An end-of-week perspective on Christianity, by one still processing.
Those who choose the Son have chosen the Father. They have received/will receive the Holy Spirit. This choice, then, of the only begotten, unique, Son of God is the only choice, really, toward eternity, the only choice worth looking into. Looking into this most important choice entails what?
What did the Son, Jesus, say about doing this work of choosing, which must be the ultimate good work, or the foundational good work?
Some of the things he said:
Follow him,
come to him,
believe in him.
Repent and sin no more.
Do good to others.
Keep his word, his message.
Watch for his return.
Tell others about him.
Did Jesus provide a context other than our homes, workplaces, and families for choosing him? What is the context Jesus gave to us for choosing him?
Jesus asked his disciples who they said he was. After Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, Messiah, the Son of the Living God, Jesus said that on this rock he would build his church. Upon the solid base of the confession Peter gave, Jesus would build his gathering, or his assembly (as "ecclesia" or “church” can also be translated) of those who followed, came, believed, repented, did good to others, kept his word, watched for his return, and spread the news about him.
Against this context for choosing, this Church, the gates of Hades would not stand. Since Hades (Gehenna) was the word in that time for the place of the dead, this perhaps meant something along these lines: the place of the dead would be dismantled by the Church that Jesus would build.
A story of people from Campus Crusade for Christ, who undertook a journey toward discovery of what the Church might be (if it existed at all), is found in a book called Becoming Orthodox. It’s not a tract telling you how you really should become Orthodox. It’s a book about one group’s journey (and now, in the latest version, about where they are today).
Those who choose the Son have chosen the Father. They have received/will receive the Holy Spirit. This choice, then, of the only begotten, unique, Son of God is the only choice, really, toward eternity, the only choice worth looking into. Looking into this most important choice entails what?
What did the Son, Jesus, say about doing this work of choosing, which must be the ultimate good work, or the foundational good work?
Some of the things he said:
Follow him,
come to him,
believe in him.
Repent and sin no more.
Do good to others.
Keep his word, his message.
Watch for his return.
Tell others about him.
Did Jesus provide a context other than our homes, workplaces, and families for choosing him? What is the context Jesus gave to us for choosing him?
Jesus asked his disciples who they said he was. After Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, Messiah, the Son of the Living God, Jesus said that on this rock he would build his church. Upon the solid base of the confession Peter gave, Jesus would build his gathering, or his assembly (as "ecclesia" or “church” can also be translated) of those who followed, came, believed, repented, did good to others, kept his word, watched for his return, and spread the news about him.
Against this context for choosing, this Church, the gates of Hades would not stand. Since Hades (Gehenna) was the word in that time for the place of the dead, this perhaps meant something along these lines: the place of the dead would be dismantled by the Church that Jesus would build.
A story of people from Campus Crusade for Christ, who undertook a journey toward discovery of what the Church might be (if it existed at all), is found in a book called Becoming Orthodox. It’s not a tract telling you how you really should become Orthodox. It’s a book about one group’s journey (and now, in the latest version, about where they are today).
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