Christ's Call to Follow in His Footsteps - K.P. Yohannan

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A Facebook discussion -

Manifesto - Sin and Redemption

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 Today at 6:25pm

Today’s discussion, boys and girls, is on the meaning of sin and forgiveness. Ok, kind of a heavy topic which in part you can blame on screwing up the coffee yesterday morning and creating some kind of freakish super fuel express…should not have pushed the BREW STRONG button. Then again, considering the diversity of religious thought among most of you, including a couple who are priests if memory serves in one faith or another, I figure I’ll give the Liberals and Progressives a break, not write on the morality of playing the race card, and jump right to Sin itself instead. Grandma always said never talk politics or religion in polite company. What the heck… 

Ok, in the interests of full disclosure, yes, Irish Catholic. I did a year in St. Augustine Minimum –er- Middle Elementary, bachelors from Marquette (Jesuits), and probably have the oddest mix of very conservative and very liberal beliefs on religion. It is tough to offend me short of Pedophile priest jokes, which I don’t’ anymore funny than Jewish or Islamic jokes. My general philosophy is you don’t tell me how to worship or what to believe, and I won’t start stacking wood at your feet for an “Old-Fashioned” BBQ. Variations of belief though fascinate me and discussion and debate… well, you get the picture. 

So, the question is how you define sin and forgiveness. This is a key point for a lot of Christians, in that those who believe in original sin tend to believe we all carry it with us through being born. Catholics belief in forgiveness has, invariable, led to troubled priests being put back into position inappropriate considering their betrayal of trust. So, is a Sin forgiven but willfully committed again a new sin or a repudiation of forgiveness for the old? If we take a more Pelagian rather than Augustinian, asserting that Free Will and Right Action are our ways to Grace – which I understand to be more the Protestant tradition – are we able to reach a state of grace on our own, removing God and Christ from the equation, and then what sins did Christ die for, if we are capable of getting there ourselves without him? Does the generally held Christian belief that Christ died for our sins then abrogate the need for redemption or right action, since we have already been redeemed through acceptance of Christ? Or, is our supposed Free Will affirmed or refuted by Christ’s action. How does predestination fit in then? 

What is Sin then? Is it simply a violation of God’s commandments or the more moral and ethical values of Aquinas? And if so, are we defining then sin not as crimes against God but a disagreement on the moral or ethical character of a given thought or action? If it’s a difference of opinion on what is and is not a sin, what is or is not immoral, then is it a sin for seeking to impose my morality, to in effect assume God’s position of judgment over another? And if predestination is rule, then if I know I am predestined for Heaven, what’s to stop me from raising all kinds of hell secure in the knowledge that I am going to Heaven? 

Ok, rules for discussion are simple good manners, no name calling, no finger pointing, threats of violence, crusade, jihad, etc. And no, you cannot accuse me of being predestined for hell – you know who you are and that’s all I’m going to say - I am a firm believer in the need to question and wrestle with one’s faith, and that if you can’t face your beliefs, your faith openly, honestly, if you don’t question, then you don’t really know what you believe. Kind of like Democrats who believe everything that Obama and Pelosi say and are unwilling to accept practical considerations – ie, if you only have two bucks you can’t give $1.3 trillion to someone… ok, you knew I was going to say something political, just deal with it! 

So, if you are easily offended… or looking to tell Pedophile priest jokes, just move on along and you won’t get hurt… much… Otherwise, have at it! 

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And I responded...

"before you can effectively discuss this we have to create a level playing field. Questions such as: 1) do you believe in God 2) do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God 3) Do you believe that each and everyone of us have a predisposition of what right and wrong is (if you will have it - we will call it a "moral predisposition".) So ifyou believe in God and believe in his Son (as Savior) then you have to believe that he created the heavens and the earth and all that is in between. 

Whether you believe in predestination or in free will, both sects believe in God as Holy, therefore, you don't have a lotto ticket to live "free willy" and do as you please because God is a Holy God. Therefore, you have to ask yourself what am I supposed to do in this World. What are my gifts and what are my talents and how am I to make a difference in this World.

In the book of James, he talks about Faith without works and he goes onto to say that that Faith is dead. So does this mean you can lose your Salvation? No, I did not say that. If you believe in God's Son, as Savior, then you are promised God's Spirit. Your body then becomes a living temple of God and what you do it with it in obedience to God is your call in life. As Sons and Daughters of God, you are promised gifts and talents and you are to use them to honor God in obedience to his Word. 

So God's commandments are: Put no other God's before Him (no idols), do not use his name in vain, keep His holy day sabbath, honor your father and mother, do not kill (which is also a law of the land in most societies), do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness (no perjury), do not covet your neighbors wife, and do not covert your neighbors property. Are these things morally wrong? Of course they are. Why do we not see these on public property? Or on Government property? Hmmm, have you looked at our politicians (on both sides of the aisles) for their unethical and ungodly behavior?

What ever your belief is, whether you say you are Christian, Muslim, or whatever, you cannot simply say that there is no right and wrong, even the worst among us know when they are doing wrong. 

We can discuss more anytime you like over coffee or something...

Let me know,

Dante

and...

Your Manifesto title was Sin & Redemption. And correct me if I am wrong, but your question really boils down to how do we define sin and forgiveness...Correct?

For instance, all religions (religion is what we will define as man made, for now) try (in their best attempts) to find truth - Correct? 

So let's take Islam, for instance, they say (the Koran) that Jesus is a prophet of God. Probably the most holy prophet of God and they believe in his virgin birth. The only difference is that they say that God would not allow his closest messenger to be crucified, so they believe that someone else took the crucifixion and that Jesus was somehow reunited in the Heavens with God. Therefore they denounce his death and resurrection. This begs a question, though, if you say in your religions holiest manuscript that Jesus was the greatest prophet (messenger) of God, but you deny the messengers own testimony (truth) what are you really saying? Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the light and that no man (woman) comes to the Father (God) but through Him. Something has to give. Either He was/is who He says He was/is or he is a liar?

Buddhism believes in Karma and reincarnation. Levels of truth, if you will have it. Catholics believe in God, and yet we had the great reformation to move closer to the truth (the word of God) then to allow men to suggest what truth is.

Agnostics believe that there could be a higher power (we call God), but do not necessarily believe in God. Athiests believe in no God and reject anything that condemns their rights and or belief structure. 

Take a look at the founding fathers of this country. Why did they want separation of Church & State. Not for the reason that society would have you believe today, rather, they wanted to worship God in their way and not to have a "State Sponsored" religion tell you how to worship their god and or their belief structure. 

So back to your question - Sin & Redemption - that is the quesiton - correct?..."  Stay tuned....Jesus is the truth!

Dante

Your thoughts?  Your responses - please respond.....

How truthful do you want to be...

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1 Peter 5:6-11 (New International Version)

⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

 ⁸Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

 ¹⁰And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Defending you Faith...

For just one moment imagine yourself anywhere in the World were you could be completely understood by another person who may not speak your tongue, but for just that moment, he could understand your faith. How would you defend your faith in Jesus Christ?  The World is a diverse and intricate place full of many different religions.  Over 33% of the population is considered Christian, which includes Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Pentecostal, Anglican and the like.  The fastest growing religion today is Islam then followed by 16%, which is "non-religious".  That being said, over 33% of the World believes in Jesus Christ.  Of course, even in this category, some are false teachers in saying that He is not the only way.  So let's take Islam, for example.  In their sacred text, the Quran,they believe in Jesus as a prophet of God.  As a matter of fact, they believe that He was born a virgin birth and that He was the God's greatest messenger to mankind.  However they do not believe that he was crucified, instead they believe that Judas took his place and that Jesus was somehow met up in the clouds, as they do not believe God will allow this fate to happen to his messenger.

So where do we start from there?  Do you reject their faith and immediately turn them off?  What would Jesus do?  Instead, ask, what DID Jesus do.  I would show them who Jesus is in my life and how I have made him Lord over my life.  I would give them a glass of cold water and be a neighbor and friend to them. I would allow the Holy Spirit, who dwells in me (thanks to the crucifixion) and is working through me in order to show a Muslim God's eternal and everlasting love.  Next I would ask about their faith and build a relationship with them.  Once trust is established I would ask if we could debate the merits of our faith.  

For instance, by their very sacred document, the Quran, they state that Jesus was a prophet and perhaps God's greatest messenger to mankind.  There you go, that is the turning point right there.  Simply put, by their own document, you can challenge and refute their claim.  Why?  How do you ask?  Simple.  Either Jesus was and who He says He was OR He (Jesus) was a quack and a liar.  I am not saying anything to the contrary.  Jesus is Messiah.  Jesus is our Savior.  Jesus is the only way.  Over 300 Bible Prophesies have been fulfilled by Jesus.  Therefore, you cannot say in the Quran that Jesus was a great man only to denounce his testimony.  Jesus foretold of his death and resurrection.  Jesus was crucified and on the 3rd day He rose again.  If you confess your sins to him and admit that you are a sinner and you believe on Him that he was born a virgin, died on the cross and rose again on the 3rd day and you confess your sins to Him and believe - YOU WILL BE SAVED.  

Simply put, you cannot say that Jesus was a great prophet and a Messenger of God, only to denounce Jesus's own testimony of truth.  Either he was he he says he was and we believe or you completely discount and reject him.  But remember, at Judgement, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess.  Confess what?  Simply put, "Jesus is Lord & Messiah!  AMEN!

Dante

The Good Confession (can you make it yours this week)

The Good Confession, by Andrew Peterson

"was a boy, just nine years old, I heard the call and came. They buried me beneath the water, then I rose again. Well, you know my dad was a preacher man. I walked the aisle and I took his hand. He said, “Son, just do the best you can, and say the words, ‘I believe he is the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Through the years I barely fell; I mostly dove right in. I drank so deep from the shallow well only to thirst again. Well, I sang the hymns at the summer camp, then I rocked and rolled with a lousy band till I heard a song that took my hand and led me home. And I believe he is the Christ, Son of the living God.
All I know is that I was blind but now I see that though I kick and scream, Love is leading me. And every step of the way his grace is making me; with every breath I breathe, he is saving me. And I believe.
So when my body’s weak and the day is long, when I feel my faith is all but gone, I’ll remember when I sing this song that I believe. I believe he is the Christ, Son of the living God, my Lord, my Savior. Oh, hosanna, I believe."

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Is Jesus truly the Lord over your entire life?  Is He in charge of it all?  Are you truly saved?

Dante

Here in America

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 Here in America, by Rich Mullins, thank you Andrew...

Where do we go from here...

Plans for your life

Jeremiah 29: 11 “For I know the plans I have for you,"declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans togive you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray tome, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek mewith all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD…

These past two years have been extremely trying for me andmy walk.  I am not sure how much I alludedto in the past entries about my wife, but over the past two year, almost to thedate of the first year anniversary, she has had some major health complicationsthat the doctors cannot explain the cause of to this day.  Needless to say, they were able to treat herafter she was hospitalized both times, but for me, it was extremelyunnerving.  Basically, to put it simply,she was very close to having her body (at the age of 31) go into renalfailure.  Her CPK levels were off thechart and the first year she could barely walk up the stairs holding ouryoungest (at 2 years old, now 3).  Forsix days she was hospitalized (the first year) and for 4 days she washospitalized this year. 

I have a new found respect for single parents.  Frankly, I don’t know how you do it24/7.  Last year, my in-laws were inFlorida and my parents are just too old to handle my 3 kids and life wasextremely stressful and turned me upside down and inside out.  I was on my own, while my wife was in thehospital, being mom, dad, nurse, caretaker, cook, maid, and all around defensefor my family.  After the kids were inbed I fell into bed and wrestled in prayer, in tears, and in reading God’s wordfor answers.  Seriously, I couldn’tbelieve that this is what he had planned for my life, to take my wife away fromus and to leave me as a single parent raising 3 younglings.  By the way, I also want to say that Spiritualattack was also evident in my life through this time as well, both at theworkplace and elsewhere.

The hardest prayer I think that I have ever prayed (overtears) was for my wife and for her healing, but as I continued searching theScriptures for answers I found myself having to pray, “not my will be done, butyour will Father.”  It was at that pointthat I gave everything to Him.  I gavehim my tears, my stress, my hope and my frustration – not knowing where thisroad would lead.  I wrestled in my bed,crying myself to sleep for the love of my life, and asking to have her just onemore night in my home. 

I had taken 3 days off of work to be the parent, and my workwas more than patient, given the circumstance. I was reading many Scriptures including the one listed above and all ofa sudden a great peace came about me.  Icannot explain it, except that there was a real calming force about me.  At that point the phone rang and it was afriend who leads our church’s prayer team. She told me that a group of six women were praying for me that morningand she wanted me to know that.  I askedher the time that this occurred and she said it was right about the time that Ifelt that unbelievable peace, given my circumstance.  The strange thing about that was that mymother-in-law (over 1700 miles away) felt that same type of peace come overher. 

This past January, I moved my parents into assisted living(in another state by my sister) right about the time that my wife went back tothe emergency room only to hospitalized again in January 2010 for the samething that the doctor said the year before would never come back.  Strangely enough, she went into the hospital theday before I flew back, so I was able to land in Chicago and visit her thereand spend the day with her at the hospital. These past two years have taught me something in my Christian walk thatI don’t think anything else could have done in such an extreme way – to trustin the Lord.  To trust Him no matter whatand no matter what happens in your life. What would it profit me to gain the whole world and lose my ownsoul?  What would it profit me to haveeverything in this world but to lose my faith in God?  The answer is quite simple – nothing.  There is nothing on this earth that is worthlosing that. Nothing!

God has plans for me, not to harm me, but to prosperme.  God has plans for you too.  What does he want in return?  The answer is simple yet not easy.  It requires obedience, repentance, trust anda heart of worship.  He does not want hypocrisy;he does not want a lukewarm person.  Whenyou want to come closer to Him, He will come closer to you – I promise!

As hard as life is and could get, God will meet you whereyou are at.  A word of caution, He is aHoly God and he doesn’t want just a part of your life as a Christian – He wantsall of it.  And for the Legacy Dad’s outthere – remember that your children out there are watching you, and remembersomething even more important than that – God is watching you all thetime. JOB 7.

Dante