Louis, your discussion board post was quite thurough and interesting. You made several arguments for why sin is so prevelent in society. One of which I found interesting is the study of christians and if they believe that Jesus is God and the fact that 50% belive that He is only a enlightend spiritual teacher. I feel there are few thing that can be done. First, we must pray for the enlightenment for those Christians who do not have a full understanding of who Jesus is. Secondly, I feel many of those christans who do not understand the full deity of Jesus, probably are not very active in the church or biblical study. We have to find ways to engage them so they have a greater desire to learn about the word of God. Finialy, we have to as deciples
“What is sin?”(1), Dr. Hoenikker asks in the book “Cat’s Cradle.”(2) The Christian Bible describes sin as, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” (3) Sin has become the creator of fear throughout history. The fear that God will punish those who sin but, that fear is a false threat to control people. Sin creates the illusion that the universe is based on morals, when in fact it is completely amoral.
By giving our lives to him we will be free from the evil in our society. This is where the problem lies within our religion. Because we are all sinners we think that we can do it all on our own. We would rather be with our friends than glorifying our God. Christians in today 's society have become extremely self centered. If it does not help us in any way then we don’t want to do it. Because of our self centeredness we think that we can fix the social problem by ourselves. If we try to convince people that they need God in their lives but we don’t even think we need him; how well is that going to work? Not very well. Kuyper says that as Christians, before we help any of our fellow brothers and sisters in need that we need to make sure that we are doing it for the right reasons. As we serve, we should also find ways to show God 's’ glory through what we are doing instead of what we are
In an allegedly postmodern world, when looking at tolerance for ideologies other than our own is said to be the only absolute and controlling ideology. Inasmuch, as its doctrine of “sin” suggests that all humans are inherently flawed; Christianity is often viewed as judgmental and intolerant of others. Granted the approach of a certain Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas pushes the extreme that makes all Christians cringe in this area. Christians should not be embarrassed of the doctrine of sin today. Moreover, Christianity should not try to soften what it says about the human condition to be more readily acceptable to a broader world. This world needs help, guidance, and rules if we are to succeed as a human race.
Christianity has its challenges. It places demands on us that set us apart from the rest of our world. The bible calls us a peculiar people, who navigate the challenge of living IN the world, without being OF the world. When we say ‘no’ to temptations that are enjoyed by the masses, we are labeled as self-righteous snobs, religious weirdoes, or worse. But we persevere, and we press toward that invisible line the Apostle Paul drew in the sands of time…for the high calling in Christ Jesus.
Theology and different religions, all contain information about sin. Sin is recognized as an unholy thing to possess, therefore, sin is not taken lightly. In Roman Catholicism, if one’s sins are serious enough, one may not receive eternal life with God, in Heaven. Severe punishments may occur, if one sins. Sin is thought to have been caused by mankind. The perception of sin continues to evolve as the analysis of texts continues.
Romans 3:9, “What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.” The Jews have God’s law and think they’re righteous, however, they are actually breaking it in many ways (Hindson & Towns). In Romans 3:28-30 it is written that man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Today, Christians face the cultural challenges, which involve the laws and morals within their society. An important element for a faithful Christian is the daily practice of sanctification. Sanctification, the impartation of God’s righteousness and through the believer conform him progressively to the image of Jesus Christ (Hindson & Towns) impacts the believer in Christ from a cultural perspective. The believers Holy Spirit must be nourished daily through their faith in Jesus Christ in the world of sin that we live. I know that I have to filter through all that I am exposed with in my culture. I have to make important decisions that fall in line with my beliefs. It is especially challenging with the ever changing secular movement which degrades and drifts away from our Christian values and
For 2,000 years people all around the world have followed Jesus. For 2,000 years people have resisted Jesus and persecuted those who follow Him. As followers of the God of love, who is perfect and has called us to be set apart, what is our response? We cannot just sit by the side and say nothing, but we cannot retaliate. Out of resistance to the Gospel arose people called apologists. These are people who wanted to intelligently and logically defend their faith, opening the minds and heart of unbelievers to what they had to say. We can learn a lot from their bold example and their appeals to logic, emotion, and ethics. These apologists have lived out 2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NASB) The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all,
The rise of Christianity in western civilization is arguably among the most important memories in history. There is no denying what the spread of Christianity has done for the world, for better or worse. Its impact on western civilizations is unrivaled and unprecedented. Christianity slowly became something for many individuals to turn to; in times of hurt its provided comfort, in times of pleasure it has given thanks. The will and belief for salvation has driven individuals to be better, and to have a reference while in need. The rise of Christianity more than 2000 years ago provided necessary building blocks for the future. Without Christianity there would be no cathedrals, no monasteries, no music from one Johann Sebastian Bach, no paintings from Michelangelo, nor no philosophy from Saint Augustine (Backman 205). There are countless times in history, whether good or bad, that can be credited to
“By one man 's disobedience, many were made sinners” (Rom. V. 5:19). First articulated by Augustine (A.D. 354–430), the doctrine of original sin holds that all of Adam’s descendants inherit the guilt of Adam’s sin and thus incur the punishment for Adam’s sin. To understand sin entirely you must first know the background of the first ever sin. Original sin can differ in the different branches of Christianity like Catholicism and Protestantism. Questions are raised more and more about original sin through the writings of theologians. Questioning sin is something that is raised throughout culture and time. A thought could be brought up years earlier and then could be proven right or right in our culture and time. This paper is to not only teach
They have, of their own free will, acknowledge their sin, taken up a battle against it and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus.
You gave an impressive statement about “what role does morality play in the church and society today?” stating that the “Christian community does not only mean that we are followers of moral standards, but we are also preachers of His Word.” Doing and preaching God’s word is so vital to our society. Preaching and teaching God’s Word has a way to expose the truth because moral standards cannot just stand alone to polished our society. When moral ethics stand alone, it tends to have a way of not lasting. The Word of God clearly expresses that you cannot be a just hearer of the word but be doers. Being a doer of the Word of God has a way of exemplifying in what it preaches, or what it is saying, in other words, to make it a reality. Since the
In the modern society lived in today, all too often do people justify his or her faults with the famous phrase, “I’m only human.” It is used to imply an idea of an inborn flaw of human character; thus, conveying a human weakness. This imaginary stain on the human condition is what the renowned Saint Augustine states is a product of original sin.
Religion is the one element of life that has connected the races and societies of the world for hundreds of years. It has given meaning to lives that may seem otherwise hopeless. Religion has provided for a universal language and culture among those who believe in a higher power. The spirit or being receiving the worship and praise may not be the same, but the practices are usually similar and serve the same purpose--to give direction, insight, courage, and a divine connection.
...d be not beneficial for the issues pertaining to the power differentials found in our society. Ringer’s focus on broken relationships being mended is what almost transitioned my thoughts from changing the system, to changing individual’s mindsets. Jesus asked that we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Through the readings from James Cone’s, God was displayed a being who was angry with the oppressor. With this mindset of mending broken relationships, it appears more closely with Jesus’ request for us to forgive others. My conclusion is now stated to not only change the system, but also change our mindsets as Romans 12:2 stated “Don 't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God 's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Biblegateway).
When considering morality, worthy to note first is that similar to Christian ethics, morality also embodies a specifically Christian distinction. Studying a master theologian such as St. Thomas Aquinas and gathering modern perspectives from James Keenan, S. J. and David Cloutier serve to build a foundation of the high goal of Christian morality. Morality is a primary goal of the faith community, because it is the vehicle for reaching human fulfillment and happiness. Therefore, great value can be placed on foundations of Christian morality such as the breakdown of law from Aquinas, the cultivation of virtues, the role of conscience in achieving morality, and the subject of sin described by Keenan.