We're back, and once again, we're continuing on living your faith and righteousness. Our scripture base is from 1 John 3, and we'll highlight different passages along the way.
Class today has been like a giant link of topics, all related, but different. Our first link in the chain was from 1 John 3: 6 No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. The basic meaning of this verse is that followers of God are pure, and are not sinners. This interpertation of the verse created discussion in our classroom.
As most people would agree, including Christians, it is impossible for one to live without commiting sin. Hence, this passage from 1 John seems contradictory to what most Christians believe. However, this passage simply defines sin differently than what we take it to be. Throughout 1 John 3, John makes it clear that there are, by his definition, two types of people: righteous and of God, and evil under Satan. At first glance, this is difficult to comprehend, as most Christians today believe that people make bad choices, but they are still good people.
The difference between John's definition and modern belief is how John's definition is interperted. If you look at sin, by John's definition, as wrong-doings that you do not repent of, then both his definition and modern belief can match. John writes to say that one can tell the difference between good and bad people not by how many times they do wrong, or what they do wrong, but why we do wrong, and how we feel afterwards. Repentance comes when one seeks forgiveness purely, and fully regrets commiting evil. That is what makes people children of God, and not true sinners. People who do not repent, or go out and repeat their actions with no second regrets, are the kind of people that John labels as 'children of the devil'. 1 John 3: 10: By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother.
Our discussion in class, the rest of the chain I was talking about above, was about the discussion. We began to talk about what Christians still debate about, such as what is truly a sin and means of salvation, as defined by different denominations and people. It is not a simple thing to interpert scripture since it can be interperted in so many different ways. For this reason, Christianity can be difficult to understand. However, as I see it, it is best to hear all of the different thoughts and discussions surrounding scripture, such as 1 John, because it is through both our knowledge of scripture and of the different interpertations of it that we become wiser in our faith.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Showing the Word
Today, our main topic of discussion is related to our last discussion, in which we talked about how we should be good neighbors and live according to what God has commanded. Our main scripture basis for today is from 1 John 1-2.
In 1 John, specifically chapter 2, John writes about how Christians are hypocrites if they simply say that they 'know God', but neglect to follow out his word through their actions. (1 John 2: 6: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.)
John's writing and message has not changed over the centuries. Christians are still in much the same situation, where many simply attend church and live by God on Sundays only. If we as the body of Christ are to help the world and preach the word to it, then we must act according to what we preach. 'Practice what you preach' would be a very good phrase to use here. How can we possibly convince the world to change if we cannot even change ourselves?
Somehow, here in our main classroom, we drifted into a conversation about Satanism and cults. I think this is a good conversation to talk about because these are the sorts of people that need to hear the word more than anyone. If practising what you preach is the job of all Christians, then preaching the word to those who need it the most is our top priority. Those who have been sucked into the world of Satanism and the occult, are those that we must try to reach at all costs. Every soul is precious and belongs to God, so everyone must know God's word, even if it takes time to reach through to them on his message.
Listening and spreading the word of the Lord, sincerely and with conviction, is not too much to ask of us in the face of all that has been done FOR us. We were put on this earth to spread the love and teachings of the Father, and to practice them and pass them down to our descendants. Faith in God and his lessons IS living, so go forth and LIVE.
In 1 John, specifically chapter 2, John writes about how Christians are hypocrites if they simply say that they 'know God', but neglect to follow out his word through their actions. (1 John 2: 6: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.)
John's writing and message has not changed over the centuries. Christians are still in much the same situation, where many simply attend church and live by God on Sundays only. If we as the body of Christ are to help the world and preach the word to it, then we must act according to what we preach. 'Practice what you preach' would be a very good phrase to use here. How can we possibly convince the world to change if we cannot even change ourselves?
Somehow, here in our main classroom, we drifted into a conversation about Satanism and cults. I think this is a good conversation to talk about because these are the sorts of people that need to hear the word more than anyone. If practising what you preach is the job of all Christians, then preaching the word to those who need it the most is our top priority. Those who have been sucked into the world of Satanism and the occult, are those that we must try to reach at all costs. Every soul is precious and belongs to God, so everyone must know God's word, even if it takes time to reach through to them on his message.
Listening and spreading the word of the Lord, sincerely and with conviction, is not too much to ask of us in the face of all that has been done FOR us. We were put on this earth to spread the love and teachings of the Father, and to practice them and pass them down to our descendants. Faith in God and his lessons IS living, so go forth and LIVE.
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