Christian theology thread for Christians - Deus homo factus est naturam erante, mundus renovatus est a Christo regnante

[Metallic Blood]

These are my favorite passages from the Gospels. They are part of the main teachings of Jesus Christ, so shouldn't it be the central goal of any Christian to strive to behave this way?

I think about these passages almost daily... specially while browsing the farms, which is a place that can easily breed mockery and hatred in people's hearts.

Love is definitely not tolerating sin, because evil can not be tolerated no matter how small it is... but sadly, we live in a world that people would rather to identify as their sins rather than who they really are, it's pretty depressing honestly.

That makes me wonder how exactly you "love" someone: you can't be too merciful as you would be allowing for misery to exist, you can't be too vengeful, since you might lose yourself in unrighteous wrath, and you can't treat everyone the same way, because one might feel personally attacked and the other might understand their wrongdoings and feel remorse.

This is the hardest commandment to follow, and while I'm not perfect, I'm glad to get better each day at it. May the Lord give me the wisdom to love someone the way He wants to.

 

[Preacher ✝]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 254 - It is not easy to explain why God permits evil; but it is impossible for an atheist to explain the existence of goodness. How could a spiritless, soul-less, cross-less, Godless, universe become the center of faith, purity, sacrifice, and martyrdom? How can decency be the decent thing if there is no God? Since God is love, why should we be surprised that want of it should end in pain, hate, broken hearts, and war?

 

[Chicha Drinker]

The bible speaks of love as being paramount, but also having wisdom. There's never a part in the bible that says we should waddle our way through life, and not use our heads. Now we shouldnt be anxious about life, which i believe was the lesson Jesus taught when he mentioned the flowers in Matthew, and we are to lean on God's understanding in our interactions with the world.

We are to love our enemies, and give graciously...and unfortunately thats instilled a strange virtue of suicidal empathy in a lot of believers. They will invite people who spread sin into their homes, and let their children suffer, because they have a warped view of love. Love as a passive and permitting pitmommy that will ignore the truth in front of them because they dont want to be seen as unloving or because they WANT to be seen as virtuous...either way, the fundamental motivator is pride, not love.

In my view, biblical love is in the golden mean between suicidal empathy and boomerish apathy. Like good parenting, its a balancing act between when to be tough, when to be gentle, when to give, and when to NOT give.

One of the most genius things about the way the bible is written is how nonspecific it tends to be with things like this. Unlike Islam or Judaism which tend to be legalistic and very specific with their morality, Christian morality has the objectivity of God's words, but enough wiggle room in its interpretation for it to be practiced in (in my view) the most perfect way love can be shown. A way that requires nuance and cant be codified into a few laws.

 

[Thomas Talus]

The bible speaks of love as being paramount, but also having wisdom. There's never a part in the bible that says we should waddle our way through life, and not use our heads.

We are to be both harmless as doves, and wise as serpents.

 

[Preacher ✝]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 255 - Holiness must have a philosophical and theological foundation, namely, Divine truth; otherwise it is sentimentality and emotionalism. Many would say later on, 'We want religion, but no creeds.' This is like saying we want healing, but no science of medicine; music, but no rules of music; history, but no documents. Religion is indeed a life, but it grows out of truth, not away from it. It has been said it makes no difference what you believe, it all depends on how you act. This is psychological nonsense, for man acts out of his beliefs. Our Lord placed truth or belief in Him first; then came sanctification and good deeds. But here truth was not a vague ideal, but a Person. Truth was now lovable, because only a Person is lovable. Sanctity becomes the response the heart makes to Divine truth and its unlimited mercy to humanity.

 

[Day Walker]

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6 : 12

A reminder for myself. I’m having a very hard time with this right now.

 

[Preacher ✝]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 256 - The soul cannot be seen in a biological laboratory, any more than pain can be seen on an operating table.

 

[23iwakura23]

ps 67/68

In finem. Psalmus cantici ipsi David.


Exsurgat Deus, et dissipentur inimici ejus; et fugiant qui oderunt eum a facie ejus.


Sicut deficit fumus, deficiant; sicut fluit cera a facie ignis, sic pereant peccatores a facie Dei.


Et justi epulentur, et exsultent in conspectu Dei, et delectentur in laetitia.


Cantate Deo; psalmum dicite nomini ejus: iter facite ei qui ascendit super occasum. Dominus nomen illi; exsultate in conspectu ejus. Turbabuntur a facie ejus,


patris orphanorum, et judicis viduarum; Deus in loco sancto suo.


Deus qui inhabitare facit unius moris in domo; qui educit vinctos in fortitudine, similiter eos qui exasperant, qui habitant in sepulchris.


Deus, cum egredereris in conspectu populi tui, cum pertransires in deserto,


terra mota est, etenim caeli distillaverunt, a facie Dei Sinai, a facie Dei Israel.


Pluviam voluntariam segregabis, Deus, haereditati tuae; et infirmata est, tu vero perfecisti eam.


Animalia tua habitabunt in ea; parasti in dulcedine tua pauperi, Deus.


Dominus dabit verbum evangelizantibus, virtute multa.


Rex virtutum dilecti, dilecti; et speciei domus dividere spolia.


Si dormiatis inter medios cleros, pennae columbae deargentatae, et posteriora dorsi ejus in pallore auri.


Dum discernit caelestis reges super eam, nive dealbabuntur in Selmon.


Mons Dei, mons pinguis: mons coagulatus, mons pinguis.


Ut quid suspicamini, montes coagulatos? mons in quo beneplacitum est Deo habitare in eo; etenim Dominus habitabit in finem.


Currus Dei decem millibus multiplex, millia laetantium; Dominus in eis in Sina, in sancto.


Ascendisti in altum, cepisti captivitatem, accepisti dona in hominibus; etenim non credentes inhabitare Dominum Deum.


Benedictus Dominus die quotidie: prosperum iter faciet nobis Deus salutarium nostrorum.


Deus noster, Deus salvos faciendi; et Domini, Domini exitus mortis.


Verumtamen Deus confringet capita inimicorum suorum, verticem capilli perambulantium in delictis suis.


Dixit Dominus: Ex Basan convertam, convertam in profundum maris:


ut intingatur pes tuus in sanguine; lingua canum tuorum ex inimicis, ab ipso.


Viderunt ingressus tuos, Deus, ingressus Dei mei, regis mei, qui est in sancto.


Praevenerunt principes conjuncti psallentibus, in medio juvencularum tympanistriarum.


In ecclesiis benedicite Deo Domino de fontibus Israel.


Ibi Benjamin adolescentulus, in mentis excessu; principes Juda, duces eorum; principes Zabulon, principes Nephthali.


Manda, Deus, virtuti tuae; confirma hoc, Deus, quod operatus es in nobis.


A templo tuo in Jerusalem, tibi offerent reges munera.


Increpa feras arundinis; congregatio taurorum in vaccis populorum: ut excludant eos qui probati sunt argento. Dissipa gentes quae bella volunt.


Venient legati ex AEgypto; AEthiopia praeveniet manus ejus Deo.


Regna terrae, cantate Deo; psallite Domino; psallite Deo.


Qui ascendit super caelum caeli, ad orientem: ecce dabit voci suae vocem virtutis.


Date gloriam Deo super Israel; magnificentia ejus et virtus ejus in nubibus.


Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis; Deus Israel ipse dabit virtutem et fortitudinem plebi suae. Benedictus Deus!

 

[Smokingpoop]

Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled."

 

[Preacher ✝]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 257 - Modern prophets say that our economics have failed us. No! it is not our economics which have failed; it is man who has failed-man who has forgotten God. Hence no manner of economic or political readjustment can save our civilization; we can be saved only by a renovation of the inner man, only by a purging of our hearts and souls; for only by seeking first the Kingdom of God and His Justice will all these other things be added unto us.

 

[Preacher ✝]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 258 - The more He loved those for whom He was the ransom, the more His anguish would increase, as it is the faults of friends rather than enemies which most disturb hearts!

 

[Preacher ✝]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 259 - Very harmful effects can follow accepting the philosophy which denies personal guilt or sin and thereby makes everyone nice. By denying sin, the nice people make a cure impossible. Sin is most serious, and the tragedy is deepened by the denial that we are sinners . . . The really unforgivable sin is the denial of sin, because, by its nature, there is now nothing to be forgiven. By refusing to admit to personal guilt, the nice people are made into scandalmongers, gossips, talebearers, and supercritics, for they must project their real if unrecognized guilt to others. This, again, gives them a new illusion of goodness: the increase in faultfinding is in direct ration and proportion to the denial of sin.

 

[Candlelight Desolation]

Sir, this is the thread for Christian theology, not Mormon theology.

Learning to hold my tongue is a thing I've been dealing with as of late, keeping my wits about me instead of being nasty back to someone. So sorry for being rude back to you among others in other threads.

"Judge not" is another one that makes a lot more sense if you consider it means the state of someone's soul and not forming reasonable conclusions based on evidence.

Judge not in Matthew 7 means to not be a hypocrite. If I'm a thief, it would be hypocrisy to call you out for larceny. Or if I'm a drunkard, it would be hypocrisy to call someone on that while not keeping my nose clean.

 

[Agamemnon Busmalis]

Judge not in Matthew 7 means to not be a hypocrite. If I'm a thief, it would be hypocrisy to call you out for larceny. Or if I'm a drunkard, it would be hypocrisy to call someone on that while not keeping my nose clean.

Correct, that's not all it means but that is also an important piece. It all goes back to knowing yourself first and better than you think you know others. a very Stoic concept honestly.

 

[Candlelight Desolation]

It all goes back to knowing yourself first and better than you think you know others.

Introspection is definitely a good idea, also filtering everything through what scripture in the KJV teaches. The world will tell you "go to therapy and get on pills" if you're going through a tough time and just try to take care of it that way for every little problem. To kill a weed, you need to go to the root. I've begun to use introspection to look for why I have dealt with recurring sin in life; I am incredibly self-aware and can have a strong will at times, I just need to know how to utilize these and with the Lord's help take the bull by the horns instead of getting on pills that don't help and bleed myself dry going to therapy in the process.

 

[Preacher ✝]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 260 - Unhappy souls almost always blame everyone else but themselves for their miseries. Shut up within themselves, they are necessarily shut off from all others except to criticize them. Since the essence of sin is opposition to God's will, it follows that the sin of one individual is bound to oppose any other individual who's will is in harmony with God's will. This resulting estrangement from one's fellow man is intensified when one begins to live solely for this world, then the possessions of the neighbor are regarded as something unjustly taken from oneself. Once the material becomes the goal of life, a society of conflicts is born.

 

[marlimar]

Introspection is definitely a good idea, also filtering everything through what scripture in the KJV teaches. The world will tell you "go to therapy and get on pills" if you're going through a tough time and just try to take care of it that way for every little problem. To kill a weed, you need to go to the root. I've begun to use introspection to look for why I have dealt with recurring sin in life; I am incredibly self-aware and can have a strong will at times, I just need to know how to utilize these and with the Lord's help take the bull by the horns instead of getting on pills that don't help and bleed myself dry going to therapy in the process.

I've been doing something similar, and found myself backsliding in my pursuit to cast away my licentiousness, I know that Christ can and has given me the strength to not masturbate, but I still invite the sin into my heart and choose to masturbate, it's a struggle that seems small and inconsequential, but I try to tackle the small problems first and this one is a stumbling block. I plan to keep trying to be more holy in my daily actions and I commend you for persisting on the path of truth.

 

[Candlelight Desolation]

Yes, I should've pointed that out. You're right. I just included it in a broader context of that Chick believes you need to live an impeccable life but only for the sole purpose of witnessing.

He was overly optimistic of his turn or burn Romans Road method of evangelizing. Also his view of history, especially regarding the Catholic Church, was very wrong and bizarre. So I'm not a big fan.

Update - I finished the You Don't Know Jack book - it's essentially just a transcript of the video series Chick Publications put on Youtube following Chick's death. No mention of Arminian vs. Calvinist (particularly, OSAS) anywhere.

 

[Preacher ✝]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 261 - He came to put a harlot above a Pharisee, a penitent robber above a High Priest, and a prodigal son above his exemplary brother. To all the phonies and fakers who would say that they could not join the Church because His Church was not holy enough, He would ask, 'How holy must the Church be before you will enter into it?' If the Church were as holy as they wanted it to be, they would never be allowed into it! In every other religion under the sun, in every Eastern religion from Buddhism to Confucianism, there must always be some purification before one can commune with God. But Our Blessed Lord brought a religion where the admission of sin is condition of coming to Him. 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are ill.

 

[MadStan]

The Wisdom of Bl. Fulton Sheen

Day 254 - It is not easy to explain why God permits evil; but it is impossible for an atheist to explain the existence of goodness. How could a spiritless, soul-less, cross-less, Godless, universe become the center of faith, purity, sacrifice, and martyrdom? How can decency be the decent thing if there is no God? Since God is love, why should we be surprised that want of it should end in pain, hate, broken hearts, and war?

It is easy to describe goodness when you are an atheist. I like people enjoying life, I like my family to enjoy life and I get enjoyment out of watching others do well. Every being is born with an innate sense of right and wrong, and even a child knows before they can understand the world when they have done wrong.

It is a crying shame to see men who can not garnish enough discipline to master their own primal instincts and who require a dogma to overcome this and they are weak.

Why on Earth would I want to cheat and steal from a fellow man? Why would I require a religion to give me that sense of right and wrong? Why would I destroy my family through infidelity? Why would I think society is better of I take from it rather than give to it? I feel shame when I sometimes fail in small things because I know I could have done better or acted differently, not because a dogma told me I should feel that way.

For some, they require a greater power to master their urges, whereas I self govern them because I think a man is truly a man when he can express discipline over himself before the environment and consider a man who can not masquerading as an adult.

If you need to believe in something to exist beyond you in order to find it within you, then it doesn't exist within you and you are just pretending. Be a good person because you believe it, not because you "should".

I'm glad you find God's love guides you; but I don't need someone else's love to make me a better person.