I have been using Facebook as a way to reach out to my family and friends and their friends and their friends, etc, etc.... man, social networking; a very interesting dynamic.I was able to link up with a Jewish woman whom Anne and I knew in college. We have begun to communicate and last night she began asking me some tough questions.... I'm going to publish a portion of the abridged version....
"One of these days I'd like to talk to you about what the differences are between being a "Christian" and other Christian religions."
Bill's response... "All Christian faiths were established on the authority of the Bible. In Christianity, the New Testament is considered the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesizes about the Messiah and Jesus Christ is that Messiah. The confusion comes about because there are various denominations in Christianity; Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Church of Christ, Latter Day Saints or Mormons and on and on. The differences in each denomination normally have to do with whom or where the denomination was established and a few differences in worship. In the majority of cases the bottom line is to 'Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and this is the same, to love your neighbor as yourself.' The other predominant belief is that Jesus Christ is the Messiah; the fulfillment of the prophecies in the Jewish Old Testament."
I consider it a blessing to have this opportunity to commune with others and all this from Facebook, go figure.
Love you all;
Bill/Dad
PRETTY NEAT! At church yesterday we just had a whole sermon on this!!!! How Jesus is the defining difference between all religions. How christianity is not a religion for "perfect" people but for "FORGIVEN" people!!! God knows we cannot be perfect, that is why he sent the most perfect one to take our place! We are forgiven...there is no chants we have to say, no traditions that we HAVE to do, no killing ourselves to make God proud! All we have to do is believe and confess our sins to Him, and we will be with HIm in eternity! Look at the thief on the cross... he told Jesus right before he died that he believed and wanted to be with Him in heaven, and Jesus said because you believe, today you will be with me in paradise!!! Pretty neat! I loveyou!
ReplyDeleteAmen!!
ReplyDeleteFrom McKenzie;
ReplyDeleteThats so weird dad b/c we actually had a sermon on the difference what people believe and it talked about how people think that they may be good enough to get into heaven..so the question was how good is good?..and he was talking about how if you just lay out your good and bad stuff on a scale than that will determine it..which is not the way god wants us to do ..b.c what is considered bad or good?..so the scale system is unfair to us. In Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of god..so in John14 its says no one can get into heaven excpet through me..which throws out some of these religons ..b.c many of them don't believe in jesus to get into heaven..another thing about christiany is that everyone is welcomed, everyone gets in the same way(whether you are good or bad, if you just ask for forgivness) and everyone can meet the requirment.
So in the end Jesus died for us but we try to find a system that works for us..but jesus paid the bill them stepped out of the grave to vaildate it..which is AWESOMEEEE...WE HAVE PROOF
SO trust in jesus..don't sit on the edge...throw urself on the mercy of Jesus!!!