The Benefits of Christianity Video

[Joel Malloch]

Just sharing a video I made for new Christians about the benefits of Christianity! Feel free to discuss & encourage new Christians!

 

[cloudyday2]

Thank, @Joel Malloch , I thought that video had a lot of good information, and you presented it succinctly without rushing it either.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Just sharing a video I made for new Christians about the benefits of Christianity! Feel free to discuss & encourage new Christians!

Joel, I feel compelled to say this and I'm not saying it because I want to put you down, or put what you're doing down, or to be mean, or a jerk, or any of those things. What I say here is out of legitimate concern and worry.

I only made it to half way through the video, but almost from the beginning it seemed like what you were saying was very off. You talk about how being a Christian means no having worries in one's life, and if your experience as a Christian has been that you've had less worry and anxiety than, hey man, that's awesome; but being a Christian isn't going to put worrying to bed. Worry, anxiety, Christians suffer from these things as much as anyone else. That we won't have worries or anxiety or stress isn't one of the promises which we have in Christ, on the contrary the Lord tells us that in this world we will have trouble. He tells us not to worry about the future, because the present has its own problems, but that's not a promise that's Him telling us that it's not worth worrying about what we can't do anything about.

Speaking personally I suffer from depression and anxiety, and I've been taking medication for it for about six, almost seven years now. I certainly have looked to my faith to help me through many of the darker parts of that, but it's not just going to go away--that's just part of what it means to be me. And millions of Christians throughout the world deal with the same, and frequently, far, far worse than any of my meager problems. The realities of not knowing if the bills will be paid on time, the realities of a sick friend or family member who may or may not make it through the ordeal--those who are themselves suffering from illness or infirmities. These are things which Christians deal with, and they don't go away simply because we're Christians.

Another issue is placing emphasis on the "experience" of God. That's a very dangerous road to go down, it leads us to put our faith in our subjective experiences--"dreams", "visions", feelings--rather than in the objective promises of the Gospel. Our Lord never said that we would have "personal" experiences of God in the form of feelings, or dreams, or visions, or such things. And the danger is two fold: 1) It turns our attention away from what really matters as Christians, God's word, the Sacraments, God's commandments, etc 2) It almost certainly will lead to despair, as one who places their hope and faith in these things may--if they don't happen--begin to think that they have lost their connection with God, and will almost certainly think that God has left them; when we turn away from the Gospel to ourselves we will be let down.

"Manifestations", I'm not going to say that God can't act in profound ways, healing people of cancer, causing the remarkable, etc. But those things aren't a result of our being righteous, such things--if and or when God chooses to do so--is completely up to God. No amount of believing hard enough, or trying to be righteous enough will cure cancer. If God chooses to miraculously cure cancer, He'll do so. But we aren't promises to not be sick, we aren't promises to not have cancer, HIV, any a host of hundreds of debilitating and terminal illnesses and problems. Telling people that being a Christian means seeing miracles, that's not true.

Well, there is one exception to the above. That God has so loved us, and called us, and chosen us, and saved us, and transformed us through His incomprehensible mercy into His very own beloved children, that's a miracle. That you or I have hope at all, that's a miracle. When we hear the good news of Jesus Christ, and it actually makes us the recipients of its promises, that's a miracle. When we went into the water, being baptized, and now we're new creatures, born again, in Christ, that's a miracle. When we come to receive the bread and the wine of the Lord's Supper, and we are receiving Jesus Christ Himself, living and incarnate, that's a miracle. That we are in Christ, that's a miracle.

That's what we should be telling people. That's the benefit of being a Christian.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[FireDragon76]

I have to agree with VC, every bit of it. Worries do not magically disappear. What Christianity adds is an extra dimension to life- a horizontal dimension that is often otherwise absent. I am reminded of Jesus' words, "I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly". Jesus didn't promise people that life would be easy, but he promised that they would live more.

 

[Joel Malloch]

Joel, I feel compelled to say this and I'm not saying it because I want to put you down, or put what you're doing down, or to be mean, or a jerk, or any of those things. What I say here is out of legitimate concern and worry.

I only made it to half way through the video, but almost from the beginning it seemed like what you were saying was very off. You talk about how being a Christian means no having worries in one's life, and if your experience as a Christian has been that you've had less worry and anxiety than, hey man, that's awesome; but being a Christian isn't going to put worrying to bed. Worry, anxiety, Christians suffer from these things as much as anyone else. That we won't have worries or anxiety or stress isn't one of the promises which we have in Christ, on the contrary the Lord tells us that in this world we will have trouble. He tells us not to worry about the future, because the present has its own problems, but that's not a promise that's Him telling us that it's not worth worrying about what we can't do anything about.

Speaking personally I suffer from depression and anxiety, and I've been taking medication for it for about six, almost seven years now. I certainly have looked to my faith to help me through many of the darker parts of that, but it's not just going to go away--that's just part of what it means to be me. And millions of Christians throughout the world deal with the same, and frequently, far, far worse than any of my meager problems. The realities of not knowing if the bills will be paid on time, the realities of a sick friend or family member who may or may not make it through the ordeal--those who are themselves suffering from illness or infirmities. These are things which Christians deal with, and they don't go away simply because we're Christians.

Another issue is placing emphasis on the "experience" of God. That's a very dangerous road to go down, it leads us to put our faith in our subjective experiences--"dreams", "visions", feelings--rather than in the objective promises of the Gospel. Our Lord never said that we would have "personal" experiences of God in the form of feelings, or dreams, or visions, or such things. And the danger is two fold: 1) It turns our attention away from what really matters as Christians, God's word, the Sacraments, God's commandments, etc 2) It almost certainly will lead to despair, as one who places their hope and faith in these things may--if they don't happen--begin to think that they have lost their connection with God, and will almost certainly think that God has left them; when we turn away from the Gospel to ourselves we will be let down.

"Manifestations", I'm not going to say that God can't act in profound ways, healing people of cancer, causing the remarkable, etc. But those things aren't a result of our being righteous, such things--if and or when God chooses to do so--is completely up to God. No amount of believing hard enough, or trying to be righteous enough will cure cancer. If God chooses to miraculously cure cancer, He'll do so. But we aren't promises to not be sick, we aren't promises to not have cancer, HIV, any a host of hundreds of debilitating and terminal illnesses and problems. Telling people that being a Christian means seeing miracles, that's not true.

Well, there is one exception to the above. That God has so loved us, and called us, and chosen us, and saved us, and transformed us through His incomprehensible mercy into His very own beloved children, that's a miracle. That you or I have hope at all, that's a miracle. When we hear the good news of Jesus Christ, and it actually makes us the recipients of its promises, that's a miracle. When we went into the water, being baptized, and now we're new creatures, born again, in Christ, that's a miracle. When we come to receive the bread and the wine of the Lord's Supper, and we are receiving Jesus Christ Himself, living and incarnate, that's a miracle. That we are in Christ, that's a miracle.

That's what we should be telling people. That's the benefit of being a Christian.

-CryptoLutheran

Hi my friend - Yeah I've since deleted the video as I feel it wasn't from the right angle. I should've made it from the point of God and walking with him to fulfill the purposes of the Kingdom which is to make disciples. I firmly believe that prayer is crucial & through prayer God will speak to us and we will be with him in a spiritual reality which allows me to know he is my father and he will give me eternal life which includes love, peace, joy & all the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

I'm so sorry for your pain and I hope that the lord comforts you and strengthens you and that he will use you mightily to be a great testimony of his strength in our human weakness

 

[dcalling]

I have to agree with VC, every bit of it. Worries do not magically disappear. What Christianity adds is an extra dimension to life- a horizontal dimension that is often otherwise absent. I am reminded of Jesus' words, "I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly". Jesus didn't promise people that life would be easy, but he promised that they would live more.

But me (an may others) does experience this, when you initially became a Christian, God take care of you in a unmatched way, i.e. your prayers answered even if it is only worldly things etc. Rather strange but it is true to many.

However a Christian does have to grow, and learn how to walk with God and not just have God bless you like a spoiled child