/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

Do you believe fully in the life, death, resurrection of Christ Jesus?

Do you believe that your sins make you worthy of death?

Do you believe that His precious blood is enough to cover your sins?

Do you reject the prideful idea that you can earn your seat in Heaven?

Do you recognize that you owe all to Jesus?

Can you agree with Scripture here?

>16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

>17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

>18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

>>607598

Can I believe in the Lord but still live a vain life? Can I believe in Christ and not imitate his life? Am I to be simply no different than a non-christian? Am I not supposed to be the first worker in building the kingdom of God on earth? Should I not walk Christ path in order to be a light in the world?

>>607597

>Every single complaint is a Protestant memer

>Actually indirectly calling nearly every single Christian before 1500 a nothing because of your poor understanding of the bible

Not everybody is called in the same way. Do not try to do anything beyond your strength. Listen to me, you are being tempted.

>>607604

I'm not even a prot

>>607597

You can't possibly be this stupid so for my own sanity I'm going to call you a troll

>>607600

Give Ephesians a read, brother.

>4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

>5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

>6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

>7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

John 1:2

>But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

If you truly believe you're adopted into the family. But what now? In a word; works. Ephesians 2 explains;

>5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

>10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus ""unto good works,"" which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 4

>1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

>2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

>3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

>12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

>13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

God wants you to be perfect, to be completely holy. But you're His son! He won't reject you when you fall off and scrape your knee. He won't reject you when you're an edgy teen who listens to music that's too loud. He won't reject you when you're an adult who doesn't call as often as you should. He'll try you, but not above what you are able.

>>607609

Then. Go follow Him just to acknowledge that you are not strong enough. Read Luke 14:28

Better take small steps and count if you have enough money to build the tower

>>607611

Does this mean that this temptation and will to follow in His commandements is a trial I am up to follow?

Have you been watching A Voice in the Desert videos OP?

>>607608

That's where you are wrong.

>>607621

But I believe in the actual presence of the flesh and blood of Christ in the eucharist, and the communion as the most important sacrament there is. That one cannot be spiritually alive without eating the flesh and blood of Jesus

>>607623

>But I believe in the actual presence of the flesh and blood of Christ in the eucharist

So does my Mother, who is a evangelist.

>>607620

>pic

fug me that had me lollin' out loud

>how did you know?

from your OP it's pretty clear from anyone else who's seen a few of his vids I would say. I've only seen a few but have had the exact same concerns (specifically re: calling people father and other titles of repute and caring about material comforts etc) after watching them because he makes a lot of sense - I'm early days into the faith but there's the potenial that indeed true Christianity should be much more radical than the type we've inherited with most churches, idk.

I've not seen a video that's supposed to imply we need to hate the beauty of nature, sun on our face, the birds etc. Sure, hate how it's been corrupted from the fall and our sin, but it is and we are God's creation that should cause us to marvel and steward. We're (hopefully) destined for a new heaven and earth after all.

Vaguely related, I generally don't fall foul of the materialism/consumerism prevelant in modern society (don't buy tech or games or anything else like that) I might spend a bit on quality clothes and shoes that will last when I need them and shoes rather than buy the cheapest and give the rest to the poor (I figure this makes sense because the cheapo stuff will fall apart/wear sooner and I'll end up spending (wasting) more on them in the long term) but one serious question I am wondering about is the idea of saving up for a deposit on a place.

I say this as I am on the cusp of getting a decent paying job which means I would be able to save a bit over the next few years to build a modest deposit on say a one bed flat or small house, which I've always thought was a good idea as renting is listerally just hemorrhaging money down the drain (or into your landlords pocket) while paying a mortage is effectively banking money in bricks and motar which you can utilise in the future. But more importantly I would like a famliy and renting is in a terrible state in this country and I would say being able to provide a stable roof, a place to call your own, over your family's head is very important if you can do it. But then I wonder am I just falling into the trap of homeownership in a consumerist way (I don't deny there's part of it as from time to time I do daydream of the fulfillment from living in a certain type of house in a certain neighbourhood in a certain town etc.) and committing (chaining) myself to a gargantuan pile of debt for the rest of my life and be distracted in keeping up with this rather than being flexible and going all out for Christ whereever he needs me?

>>607624

>evangelist.

while I'm not saying she doesn't evanglise (i.e. is an evangelist) I assume in this context you meant evangelical?

>>607627

>I assume in this context you meant evangelical?

Sorry, yes, I did.

>>607627

I am in the same state as you concerning homeownership. I am saving up money atm to pay down for a stable roof where I could have a family with my wife. But when I watch this video it seems extremely self-centered. Maybe the true christian path isn't like this but much more radical and it ofcourse concern me. I don't want to follow an illusion of christian teaching but the actual one. It seems, like in the video, that while most church (russian orthodox in my case) do preach love for God and my neighbors, it does skip the sell all you have for the poor and follow me. I don't think you can live the modern life and have true faith and it worries me a lot because I have already invested in it. If I were single it would very different.

>>607597

Is no anon going to correct this poor little anon's errors? Hmm…

First of all, in general, read scripture in the light of sacred Tradition.

Also, it helps to read in context. Some parts of the bible were NEVER meant to be read literally.

I will try to be brief. For more explanation, visit catholicbible101.com or another orthodox Catholic site.

>I still call my priest father, the bishop monseigneur, etc.

Do you also call your teacher "teacher"? If so, there's something else from the same chapter you're not following literally.

>I didn't sell everything I have and give it to the poor to follow Him.

Would it be a sin to sell all you have and give it to the poor and let your children starve? What if you sold your cow and then had no milk to feed your family with? Would that be a sin?

>I don't hate my father or mother, my brother…

If your mother, father or brother are keeping you from Christ, you must choose Christ instead.

>I don't hate this world, I actually like it. I like the beauty of nature, the sun on my face, the birds

You like the good things but what about all the bad? Do you like those things too?

>I still care about my own life, my future, the money I need to win to take care for my family.

You should care about doing the will of the Father more than all that. Don't worry about "winning" money. Nothing in this world is worth gaining except through God's will.

>I understand why they say in the gospels that His teaching are too hard and that's why some of the disciples walked away

You are referring to Jesus's discourse with the Jews in the synagogue. This teaching is a commandment of God to eat his flesh and drink his blood.

<John 6

<48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

<52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

<53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Just as the Israelites LITERALLY ate the manna that God gave them in the desert, here Christ give us his commandment to LITERALLY eat his flesh and drink his blood. When the Jews object and question him saying "this guy can't be serious, right?", Jesus doubles down, repeating himself and insisting that one must consume his flesh and blood to have eternal life. The Jews denounce him, people leave, and later Jesus even asks his disciples if they will also leave.

Most of the other things in your post are metaphorical or hyperbole, but this is one instance that is teaching is to be taken literally, as made certain by the fact that Jesus insists on the seriousness of the situation, even repeating himself and not wavering from this straightforward commandment - "Eat my flesh, drink my blood"

>How do you do it?

Pray, fast, hope, and don't worry. Have faith. Don't take advantage or presume to know how God will judge you, but work out your salvation with fear and trembling

>>607688

I fear and tremble alright. I do fear damnation if I continue this lukewarm christian life and reject the radical aspect. In this case I have no children. Is the comfort of my life with my wife worth more than salvation? I really like your post though but sometimes I feel as if these explanation are just trying to dance around the issue to feel good about the current life I am living.

>>607597

You aren't required, or even supposed (literally hating your family would be, for example, definitely a sin, others look sinful too), to do these things.

You are a complete beginner to Christianity, don't try to on your own deduce the full Christian morality, you will fail, as you have already shown in this thread.

Also:

>Even if I pray, won't he just say I never knew you when I'll meet him?

https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/hope

>>607689

If you are OP, you haven't even touched the "radical aspect". These rules of yours are hard because they are artificial and exaggerated distortions of the Christian doctrine, instead of being a radical following of it.

>>607608

And what are you?

>>607597

>I don't hate this world, I actually like it. I like the beauty of nature, the sun on my face, the birds

Nothing wrong with this. We're not Gnostics.

>>607724

Then what are the radical aspect of christianity? Thanks for the link on hope btw

>>607689

These explanations aren't dancing around anything of yours at all.

The correct interpretation of the gospel accounts do not change based on your whims and scruples.

If you are honestly and authentically doing your best to live the Christian life, then you shouldn't be so worried and instead refocus your attention and efforts on more productive things.

Maybe you should read this:

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=3739

>>607975

This, OP seems to be showing the classic signs of scrupulosity.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13640a.htm

>>607975

Thanks for the link, maybe it is true that I am too scrupulous and fear too much over the details.

>>607991

I think it might be so, friend. Best of luck.

>>613427

Still somehow sounds more akin to biblical christianity than actual christianity(tm).

>>613438

Are you OP?

If you mean in terms of foresaking wealth and moving and shaking within a Christian commune relying on God to provide as he does the sparrows, then, away from the stange and very questionable actions of the JC leadership, I'm still inclined to agree.

>>613443

That's what I meant, and yes I am OP. The part where the group kicked one out for refusing to go to court to take his wife house though is insane. The group seems very cult like and the leader even more so, but the idea is the right one I think.

>>613451

Lets start our own Christian cult commune! bagsy I'm leader, now make me a cup of tea or your excommunicated

>>613451

>>613457

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

>but the idea is the right one I think.

Again, I'm somewhat inclined to agree, and intend to keep watching the channel here and there to see what else it has to say (like that masturbation isn't a sin, lel, would be an interesting one) and bring up the specific approach to wealth-forsaking with elders of the faith for their take on it. However, having already been rebuked as babes in the faith earlier ITT, I guess we should treat anything like this with caution and reserve it in the back of our minds to decide upon once we've grown a bit and got some other perspectives. (Sorry if you're coming at this as a season'd Christian and I keep implying otherwise, no offence meant).

>>613451

some more food for thought if you're still around OP https://carm.org/all-things-in-common

I don't want to be a hypocrite in saying this but many of us have too many attachments in this life. Having one foot in heaven and one foot in the world will cause you to live with contempt.

If you love Christ above all else then you'll be willing to live out your future with him as your guidance. You should be willing to put him above your family, friends, occupation, etc. He will give you peace, and in letting go and following him you gain everything in him.

My only friends are druggie losers, and I live with them. I have so many addictions and I’m pretty much the biggest piece of shit here. I don’t know what I’m gonna do.