. According to this doctrine, the holy life of God, given in Jesus Christ to the believer through the Holy Spirit, is expressed through the three stages of theosis, beginning in the struggles of this life, which increases in the experience of the believer through the knowledge of God, and is later consummated in the resurrection of the believer, when the power of sin and death, having been fully overcome by the atonement of Jesus, will lose hold over the believer forever. This conception of salvation is historical and foundational for Christian understanding in both the East and the West.

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[Shredhead]

Of course. Now, do you know for a fact how Jesus would react if dealing with a 'virtuous' Moslem ruler? Or how He would deal with a wild wolf threatening Him and His followers? We can make some good guesses, but we don't know for sure -- but we do know how someone who spent his life trying to follow Him, Francesco di Bernardone, of Assisi, did. We don't know how Jesus would behave if He had been a young girl in a country occupied by foreign armies. But we do know how Jeanne d'Arc behaved, and she tried to follow Him. Or how about a famous German organist and theologian who felt the call to evangelize the natives of Central Africa, like Albert Schweitzer? It's examples like that which make the saints useful.

All these people you mentioned , they're , well most of them , are just sinners , same as you & I . The good works they performed that you allude to , is just the Spirit of God working through them . Certainly doesn't make them ...demigods ,able to hear or answer prayer .

 

[Shredhead]

He sure is. Since Christ is Sinless and 100% Divine as well as Human, it's very difficult to be just like Him. But for us struggling sinners and mortal human beings, to see our fellow human beings grow in Christ to the point where you can see Christ's Light permeating from these people through their holiness, it inspires you and gives you hope to be able to maybe someday reach at least a small part of that type of theosis before we die.

Since Christ is Sinless and 100% Divine as well as Human, it's very difficult to be just like Him.

But this is the Christ that Paul preached , & told us to be like...in fact , to put on His likeness . While I agree other Christians can & do inspire us , that is where it finishes , they have no ability to hear or answer prayer .
Sooo , we should just continue to lower the bar until we find someone we can aspire too ?

 

[Shredhead]

He would be the easiest role model. Many of the saints surpassed Him in the suffering they endured or the miracles they performed (John 14:12).

easy ? oooook

 

[Shredhead]

Theosis is the third of three stages; the first being purification (katharsis) and the second illumination (theoria). By means of purification a person comes to illumination and then sainthood

Personally , I believe these are backwards , illumination leads to purification . We're called-we see/hear/accept the Truth , via repentance & faith in the blood of Christ , we're made pure .

Sainthood is the participation of the person in the life of God.

By your definition of "sainthood" , I would argue that all true believers are saints...awaiting resurrection .

 

[Polycarp1]

All these people you mentioned , they're , well most of them , are just sinners , same as you & I . The good works they performed that you allude to , is just the Spirit of God working through them . Certainly doesn't make them ...demigods ,able to hear or answer prayer .

Nor did I say otherwise. (I presume Jesus is the exception to "just sinners" you were alluding to.) A wise priest of my acquaintance said (or perhaps quoted someone as having said) "A saint is a sinner who knows it, turns to Christ and tries to do better." They're examples precisely because they're sinners like you and me who tried to follow Christ in all that they did.

 

[Dorothea]

But this is the Christ that Paul preached , & told us to be like...in fact , to put on His likeness . While I agree other Christians can & do inspire us , that is where it finishes , they have no ability to hear or answer prayer .
Sooo , we should just continue to lower the bar until we find someone we can aspire too ?

Nope, not lowering the bar, working on being Christlike and strive for that oneness with God. That is definitely not lowering the bar, and the Saints show us how it can be achieved in mere humans. They are examples for us. Doesn't mean Christ wasn't an example. Christ is God and showed us how to live, and what to do, for example to be baptized and such. What you need to understand is that we honor those before us who struggled, changed their lives and followed Christ in a most holy way. These Saints stand out for us as a great example of what we can become. It doesn't take away our love of Christ, but rather brings us closer to God because we see God working in these Saints, and we feel the warmth of His Light, the joy of His Grace, and the Love that bathes those who truly live their lives for Christ.

 

[Shredhead]

What you need to understand is that we honor those before us who struggled, changed their lives and followed Christ in a most holy way.

How ? & why would we honour the dead ?

 

[Thekla]

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints" Psalm 116:15

"Surely he shall not be moved forever; the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance." Psalm 112:6

 

[Shredhead]

yep , God doesn't like His people being murdered etc...no surprises there
Don't get me wrong , I give thanks to God for the obedience of people like John Bunyan , GK Chesterton , Jonah etc etc , but my thanks go to God , He's alive , these guys/gals aren't , & without Him , these guys/we would be nothing .