(February 2, 2016 at 2:27 pm)Nihilist Virus Wrote: If Jesus was only talking to the rich young ruler, then why is the conversation in the Bible? After all, John was not there to witness it. Therefore the Holy Spirit revealed to John that this conversation had occurred, or else Jesus deliberately told John personally. Why involve John if the conversation was meant to be just between Jesus and the rich young ruler?
We're supposed to take the message that Jesus was giving him. That message is that if something is keeping you from following God, then you need to get rid of it. The rich young man loved his riches more than he loved God.
Quote:Also you aren't addressing what the actual wager is saying. You don't know for 100% that Jesus is OK with you keeping your big screen plasma TV while children are starving. You simply DON'T KNOW that Jesus is OK with this. Jesus also said that many will come to him saying they did good works in his name and etc but that they're still headed for the flames. Why would Jesus do that? Because their heart wasn't right. So you tell me how your heart is right if you're hoarding wealth while children starve.
This is a valid question. How much of your wealth does God want you to keep to care for the needs of you and your family? Probably most of us are keeping more than we should. With me it's been a growing process. I've gradually been letting go of more and more to help those in need, but I believe I have a long way to go. If we all followed Christ to a "t", we could eliminate most of the poverty in the world.
Quote:Works are not required because you're on the honor system with the grace of the New Testament. Everyone in the Western world is pissing all over the grace provided to them. Every Christian in the Western world as is lukewarm as piss. If you truly had the faith that you're going to heaven for all eternity, you wouldn't give two shits about your TV. It's literally as if you just won the lottery, but you immediately start playing Angry Birds because you're too bored to be excited about the riches that await you.
I can't argue with you on this. Western christians have had it too easy. Most western christians these days aren't even familiar with the bible. That's one reason we're in decline. Christianity has always been more vital during times of persecution. It weeds out the pretend christians from the real ones. I keep trying to become a more perfect christian, but I must rely on grace for salvation.
