You and the author of the book don’t have a true understanding of being a follower of Christ. We believe the principles of the Bible but do not follow the Old Testament Laws of the Bible. Christ taught that he came to abolish the law. That’s why the church crucified Him. Christ taught that your good works (law following) are worthless and that the only way to God is through the washing of your sins through his death, burial, and resurrection. You don’t have to believe that but at the same time you should be careful of attacking someone’s beliefs and calling them cafeteria-style when you really don’t know what you are talking about.
Concerning hypocrites, there are a lot of hypocrites at football games. People who come who really aren’t as fanatical about the team as I am. We call them fair weathered fans. But I don’t let them change my view of the game or the team. I can’t control them so I don’t hide behind them. I still love my football team. Calling people hypocrites is a cop out unless you are perfect yourself.
Okay, BTS, so the only rules you have to follow are those in the New Testament? It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you believe Christ is your Lord and Savior? I am not trying to bait you here, I am honestly seeking an understanding. Because if Christ-followers don’t have to follow the laws of the old testament where does the hue and cry about sodomy, homosexuality, audultery – or really anything else come from. More specifically, how can it be framed as a religious belief if the only “true” religious belief of Christ-followers is that they are saved in Christ? If nothing you do matters why gripe about what other people do? Do the ten commandments no longer count? Can you blaspheme and still go to heaven, as long as you believe Christ loves you? Can you rape, pillage and murder but still go to heaven as long as you believe Christ died for your sins? Do you see where I get the cafeteria-style thinking? You cannot hold something as a religious belief if it is not. If the old testament has nothing to do with modern Christ-worship leave its laws out of the debate and be honest – these are personal preferences.
I am far from perfect, but it doesn’t take a perfect person to call a spade a spade and a hypocrite a hypocrite. It is hypocrisy to say that something is bad then engage in it yourself; or condone it under “certain circumstances”. That doesn’t take perfection; it takes eyes.
You pose some very good questions. There’s a difference between atonement and living right. In Old Testament times believers of God had to live right and make sacrifices in the temple in order to be atoned for their sin. Because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and his resurrection we are now made right before God. I encourage you to read Romans 5-6. Paul taught that where sin abounds grace abounds even more. Not that we have a license to sin, but that we don’t have to work for our salvation. The sad thing is that most Christians prefer to have their own list of sins that are worse than the others. In God’s eyes a sin is a sin. Jesus taught that the law says not to murder but you have already committed murder if in your own heart if you have hatred toward someone. The point is that without the sacrifice of Christ, the smallest sin separates us from God. The truth is that we are all hypocrites one way or the other. I just don’t believe that I have the right to tell someone they are worse off than me. I think God is big enough to handle them on His own. He doesn’t need my help. He got through to me without anybody’s help.
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lastbat,
You and the author of the book don’t have a true understanding of being a follower of Christ. We believe the principles of the Bible but do not follow the Old Testament Laws of the Bible. Christ taught that he came to abolish the law. That’s why the church crucified Him. Christ taught that your good works (law following) are worthless and that the only way to God is through the washing of your sins through his death, burial, and resurrection. You don’t have to believe that but at the same time you should be careful of attacking someone’s beliefs and calling them cafeteria-style when you really don’t know what you are talking about.
Concerning hypocrites, there are a lot of hypocrites at football games. People who come who really aren’t as fanatical about the team as I am. We call them fair weathered fans. But I don’t let them change my view of the game or the team. I can’t control them so I don’t hide behind them. I still love my football team. Calling people hypocrites is a cop out unless you are perfect yourself.
Okay, BTS, so the only rules you have to follow are those in the New Testament? It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you believe Christ is your Lord and Savior? I am not trying to bait you here, I am honestly seeking an understanding. Because if Christ-followers don’t have to follow the laws of the old testament where does the hue and cry about sodomy, homosexuality, audultery – or really anything else come from. More specifically, how can it be framed as a religious belief if the only “true” religious belief of Christ-followers is that they are saved in Christ? If nothing you do matters why gripe about what other people do? Do the ten commandments no longer count? Can you blaspheme and still go to heaven, as long as you believe Christ loves you? Can you rape, pillage and murder but still go to heaven as long as you believe Christ died for your sins? Do you see where I get the cafeteria-style thinking? You cannot hold something as a religious belief if it is not. If the old testament has nothing to do with modern Christ-worship leave its laws out of the debate and be honest – these are personal preferences.
I am far from perfect, but it doesn’t take a perfect person to call a spade a spade and a hypocrite a hypocrite. It is hypocrisy to say that something is bad then engage in it yourself; or condone it under “certain circumstances”. That doesn’t take perfection; it takes eyes.
lastbat,
You pose some very good questions. There’s a difference between atonement and living right. In Old Testament times believers of God had to live right and make sacrifices in the temple in order to be atoned for their sin. Because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and his resurrection we are now made right before God. I encourage you to read Romans 5-6. Paul taught that where sin abounds grace abounds even more. Not that we have a license to sin, but that we don’t have to work for our salvation. The sad thing is that most Christians prefer to have their own list of sins that are worse than the others. In God’s eyes a sin is a sin. Jesus taught that the law says not to murder but you have already committed murder if in your own heart if you have hatred toward someone. The point is that without the sacrifice of Christ, the smallest sin separates us from God. The truth is that we are all hypocrites one way or the other. I just don’t believe that I have the right to tell someone they are worse off than me. I think God is big enough to handle them on His own. He doesn’t need my help. He got through to me without anybody’s help.
BTS,
I appreciate your reply. It gives me things to think upon and may allow for a better understanding of Christ-followers.