I wonder...

[nebula]

Do you understand the atonement? And why that was necessary? And why it happened the way it did?

No, I readily admit that I do not understand atonement theory. I understand what makes it attractive, but not what makes it true.

Best wishes, eco.

Oh dear. Atonement isn't a theory. Atonement is a key theme all throughout Scripture. GE gave a good explanation, I think.

Think this through logically - why would God Almighty lay aside His God-nature to take on human-nature and choose to suffer a very horrible painful death simply to teach and be an example of perfect sacrifice? If mankind has such potential for perfection on our own that we can save ourselves with our own strength, why would He need to go through something of this magnitude?

Why would John the Baptist introduce Jesus as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" if all Jesus is is an example?

Honestly, Eco, I fail to understand how you can call yourself by Christ's name, yet not believe the writings that testify of Him and explain who He is from beginning to end.

How can you believe life is about humanity and not about Him?

[2ndRateMind]

Do you understand the atonement? And why that was necessary? And why it happened the way it did?

No, I readily admit that I do not understand atonement theory. I understand what makes it attractive, but not what makes it true.

Best wishes, eco.

Oh dear. Atonement isn't a theory. Atonement is a key theme all throughout Scripture. GE gave a good explanation, I think.

...

Honestly, Eco, I fail to understand how you can call yourself by Christ's name, yet not believe the writings that testify of Him and explain who He is from beginning to end.

How can you believe life is about humanity and not about Him?

Ha. I sense the 'not a proper Christian' tactic. It does you no credit.

Now, about atonement. It is fundamentally an offense against justice to allow or enable one person to answer for the sins of another. This is widely recognised in all judicial systems in the world on an individual scale - we simply do not allow mothers to accept the punishment due to their sons, or lovers to swap places in the dock, or any such system. I can only think that atonement theory is injustice at such a cosmic level that it has blinded you to it's obvious inconsistancy with the nature of God - that He is loving, merciful and Just.

Jesus has not answered for my sins, and if I was given any choice about the matter, I would not allow Him to do so, and I would insist on answering for my own sins. But, in fact, I was offered no such choice. Rather, as I was born again, I went through a process whereby all my sins were paraded before me, and repenting each and every one of them. I assure you, it was no soft option, but the final result, atonement, at-one-ment with God, which cannot happen through anyone else's good offices, or however much blood is uselessly spilt, was worth every moment of mortification. I think this process is common to all who have been born again. If you do not recognise it, perhaps it is your own relationship with the divine that needs a review.

Cheers, eco.

Edited February 25, 2013 by ecoTramp

[enoob57]

Heb 10:29-31

29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

NKJV

[Guest HisG]

... can you be both rich and Christian?

Yes.

Share what you have : )

One has much for a reason. Luke 12 v 48 b: " From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

If people cared for their neighbour (neighbour being anyone they came in contact with), we'd see a staggering amount of LESS people homeless, hungry etc. If everyone did their bit - believers and non-believers, this world would be pretty good don't you think? : )

but of course, people are too self centred and hold money close to their chests...

It may be simplistic thinking but that's my opinion anyway : )

^{Matthew 30/31:} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[a]31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”

[Guest HisG]

I have to add..: ).

...submitting all your money to God's rulership is paramount.

[Lutheran man]

Well, it just occurs to me that there are also millions of malnourished, hungry, poverty struck people. So I'm wondering how you would square an excess of personal wealth with the Christian duty to succour the poor. It's a genuine question, not an attempt to get at anyone.

Anyone in America is rich by worldly standards. My wife and I have been blessed with financial security in our middle age. We try very hard to live a moderate lifestyle and always to share our Lord's generosity to us with others. We hope that we are teaching and have taught our children to do similar. Most even in America would consider us "wealthy". We have some "toys" that we purchased that we do use for ourselves but one of the reasons for purchasing them was to better our youth ministry in our church. So yes I believe that a person can be "wealthy" and still a Christian. Think also how many jobs a wealthy Christian who is an employer creates.

[Fez]

Do you understand the atonement? And why that was necessary? And why it happened the way it did?

No, I readily admit that I do not understand atonement theory. I understand what makes it attractive, but not what makes it true.

Best wishes, eco.

Oh dear. Atonement isn't a theory. Atonement is a key theme all throughout Scripture. GE gave a good explanation, I think.

...

Honestly, Eco, I fail to understand how you can call yourself by Christ's name, yet not believe the writings that testify of Him and explain who He is from beginning to end.

How can you believe life is about humanity and not about Him?

Ha. I sense the 'not a proper Christian' tactic. It does you no credit.

Now, about atonement. It is fundamentally an offense against justice to allow or enable one person to answer for the sins of another. This is widely recognised in all judicial systems in the world on an individual scale - we simply do not allow mothers to accept the punishment due to their sons, or lovers to swap places in the dock, or any such system. I can only think that atonement theory is injustice at such a cosmic level that it has blinded you to it's obvious inconsistancy with the nature of God - that He is loving, merciful and Just.

Jesus has not answered for my sins, and if I was given any choice about the matter, I would not allow Him to do so, and I would insist on answering for my own sins. But, in fact, I was offered no such choice. Rather, as I was born again, I went through a process whereby all my sins were paraded before me, and repenting each and everyone of them. I assure you, it was no soft option, but the final result, atonement, at-one-ment with God, which cannot happen through anyone else's good offices, or however much blood is uselessly spilt, was worth every moment of mortification. I think this process is common to all who have been born again. If you do not recognise it, perhaps it is your own relationship with the divine that needs a review.

Cheers, eco.

Jesus has not answered for my sins

So Jesus Christ died on the Cross for what?

[Lutheran man]

All it takes to be a Christian is to believe in your heart and confess with your lips that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead. Wealth can be an idol or a tool with which to do ministry. Sometimes even in faithful Christian's lives wealth can at times become an idol, but forgiveness for those times is available.

[2ndRateMind]

So Jesus Christ died on the Cross for what?

Consenting to the cross I walked

And as I went the people talked

'There he goes, the king of Jews,

Not much the king, not good the news'

'A soldier would be better worth

To fetch the Romans down to earth'

I do not know, I cannot tell

if this act will weave the spell

to reach from here to heaven's span

and bring forever God to man,

but this I know, that I must try

and every man must sometime die.

Edited February 25, 2013 by ecoTramp

[Fez]

So Jesus Christ died on the Cross for what?

Consenting to the cross I walked

And as I went the people talked

'There he goes, the king of Jews,

Not much the king, not good the news'

'A soldier would be better worth

To fetch the Romans down to earth'

I do not know, I cannot tell

if this act will weave the spell

to reach from here to heaven's span

and bring forever God to man,

but this I know, that I must try

and every man must sometime die.

Again with dodging the question.

Did Jesus die for you and why? Easy questions. Please try a direct answer.