Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved
Acts 4:12
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
Carazaa · F
@exchrist
Sometimes God's word is hard to grasp spiritually, but here God says that there is no way to be saved, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to have our sins forgiven, have a relationship with the Father, and go to heaven, by any other name but through faith in Jesus. He is the door! 🙂
Sometimes God's word is hard to grasp spiritually, but here God says that there is no way to be saved, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to have our sins forgiven, have a relationship with the Father, and go to heaven, by any other name but through faith in Jesus. He is the door! 🙂
SW-User
@Carazaa The reification of Faith:-
Real meaning of the phrase we are saved by faith = we are saved by Christ, whom we encounter in faith. But constant disputation about faith has made Christians become obsessed with faith almost as an object, at least as an experience, a "thing" and in concentrating upon it they lose sight of Christ. Whereas faith without the encounter with Christ and without His presence is less than nothing. It is the deadest of dead works, an act elicited in a moral and existential void. To seek to believe that one believes, and arbitrarily to decree that one believes, and then to conclude that this gymnastic has been blessed by Christ - this is pathological Christianity. And a Christianity of works. One has this mental gymnastic in which to trust. One is safe, one possesses the psychic key to salvation......
There is no door, no key. Grace is the "one way" - given, gift, realised, not attained or earned.
But the magicians keep turning the Cross to their own purpose. Yes, it is for them too a sign of contradiction: the awful blasphemy of the religious magician who makes the Cross contradict mercy. This of course is the ultimate temptation of Christianity. To say that Christ has locked all doors, has given one answer, settled everything and departed, leaving all life enclosed in the frightful consistency of a system outside of which there is seriousness and damnation, inside of which there is the intolerable flippancy of the saved - while nowhere is there any place left for the mystery of the freedom of divine mercy which alone is truly serious, and worthy of being taken seriously.
Both quotes from Thomas Merton.
Anyway, thank you for the gift.
Real meaning of the phrase we are saved by faith = we are saved by Christ, whom we encounter in faith. But constant disputation about faith has made Christians become obsessed with faith almost as an object, at least as an experience, a "thing" and in concentrating upon it they lose sight of Christ. Whereas faith without the encounter with Christ and without His presence is less than nothing. It is the deadest of dead works, an act elicited in a moral and existential void. To seek to believe that one believes, and arbitrarily to decree that one believes, and then to conclude that this gymnastic has been blessed by Christ - this is pathological Christianity. And a Christianity of works. One has this mental gymnastic in which to trust. One is safe, one possesses the psychic key to salvation......
There is no door, no key. Grace is the "one way" - given, gift, realised, not attained or earned.
But the magicians keep turning the Cross to their own purpose. Yes, it is for them too a sign of contradiction: the awful blasphemy of the religious magician who makes the Cross contradict mercy. This of course is the ultimate temptation of Christianity. To say that Christ has locked all doors, has given one answer, settled everything and departed, leaving all life enclosed in the frightful consistency of a system outside of which there is seriousness and damnation, inside of which there is the intolerable flippancy of the saved - while nowhere is there any place left for the mystery of the freedom of divine mercy which alone is truly serious, and worthy of being taken seriously.
Both quotes from Thomas Merton.
Anyway, thank you for the gift.
SW-User
@exchrist Yes, it is the exclusiveness together with the implication that correct belief (getting a name right and all things associated with that name in a particular theology) is the door into heaven. Such thinking can only bring fear, discord and Inquisitions, as demonstrated in the history of Christianity over the 2000 years of its existence.
exchrist · 31-35
@SW-User we definitely agree on that. Good stuff!!
Carazaa · F
@SW-User
Only Jesus tells us we are sinners. Only Jesus took our sins away that day. All he requires is for us to repent and follow him. All other religions say you are ok, no need to repent and turn from sin! So that might make some people mad that they have to admit they sin. But that is the truth whether we like it or not! God tells us the truth!
Only Jesus tells us we are sinners. Only Jesus took our sins away that day. All he requires is for us to repent and follow him. All other religions say you are ok, no need to repent and turn from sin! So that might make some people mad that they have to admit they sin. But that is the truth whether we like it or not! God tells us the truth!
SW-User
@Carazaa I have explained the reason for my hope to you and others many times. As asked of us in 1 Peter.
Your knowledge of other religions displays total ignorance. Sorry, but such is true. You see them totally through YOUR eyes, not with the eyes of the One Source of All - and worse, such is how you see (even judge) others.
Your knowledge of other religions displays total ignorance. Sorry, but such is true. You see them totally through YOUR eyes, not with the eyes of the One Source of All - and worse, such is how you see (even judge) others.
SW-User
@Carazaa Here:-
Great compassion awaits us with open arms. Namu-Amida-Butsu is the beckoning call, "Come, just as you are."
This openhearted welcome is quietly described by Koshin Ogui in an article carried in the Cleveland Buddhist Temple Newsletter. He relates an experience he once had of returning home from a trip. In his absence the answering machine had recorded four phone calls from the same person. The message was, "Jesus is the only saviour. Believe in him and you'll be saved. Love him and you'll be loved. Anyone who does not believe in him will go to hell." Ogui comments.....
What do you say about this message? I don't know why, but then I recalled meeting with my mother on my recent trip to Japan. I hadn't seen her for five years. As soon as I opened the door to the house where I was born, there she was standing right in front of me. She didn't say anything much, but she held my hand and with tears in her eyes, she said, "You came home." Isn't that nice, to be welcomed without any justification, whether I believe in her or not. I realize that I have always been living in her love. I am grateful. Namu-Amida-Butsu.
(From "River of Fire, River of Water" by Taitetsu Unno)
Great compassion awaits us with open arms. Namu-Amida-Butsu is the beckoning call, "Come, just as you are."
This openhearted welcome is quietly described by Koshin Ogui in an article carried in the Cleveland Buddhist Temple Newsletter. He relates an experience he once had of returning home from a trip. In his absence the answering machine had recorded four phone calls from the same person. The message was, "Jesus is the only saviour. Believe in him and you'll be saved. Love him and you'll be loved. Anyone who does not believe in him will go to hell." Ogui comments.....
What do you say about this message? I don't know why, but then I recalled meeting with my mother on my recent trip to Japan. I hadn't seen her for five years. As soon as I opened the door to the house where I was born, there she was standing right in front of me. She didn't say anything much, but she held my hand and with tears in her eyes, she said, "You came home." Isn't that nice, to be welcomed without any justification, whether I believe in her or not. I realize that I have always been living in her love. I am grateful. Namu-Amida-Butsu.
(From "River of Fire, River of Water" by Taitetsu Unno)
Carazaa · F
@SW-User
It is easy to love our family and friends, everyone does that, but my question to you is do you love those who hate you and persecute you and use you? That is the test of knowing God, and following him! Jesus said "these are those who love me, those who keep my commands"!
It is easy to love our family and friends, everyone does that, but my question to you is do you love those who hate you and persecute you and use you? That is the test of knowing God, and following him! Jesus said "these are those who love me, those who keep my commands"!
Carazaa · F
@exchrist
Why? Because we love them, and if we love someone who does us wrong, they see Jesus. I talked for 2 years to someone who lied and used me terribly! But I was always kind back, and she found out that I knew she had used me so she avoided me for a year. Then she called me to ask me to help her out. I said, of course I will help you, all is forgotten. She said that is when she turned to Christ because she had never been loved unconditionally before!
Why? Because we love them, and if we love someone who does us wrong, they see Jesus. I talked for 2 years to someone who lied and used me terribly! But I was always kind back, and she found out that I knew she had used me so she avoided me for a year. Then she called me to ask me to help her out. I said, of course I will help you, all is forgotten. She said that is when she turned to Christ because she had never been loved unconditionally before!