Does our faith mean "self sacrifice"?

[zoegirl]

With all due respect, you use the word: "they".

A leftist thought.

Usually if someone complains of his unhappiness, "they" , the majority, are always more righteous. And the minority are always wrong.






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Wow, have no clue where you are coming with this. You yourself saide that they are judgemental. That is simply what my comment referred to. May I ask what denomination you belong to?

[Ashley]

Not exactly; you sounded like there was problem with me rather than with the crowds that's why I answered like this.

you were right I struggled a bit with the cultural issue in my church, but it's something of mainstream culture which I find rather doubtful if it pleases the Lord or not. The tricky points were too delicate to note; none the less it wasn't fair to evangelists because they should be the one having a better air of authority to speak on bible (but I figure that an open forum allows a space for people to wildly express on bible so it isn't doing harm on the positive side a wilder and unguarded discussion on bible does people good rather than harm; and I think people in here are open-minded)

It is delightful if you address the issue that I brought out in here. It is intriguing if the readers are more interested in myself than the issue that I brought out; that's ok lets go to the introductory thread (I noted a thread in another column people introduced themselves).

I consider myself belonging to no specific denominations; i trust what I said came from biblical passages; if it's strange idea that bewilders the readers, let it go; in fact, they do bore poeple to go into details the ungodly side of mainstream culture that people are taking as normal and well-built i don't see. I could be wrong, but why church become a gangship rather than personal relationship that bonds in number of people with Christ's love it may not yet be opportune to conclude. Let it go if the topics are too bewildering.


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[zoegirl]

Not exactly; you sounded like there was problem with me rather than with the crowds that's why I answered like this.

you were right I struggled a bit with the cultural issue in my church, but it's something of mainstream culture which I find rather doubtful if it pleases the Lord or not. The tricky points were too delicate to note; none the less it wasn't fair to evangelists because they should be the one having a better air of authority to speak on bible (but I figure that an open forum allows a space for people to wildly express on bible so it isn't doing harm on the positive side a wilder and unguarded discussion on bible does people good rather than harm; and I think people in here are open-minded)

It is delightful if you address the issue that I brought out in here. It is intriguing if the readers are more interested in myself than the issue that I brought out; that's ok lets go to the introductory thread (I noted a thread in another column people introduced themselves).

I consider myself belonging to no specific denominations; i trust what I said came from biblical passages; if it's strange idea that bewilders the readers, let it go; in fact, they do bore poeple to go into details the ungodly side of mainstream culture that people are taking as normal and well-built i don't see. I could be wrong, but why church become a gangship rather than personal relationship that bonds in number of people with Christ's love it may not yet be opportune to conclude. Let it go if the topics are too bewildering.


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I don't mean to change the topic but you were addressing self-sacrifice and it changed to how that applied to church. If you don't want to address it, that's fine.

[Ashley]

Fine.


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[Ashley]

If I may jump in here with a point. The meaning of the word "passion" is pain or suffering. Hence, the "passion" of Christ, a "Passion Play."

I scan the posts before your post I hardly find a word "passion" significantly mentioned ; and how is it related to the topic "self sacrificing" I don't see. You are suggested to open a new thread to discuss this.

In her original post on this thread, Ashley equated "faith" with sacrifice. Faith is accepting the Cross of Christ (HIS sacrifice) as a work accomplished for us.

I am a man, not a woman. My original post on this thread was a question. I did not equate faith with sacrifice. So obviously my thread on the original does not mean the way you suggested.

I used the name Ashley because Ashley is my grand-ma in law. She has died at 94. She was very kind to me. Talking of me, let me say more about myself: I live in Japan, but I am not a Japanese. I often went to China on business trip. I wasn't born in either of these two places, though.

There is not much trouble with my church. I stay away from them quite much but my relation with them isn't bad. Simply I say very little (and I almost keep quiet in church so people ignore me;) it is true, however, I am not agreeable to a lot of practices church fellows deal with new-comers and strangers.

I don't know... but it is a vehement adherence to the principle of "Christ-like Form"... and it seems to me that plenty of people are very busy about the "form" to avoid accusations.. and sheer avoidance of accussation equals "good Christians"... oh dear.

We occassionally judge people if they are Christ-like before accepting them. Probably we think we are blameless when we serve so fervently in church or we are majority when new-comer comes on individual basis. Every now and then I witnessed my fellows comment on some one being an apparent liar because she misbehaved or she simply does not appear Christ-like. Worry and skepticism circulating among the fellows, and interestingly; I say nothing and comment nothing. but what is Christ-like? are we Christ-like when judging some one else who fail to be Christ-like in form, disregarding the fact that we have initially two options:

Option A: the new-comer isn't Christ-like. She looks like a liar and based on our own experience, she must be a liar (at least we gusse she must be a liar; {funny why should we be so confident about our guess work I don't see?} gradually we rashly concluded by looking down on the new-comer, having the new-comer going un-noticed what happened to her. As having Christ-like form as we are acting out, we put the new-comer into our prayers for her sake and for her soul... {are we putting gossips into the prayers, while she doesn't know how we concluded on her?}

Option B: we get some one to approach the new-comer, say Hi, and chat with her nicely, getting acquainted with her, and share with her God's words and gradually know her background, and as time goes by, we realised that it was just a mis-understanding, she wasn't a liar..... if we are so skeptical against her being a liar, why didn't we ask her right away? why should we take so much care of our "Christ-like" form as though faith is simply a name-card, at the expense of the new-comer who remains knowing-nothing? and hurling some sort of comments (we shamelessly label as "care" but virtually they are "gossips" because she didn't know!)

Which of the two options does Christ want us to do,... if we are to be Christ like?

And... What is Christ-like? common sense tells us to look what Christ has done when he was human being.

In Gospel of John, Christ washed disciple's feet, humbling himself... the Good Samaritan .... Christ spoke of a parable how a Samaritan helped a stranger privately... and the two commandments: one of which we'd love our neighbors as we love ourselves and go and do likewise... and Christ dined with sinners and the Pharisees and the teacher of the law accused Christ of his being with the sinners, and Christ answered: patients need cure and normal one does not. {and we are so conceited about ourselves being particularly saint, devoutly participating in Church without a will to talk or speak to a new-comer until she is becoming Christ-like like us? Can we deny that, in the bottom of our heart, we exalt, or sub-consciously exalt, ourselves so much so elevated that others are not Christ-like simply because we are majority? }

It touched me so much... it touched me in particular, without a neighbor for me to love, am I really Christ-like? or we simply accuse others of their failure to make a good show of Christ-like form themselves.... but without bothering even to do one thing: ask... talk... chat.... ? am I quick to challenge but slow to love? I am really sorry about myself. Am I taking wrong that the people are not that bad but just I misunderstood and never probe? and in shame, I realise that, as long as I accuse people of their misbehavor away from Christ, I find the one most deserving accussation, being myself!


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[FFC]

Ashley, I think you are pretty perceptive. There are many in the body of Christ that seemed to have forgotten, or never learned, how to be Christ-like.

[Ashley]

Thank you.
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