What is sin? Why do the people of the Christians faith even fall to sin? These are questions that are present in many conversations of non- believers. Theologian Jean- Francois Collange defines sin as a fault (Er. original: faute) committed against the godhead. This fault concerns an action or a specific incident, which is thought to "hurt" or "offend" God 's holiness and his eminent dignity. Tradi- tionally, this offense is seen to express itself through the symbol of an act that renders a man unclean and hurts sainthood, and which can be ritually cleansed. (Ricoeur, I960) (176)
The real truth of the Christian faith is that we all fall to sin. However, our sin has been covered and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. Outsiders of the Christian faith can fail to understand the true meaning of what it means to be a Christian. We often here of those who are ashamed of there sin and feel as if their sin is to great for even God to handle. However, those of the Christian faith, know this is not the case. The Christian faith is founded on God’s grace and mercy which, covers the sin we all fall into. Rather than feeling guilty or ashamed of our sin, Christians understand the power of Jesus’s death on the cross.
A misconception that is perceived among many non-believers is that their sin is two great to be forgiven. Non-believers can tend to shy away from the Christian faith because they feel a sense of shamefulness and guiltiness of their past or current sins. According to a recent study, “The phenomenon of shame, as old as Adam and Eve, and the cult of self-esteem, founded by the serpent, both now rampant in our culture, indicate that members of our society acutely feel the effects of their sin” (Biddle 359). Tho...
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...nt is an essential element of Christianity” (784). Therefore, Jesus’s atonement of our sins is the center of Christianity. The pain, suffering, death, and resurrection all represent the forgiveness of sins and the grace that God has revealed to us. As a Christian, we are given eternal life because of grace and the blood shed upon the cross. This is the a core understanding of the Christian doctrine. Although these are just two key beliefs of the Christian doctrine, they are important factors to what it means to be a Christian. Through Gods unending grace, relinquished by Jesus’s death on the cross, these values are critical parts that make Christianity is what it is. Ephesians 2: 8-9 states that’s that “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
...lvation is achieved differs significantly among the various Christian groups, for example, the Catholic Church believes that salvation is attained through good works such as acts of charity and almsgiving, while the Anglican Church as a deeper focus on personal faith and acceptance of Jesus as the Savior. The concept of salvation is a driving factor in the formation of ethics and morals in the Christian faith, as individual desire to receive eternal life in heaven underpins many actions and choices that they make, such as the choice to attend church or participate in aiding the poor and helpless.
Spirit), the nature of man and the need for salvation, and sin and the means of atonement.
The Christian faith focuses on the orientation of the human heart behind human thoughts and actions. Living by faith is a beautiful alternative to the way people think of themselves and the way they live in relation to others in their daily lives (Merrick, 2014). Christians see themselves in terms of God’s profound love for them but not in terms of what they do. The teachings of the Christian faith; nonviolence, non-retaliation, inward integrity, selflessness, and love your neighbor as yourself provide the framework for ethical thinking. Although, adopting belief in Christianity can bring forth confusion in the heart and mind causing agony of learning to sacrifice one’s rightful claims for personal justice for the restoration of another (Merrick, 2014). Unconditional forgiveness is difficult to understand because spiritual forgiveness and actual costly forgiveness is viewed as the same in the gospel. If you do not forgive, then one does not have faith in God’s forgiveness as it really is. Christianity influences a person thinking and behavior developing wisdom which requires faith. The faith that is needed to reorient the heart away from selfishness to selflessness.
Jesus began, "repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," or is it, do penance: "for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17 K.J.V.). The two words repent and penance have somewhat the same connotation in the understanding of having sorrow for ones’ sins, nevertheless the two words are at the heart of Christianity and Christendom. The Catholic Church exerts the Latin term “paenitentiam agite” to justify its position on sacramental penance. The Latin term can be variously translated into English by the word repent or do penance, though similar, but somehow un-unified as earthly is with spiritual. This concept of repentance and abhorrence of one's sins before God is a heart issue. To do penance for one's sins before God is a heart issue. The dividing factor between the two words is who can know an individual’s heart in relationship to the scripture; As Paul wrote, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation…but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 K.J.V.). The same factor affects the relationship between Christianity and Christendom, who can discern the motives of human hearts in relationship to history. Christianity is a universal appeal to man's heart, heart of Christendom is a universal appeal for an earthly kingdom. The union of these two or schism as one wishes to perceive, is in the concept of a visible church and an invisible church.
With the expectation that we are righteous in a fallen world it is easy to assume that persona. However, this is filled with pitfalls because we are fallen as well. The only difference between Christians and the world is that Christians have accepted Gods grace and mercy. “Christians agree that sin is terrible, and it will destroy their Christian testimony. “He who covers his sins will not prosper” (Prov. 28:13). But notice the next part of that verse: “But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”
Theology and different religions, all contain information about sin. Sin is recognized as an unholy thing to possess, therefore, sin is not taken lightly. In Roman Catholicism, if one’s sins are serious enough, one may not receive eternal life with God, in Heaven. Severe punishments may occur, if one sins. Sin is thought to have been caused by mankind. The perception of sin continues to evolve as the analysis of texts continues.
In the beginning, God created the world and everything in it, making it evident that with creation, there is a creator (Romans 1:20). However, humankind chose to turn away from this, worship false idols, embrace sin, and deserve death (Roman 1:21-32). God then created the Ten Commandments, his law, as the “measuring rod” for humankind to be judged by. It is what reveals sin to man’s heart (Rom. 7:7-25). But, our righteousness is justified through faith in Christ. By Abraham, all nations came into existence and salvation is available to all who believe in Christ and not by living under the Law or by our deeds (Romans 4:18 -17). It is evident that we live in a fallen world. We are constantly surrounded by the repercussions of mankind’s sin. Death, pain, and mourning are just the few consequences caused by the ripple of sin. As a Christian, it is easy to view the world I am currently placed in as not my home, or even not where I belong. Through the “groans” of the spirit, I am constantly reminded of the future Glory (Rom. 8:22-25)
I am guilty of inordinate desire; I am guilty of cowardly silence when I should have spoken; I am guilty of untruthfulness and hypocrisy in the face of threatening violence; I am guilty of disowning without mercy the poorest of my neighbors; I am guilty of disloyalty and falling away from Christ. Why does it concern me if others are also guilty? Every sin of another I can excuse; only my own sin, of which I remain guilty, I can never excuse.
According to a Christian, there is one true God, and he revealed Himself through the Holy trinity, which is made up of three people; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They also believe that God alone created the world and everything that encompasses it from nothing in six days. They believe that the world was good until Adam sinned against God, and now all people are born into sin. They believe that God sent his only son Jesus to save the world from sin and that Jesus died for all their sins and rose from the dead. They believe that the Holy bible is the sacred word before and after Jesus’s time and that they should live by it to please God and thank him for his son. They believe that people are saved by faith through the grace of Jesus Christ.
I feel that the is a big weakness in the Christian faith with the people who think that they pray to God once or twice and actually do not have a relationship with him and they think that just because they do this they will gain eternal life but yet they continue to keep on sinning. I understand that all people sin and ask for forgiveness but they actually do have a relationship with God. Another one is the ones that think they are holier than though and try to push their religion on you.
If we look at the beliefs of Christianity, its subjects believe that God will see something that is frowned upon thus closing their chance at heaven upon becoming deceased, or even lead to certain consequences in the near future known as karma. Though it is not proven that there is a heaven or God, many hold strong to their beliefs on the subject, though they cannot see said upper hand.. Due to the belief that God is watching, his believers know that committing sin (such as adultery and wrath) is such a move that could potentially be “frowned upon.” However, they also have the choice of going to confe...
Pope John Paul II once said, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth – in a word, to know himself – so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.” (Fallible Blogma) Based on this significant and powerful quote, one can infer that faith and reason are directly associated and related. It can also be implied that the combination of faith and reason allows one to seek information and knowledge about truth and God; based on various class discussions and past academic teachings, it is understood that both faith and reason are the instruments that diverse parties are supposed to use on this search for truth and God. There are many stances and viewpoints on the issues of faith and reason. Some believe that both of these ideas cannot and should not be combined; these parties deem that faith and reason must be taken as merely separate entities. However, this writer does not understand why both entities cannot be combined; both terms are so closely compatible that it would make sense to combine the two for a common task. Based on various class discussions and readings, there are many philosophers and theologians who have certain opinions regarding faith, reason and their compatibility; these philosophers include Hildegard of Bingen, Ibn Rushd, Moses Maimonides, and St. Thomas Aquinas. The following essay will examine each of the previously stated philosopher’s viewpoints on faith and reason, and will essentially try to determine whether or not faith and reason are ultimately one in the same.
Tinder enforces this notion by stating that “Nothing in Christian doctrine so offends people today as the stress on sin.” (Tinder p. 7). Many people outside of the Christian faith either do not believe in sin or see it as an archaic notion touted only by Christians as a way to “judge” or point a finger of blame. However, no matter how offensive the topic, the issue of sin is very present and must be acknowledged in order to understand the natural tendencies of human beings. “The political value of the doctrine of original sin lies in its recognition that our evil tendencies are not in the nature of a problem that we can rationally comprehend and deliberately solve. (Tinder p.7) “The universe is moral by nature” (Wilberforce 108) therefore, sin must be addressed through the lens of morality and spirituality to be dealt with properly. “The problem that we see in our time is that because there is so little reverence for or sense of the holiness of God, we have no basis on which to take sin seriously.” (Wilberforce 108) Until we as a society begin to recover the “faith of our forefathers” (Wilberforce 157) and begin to make more efforts “…to raise the standards of public morality in our nation” (Wilberforce 159-160) , we will continue to approach, as Wilberforce states, “the collapse of a system due to the lack of beliefs in the principles in which it was
Faith is the act of believing (Mappes, D. A. (2010). Our mark is to love one another despite differences. Christian worldview should not be confusing to anyone that is looking for salvation and wants their live to change for good. Jesus is the only way to God. Through Jesus we can accomplish everything that is going to be for our own good. This might just be difficult to understand for a person who was never introduced to God before or who came from a different worldview. Despite this God teaches us to love one another no matter our differences. The fear of God is essential for a Christian because this will prevent him or her from harming others. You think before you speak or act. No matter how terrible someone has been with us, Christians forgive and put that person in their prayers. Christians put themselves in others shoes and just by doing this people will receive a better outcome of any situation. This is why Christianity has grown because we have been able to provide answers to questions of life and death (Verhoef, 2016). Christians follow Jesus commands. If we all base ourselves in what he wants for us, the world will be definitely a better
Firstly, the greatest thing about being a Christian is having a friendship in god. Being a Christian means you follow god, worship god, and bring glory to him your life. It also means that a Christian has a personal relationship with god. You have accepted Christ to be your lord and Savior. You give all your love to Christ, you put your faith in him, and trust in him to lead you to the right path.