Posted by SighterGoliant on February 25, 2003, at 9:58:29
In reply to Re: please be civil » Todd, posted by Dr. Bob on February 25, 2003, at 2:44:07
Being new to this board, I find all the discussion and thought on it stimulating an interesting. I've been part of online discussion groups before, but they have been primarily in the "fantasy-reader" demographic. I have also been in predominantly Baptist discussions, and it's fun to read the thoughts of those outside the Baptist tradition.
However, I sense this discussion is slipping from it's intended topic -- Are we all Jesus, or do we merely hold facets of the Christ within our souls? -- into one of experience vs. analyzation. While both have their place, and I don't think a discussion of, per se, a favorite flavor to be below the actual eating of a favorite flavor (one satisfies the intellect, the other, the spirit - both critical to Maslow's self-actualization), one must recall the initial purpose of this discussion.
Frankly, these are my thoughts on this topic...
Who was Jesus? Throughout the Gospels, we find clear evidence that he didn't particularly refrain from judgment. Assuredly, he preached against "judging, lest ye be judged," yet he also firmly spoke against standing on the streetcorner in sackcloth praying loudly for all people to hear. He did indeed speak against the corruption wrought by sin in the world, and he spoke against pride in piety as a very deep transgression indeed. So we see that Jesus, while cautious in judging others when you yourself are not clean ("do not take the speck out of your brother's eye while ignoring the log in your own"), did not refrain from judgment where judgment was do.
So what does this mean for our lives? How does Jesus, who, under the tenets of the Christian faith, lives within a person, impact our lives. It is a simple answer, one that can be found in the Old Testament: Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with God. If we accept either of the two suggested premises: Jesus is us, or Jesus lives in us, we see clearly the requirements. We are to love deeply, passionately. We are to offer a hand to those in need, a hand to those who are hurting and dying. And we are, in all things, to "do good in secret and get caught by accident."
poster:SighterGoliant
thread:202027
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20021227/msgs/203685.html