Reformed Christianity offers one path to eternity with God: Christ. We are saved by grace, which is freely given. That’s salvation.
If you know Christ, you’ll try to live according to the law God set out for us, which does include turning away from sin. That’s sanctification. It’s hard. We fail. But if we repent, we are forgiven of all of it.
I don’t have to wear special clothes or turn around three times and pat my head or sacrifice goats or give half my money to the church. Those things won’t save me. Only Christ. And he already did.
Justification and salvation are free gifts, according to the Bible: “... justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” -Rom 3:24
If Lutherans say God’s love is free and true, they’re right, but I’m just going by what the Bible says.
I think it’s reform in general, but again, if that’s part of Lutheran theology, I’ll say they’re right!
Catholics have their own ideas about salvation I don’t necessarily agree with, but I don’t believe they’re doomed by any means, haha. They are Christian too.
Like I said, Christian theology is a profound and challenging topic I’ve spent some soul-searching and prayerful time on. There’s a lot to it!
The concept of being saved immediately goes back to my argument that religion is about fear, what are you being saved from? Being saved indicates you need to be saved from something or else something bad will happen to you therefore follow my religion.
The logic behind these religions is so simple it's remarkable how many people don't see it. I actually don't have anything against spirituality generally because at the end of the day if that's what keeps people sane I won't knock it. However I'm going to call it like I see it if I think people are being manipulated which is why I take against organised religion so much.
Given the choice between eternity with God and eternity separated from him, I choose the former. It’s not a fear thing, it’s a love thing. Fear is compulsion, and you’re right in that false religions lean heavily on that aspect. But love is a choice.
Christian theology is a profound, challenging topic with the opportunity for lifelong learning and growth and meaning. You do indeed have a very simple understanding of it, and I lived much of my life in the very same mindset. I’d challenge you to dig a little deeper. You might be pleasantly surprised.
If somebody tells me a baseball is 6” across and filled with air, I wouldn’t consider them a representative of the sport. The Bible is the ultimate source of truth on that topic and many others.
That kind of bypasses his point. He's talking about having a relationship with the Supreme Being, not the intermediary (i.e., the pastor).
Any person claiming to represent any religion can say and do whatever they want to get what they want (as we've seen with a lot of the heads of structured religions engaging in all sorts of debauchery), but as GreatBee is pointing out, he's attempting to establish and maintain a relationship beyond the gatekeepers, the latter of whom are fallible and malleable to all the whims of materialism.
Reformed Christianity offers one path to eternity with God: Christ. We are saved by grace, which is freely given. That’s salvation.
If you know Christ, you’ll try to live according to the law God set out for us, which does include turning away from sin. That’s sanctification. It’s hard. We fail. But if we repent, we are forgiven of all of it.
I don’t have to wear special clothes or turn around three times and pat my head or sacrifice goats or give half my money to the church. Those things won’t save me. Only Christ. And he already did.
I’m not scared. I’m free.
Lutheran spotted
Interesting. Not a Lutheran.
Justification and salvation are free gifts, according to the Bible: “... justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” -Rom 3:24
If Lutherans say God’s love is free and true, they’re right, but I’m just going by what the Bible says.
"Saved by grace" is the common belief in the Lutheran sect, where as Catholics believe it to be insulting.
I think it’s reform in general, but again, if that’s part of Lutheran theology, I’ll say they’re right!
Catholics have their own ideas about salvation I don’t necessarily agree with, but I don’t believe they’re doomed by any means, haha. They are Christian too.
Like I said, Christian theology is a profound and challenging topic I’ve spent some soul-searching and prayerful time on. There’s a lot to it!
The concept of being saved immediately goes back to my argument that religion is about fear, what are you being saved from? Being saved indicates you need to be saved from something or else something bad will happen to you therefore follow my religion.
The logic behind these religions is so simple it's remarkable how many people don't see it. I actually don't have anything against spirituality generally because at the end of the day if that's what keeps people sane I won't knock it. However I'm going to call it like I see it if I think people are being manipulated which is why I take against organised religion so much.
Given the choice between eternity with God and eternity separated from him, I choose the former. It’s not a fear thing, it’s a love thing. Fear is compulsion, and you’re right in that false religions lean heavily on that aspect. But love is a choice.
Christian theology is a profound, challenging topic with the opportunity for lifelong learning and growth and meaning. You do indeed have a very simple understanding of it, and I lived much of my life in the very same mindset. I’d challenge you to dig a little deeper. You might be pleasantly surprised.
You won't be thinking that next time you go to your local pastor and he starts claiming you'll go to hell for not welcoming the gay.
If somebody tells me a baseball is 6” across and filled with air, I wouldn’t consider them a representative of the sport. The Bible is the ultimate source of truth on that topic and many others.
That kind of bypasses his point. He's talking about having a relationship with the Supreme Being, not the intermediary (i.e., the pastor).
Any person claiming to represent any religion can say and do whatever they want to get what they want (as we've seen with a lot of the heads of structured religions engaging in all sorts of debauchery), but as GreatBee is pointing out, he's attempting to establish and maintain a relationship beyond the gatekeepers, the latter of whom are fallible and malleable to all the whims of materialism.
All of a sudden, a lot of the crap I've seen you post makes sense now that I know you're a reddit tier atheist.