I am an avid Christ-follower. My life, my dreams, my hope, my future, my faith
.are all centred on the person, the life and the message of a 1st century rabbi, Saviour and God named JESUS CHRIST. I view this world and its issues, its politics, its societies, its cultures, its religions and its ideologies from the vantage point of Christ. When I encounter an issue, an idea or an art, the first question that goes through my mind is, What would Christ think of it? and/or What would Jesus do? (yes, the popular WWJD )
I believe that the teachings and principles of Christ are the best and have no equal in this world. I believe that problems can be solved, lives can be restored, ideas can be rectified, evil can be dealt with, and hope can be restored IF the principles of Christ are appropriately and authentically applied.
I am not saying this as an unrealistic idealist. History has already proved the uniqueness and power of Christs teachings. Christ is indeed, a History-maker!
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (a.k.a Mahatma Gandhi) , Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Aung Suu Kyi have all applied Christs principle of non-violence to overcome the powerful British empire, champion civil rights in the United States, end the Apartheid regime of South Africa and challenge the military junta of Burma respectively.
St. Basil of Caessarea and early Christian monastics applied Christs principle of agape and compassion when they founded the first modern hospital and charity in Cappadocia.
William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson, applied Christs principle of equality and human dignity when they championed the abolition of slavery.
Modern education institutions and modern science are all the products of those Christians who envisioned Christs principle of attaining knowledge and understanding of Gods creation.
The early churchs opposition to abortion, along with its condemnation of infanticide and child abandonment, was a major factor in institutionalizing Christs principle of the sanctity of human life in the Western world. (Sanctity of life, with the exception of abortion, is still largely present today)
The Magna Carta, which inspired the Hebeas Corpus, Bill of Rights, the US Constitution and eventually, the Universal Declaration of Human rights was a Christian document that was inspired by Christs teaching of humans created in the image of God .
These examples merely represent drops in the ocean. If through Christ, all these things were possible, then through this same Christ, all problems and issues in this world can be dealt with. A Christ-centred understanding of this world will definitely result in true peace and prosperity.
However, I understand that many wars, evil and destruction were caused by those who claimed to be inspired by the teachings and principles of Christ. But the question we need to ask is whether they were really following the principles of Christ? How can the same principles that motivated Gandhi to use non-violence against the British empire, encourage so-called Christians to go to war? As the popular saying, going to church does not make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. In fact, Christ himself warned that there will come those days when people will commit evil and teach heresy in His name. And he was right.
The credibility and usefulness of an ideology or principle cannot be effectively derived nor understood from those who claim to be practitioners of it. It can only be grasped by a rational and sincere understanding of its content as espoused by its author. If you want to know and learn Christian principles, then look up to Christ NOT Christians.
Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end
I believe that the teachings and principles of Christ are the best and have no equal in this world. I believe that problems can be solved, lives can be restored, ideas can be rectified, evil can be dealt with, and hope can be restored IF the principles of Christ are appropriately and authentically applied.
I am not saying this as an unrealistic idealist. History has already proved the uniqueness and power of Christs teachings. Christ is indeed, a History-maker!
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (a.k.a Mahatma Gandhi) , Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Aung Suu Kyi have all applied Christs principle of non-violence to overcome the powerful British empire, champion civil rights in the United States, end the Apartheid regime of South Africa and challenge the military junta of Burma respectively.
St. Basil of Caessarea and early Christian monastics applied Christs principle of agape and compassion when they founded the first modern hospital and charity in Cappadocia.
William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson, applied Christs principle of equality and human dignity when they championed the abolition of slavery.
Modern education institutions and modern science are all the products of those Christians who envisioned Christs principle of attaining knowledge and understanding of Gods creation.
The early churchs opposition to abortion, along with its condemnation of infanticide and child abandonment, was a major factor in institutionalizing Christs principle of the sanctity of human life in the Western world. (Sanctity of life, with the exception of abortion, is still largely present today)
The Magna Carta, which inspired the Hebeas Corpus, Bill of Rights, the US Constitution and eventually, the Universal Declaration of Human rights was a Christian document that was inspired by Christs teaching of humans created in the image of God .
These examples merely represent drops in the ocean. If through Christ, all these things were possible, then through this same Christ, all problems and issues in this world can be dealt with. A Christ-centred understanding of this world will definitely result in true peace and prosperity.
However, I understand that many wars, evil and destruction were caused by those who claimed to be inspired by the teachings and principles of Christ. But the question we need to ask is whether they were really following the principles of Christ? How can the same principles that motivated Gandhi to use non-violence against the British empire, encourage so-called Christians to go to war? As the popular saying, going to church does not make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. In fact, Christ himself warned that there will come those days when people will commit evil and teach heresy in His name. And he was right.
The credibility and usefulness of an ideology or principle cannot be effectively derived nor understood from those who claim to be practitioners of it. It can only be grasped by a rational and sincere understanding of its content as espoused by its author. If you want to know and learn Christian principles, then look up to Christ NOT Christians.
Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end
