(Merely Proper faith's opinion, please feel free to correct me)
1. Believe in God
2. Believe in Christ the redeemer
3. Follow Christ's teaching
What do not define a Christian:
1. Going to church
2. Following the pastor/priest/elders
Attending Sunday service, praise God and listening to sermons... Don't all Christian do that?
A story about Gandhi:
Once when the missionary E. Stanley Jones met with Ghandi he asked him, "Mr. Ghandi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?"
Ghandi replied, "Oh, I don't reject your Christ. I love your Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Something similar I found in Matthew 7:21~23.
Jesus was preaching on the mountain top and said:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, ' I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!"
So, when we speak about priest/pastors/elders, are we sure that they are not false prophets who misinterpret or preach for their own benefits?
As Jesus said: (Matthew 7:15)
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."
So, the bible is the best reference to fall back. Proper faith suggests that Christ's sermons on the mount is the best reference you can get.
For those who claims that their teaching is "PROPER" and emphasize people should follow their teaching but not others etc, who are they to judge?
For Christ said: (Matthew 7:1~2)
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
They might be people claiming that they heard God spoke to them. Are you sure not that it is not Satan who had spoken? For Satan is very well skilled in the art of deceiving.
Do churches speak on behalf of God, or they speak for their own benefits?
-Proper faith-
Posts
The Buddha's Charter of Free Inquiry:-
ReplyDelete1. Do not simply believe what you hear just because you have heard it for a long time.
2. Do not follow tradition blindly merely because it has been practised in that way for many generations.
3. Do not be quick to listen to rumours.
4. Do not confirm anything just because it agrees with your scriptures.
5. Do not foolishly make assumptions.
6. Do not abruptly draw conclusions by what you see and hear.
7. Do not be fooled by outward appearances.
8. Do not hold on tightly to any view or idea just because you are comfortable with it.
9. Do not accept as fact anything that you yourself find to be logical.
10. Do not be convinced of anything out of respect and deferrence to your spiritual teachers.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and ALL, then accept it and live up to it.
Anguttara Nikaya, Tika Nipata
Mahavagga, Sutta No. 65
Only people whose faith and understanding is not strong will waver. Otherwise, what is there to be afraid of?
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