gross@dg-rtp.dg.com (Gene Gross) (10/19/90)
Here are a couple things for folks to chew over. In Luke 13:23-30, Jesus responds to a question concerning those to be saved. Here in part is what is said: "Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13:23, 24 KJV) Does this imply works of any sort? How does this passage square with Ephesians 2:8, 9 and John 3:16? When accepting Jesus as Savior, do we also need to accept Him as Lord? What if someone accepts Jesus as Savior only? And what about counting the costs of discipleship? Are we to make a full counting? What if we don't yet know all the costs? What does it mean to be Jesus disciple? What good works are Christians supposed to do? What if a Christian group does not feed the poor and take care of widows and orphans? Is there a Biblical requirement that we only help those who are believers? Are there Biblical spiritual disciplines that Christians should prctice? Well, I guess I've packed enough into one posting. Please, brothers and sisters, do not see me as on one side of an issue or another. I'm only asking questions to see what I can learn from you. My responses will be forthcoming in another posting. Then if you want to take issue with me, I'm game--so long as it doesn't turn into another sibling argument. ;-) Praise God in all things, Gene Gross
kobrien@milton.u.washington.edu (Kevin O'Brien) (10/22/90)
In article <Oct.19.04.22.35.1990.12868@paul.rutgers.edu>, gross@dg-rtp.dg.com (Gene Gross) writes: > Here are a couple things for folks to chew over. > > What good works are Christians supposed to do? What if a > Christian group does not feed the poor and take care of widows and > orphans? Is there a Biblical requirement that we only help those who > are believers? How can you praise Jesus in one paragraph and then ask if Christians should only help out "believers"? Did Jesus only help those who "believed" in him. If that were the case, not many people would have been helped. People are people, no matter what their beliefs are, and as people, they deserved to be helped. I think that is how Jesus would have wanted it. Just my very humble opinion. Kevin O'Brien kobrien@u.washington.edu
gross@dg-rtp.dg.com (Gene Gross) (10/25/90)
[Gene Gross asked at one point whether there is a Biblical requirement that we only help those who are believers. This provoked a reaction from Kevin O'Brien: >How can you praise Jesus in one paragraph and then ask if Christians >should only help out "believers"? Did Jesus only help those who "believed" >in him. If that were the case, not many people would have been helped. >People are people, no matter what their beliefs are, and as people, they >deserved to be helped. I think that is how Jesus would have wanted it. --clh] Often times I ask questions to evoke a response from others. Unfortunately, there are some who will not help another unless that person is known to them as a Christian--by their definition of course. So, I merely asked the question. My personal undestanding is that Christians are called to help others in need, regardless of their state of grace. If we help only those we love and who love us, what is the difference then between us and the world. The world does this much. I believe that Christians are called to help care for a world in pain and anguish. Yes, this includes presenting the Gospel to them as the Holy Spirit leads. But we should also be feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and infirm, visiting the imprisoned, providing shelter to those without shelter, and so much more. But once, so many years ago now, I belonged to a religion that claimed to be Christian. Yet they did not do such things--even for their own members. Sometimes, if one of their number was in dire straits, some in the congregation would help, but it was not something official. So in asking the question concerning post-salvation works, I was trying to see how others viewed things. I did mean to present such a dichotomy as you have seen. Sorry. Beacuse He lives, Gene