Why don't more folks make a stronger effort to live as Christ lived?

Question

It is true that good works alone do not save your soul. But many folks sit in their suburban air conditioned churches condemning others from a distance. Folks that they would never have dinner with or hang out with. Remember that Christ actively preached to those folks in person. He spent time with them. Prostitutes, degenerates, drifters, deadbeats, homeless, etc. Remember that being a Christian is much harder than it appears to be. You must sincerely befriend those from all walks of life. And you must share the words of Jesus with them. Indiscriminately. Even if it means giving up all of your belongings to do so.

obwan- you are wrong on all accounts. i make an effort to be a humble man. i have little money and do not own a computer. this is a public computer.

and i own no home.

i have made an effort to give away all that i own.

to the truth- we are expected to live as christ lived. and that requires more than simply praying. we must associate with the lowest ranking folks of society. we must spend time with them. a true christian not only accepts christ but also makes an effort to live as he lived.

Answer 1

Christ didn't live. He never existed.

Answer 2

True Story:

I, a non-Christian, once said that the core of Chist's teaching is love, and he taught us the means to be Christlike.

Another, a Christian, told me that I was a heretic, and that no human could be Christ-like because Jesus is God.

(Apparently I went to a very different Sunday school than he did, when I was a Christian.)

Another time, a woman who was "born again" told me that she could do whatever she wanted, because she was "saved."

I know - I should not and I do not take these exceptions as the rule. But look at what people say and do when they are supposed to be Christian.

I work to follow the teachings of Jesus as He provided in His Sermon on the Mount, the core of His message. I can do this WITHOUT being a "born again" Christian. Yet it is, according to just about every Christian I talk to or hear from, not enough.

I am told that if I do not accept Him as my personal Lord and Savior, then I am damned. And as you note here - good works alone do not save your soul, so apparently one MUST accept Him to be saved.

Well - I'll keep living my life, trying to be a good person and following the guidance that has be put forth for me. I will keep making that strong effort to live as Christ lived, because I believe that is what he wanted.

Answer 3

Dear Aceboyle: Trying to go up against your own human-ego mind is more than a little difficult. It's hardly possible. Your behaviors come from the web of your background and includes all the things that ever hurt you, upset you or traumatized you. The human self is never in good shape.

Christians try - and move forward. Then they fall back again into old patterns and ways that are comfortable or "winning" for them. They struggle to reach a higher level of behavior and move forward - and fall back again! They forgive and a short while later have anger thoughts about the same person or situation all over again. It's like the ocean's tide. It flows in and ebbs back out. They forgive again and find themselves munching on the "wrong" yet again!

Few are able to move themselves to a higher level and remain there and continue further upward. It takes a relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to move forward. Actually, They move you forward when you are ready for that. They decide that. When They move you forward, it's permanent - for you ALLOW Them to enter and begin the walk with Them.

You don't get this from attending church on Sunday. You may not get it by reading the Bible. It comes from a cleansing of your mind, after Jesus and the Holy Spirit have been invited into relationship with you.

They sift through the dark corners in our mind where the hurts and wrongs are laying. They pull them out, one at a time, and look upon it with you, as your partner. When They speak, you are transported into the presence of truth. Not as your ego saw things - but with corrected perception - in alignment with the Holy Spirit's perception. "If you see things differently from how the Holy Spirit sees. . .you are wrong." It is this cleansing that lifts you upward.

Then they ask that you show a good intention and willingness to live from what you have learned. After you demonstrate living from Their teachings, They move you forward. Now it shall be permanent. The angers no longer have thrust in them when your ego mind peruses through them again! Those issues have become dead to you.

Now is the time to integrate what you learned; this means you will now make it a part of yourself. You will now effortlessly live from the truths they shined into your mind.

This is the process of learning - when in relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They do not come uninvited. You must invite Them - then learning truly begins. You are no longer "up against your patterns and reactions of the past."

At the Los Angeles Public Library is a videorecording and a hardback edition of "A Course in Miracles." The miracle being your Reality.

Jesus is working as hard today as 2000 years ago. He still heals the heart, finds the exact right words to penetrate your mind, cleanses your past and leaves no stone uncovered within your ego thinking. I hope this helps. It's all in the process - the Journey.

Answer 4

People want to be good people, but we do not live the same lives people lived 2000 years ago. To contact people you would of had to come to them, but now there are many ways for people to hear what you are saying.

Nobody is Jesus so you can not hold them up to the standards that he achieved. To be a good christian you should not have to give up all you own. You can give a simile to everyone, talk nicely, help people out, but by no means should you try to drop everything and become a person going up to people on the street an preach the bible. I believe you should be good to everyone, but by being considerate to everyone, you should also consider yourself.

Answer 5

I can think of a few reasons:

1) People don't believe in an afterlife so it really doesn't matter whether or not one lives a moral lifestyle.

2) There is a religious spirit that is prevalent in the world today. Instead of authentic Christianity, believers think that sitting in a church pew fulfills their duty as Christians.

3) Christians have been intimidated by the socio-political world system which says they are narrow-minded and intolerant for not embracing the vilest and most heinous depravity that the world has to offer.

Also, please remember that good works don't save you, PERIOD! We are saved by grace through faith. (Eph. 2:8-9) Good works are a result of the Spirit's empowerment in our lives.

Answer 6

You are right good works doesnt save!! Only asking Jesus to come into your heart and to forgive you of your sins can save you, People are lazy and self-centered and judgemental. The word of God does the judging, we just need to get them the word of God. Good people who do good things can go to hell. Salvation is not based off of works. We as christian need to learn that we didnt arrive yesterday that we all have areas in our lives where we are not donig so great so if we judge ourselves we wont have time to judge areas. Instead of judging them we should pray for them and ask God to open there eyes and led them into repentance and a changed life style. be blessed and stay of the right path

Answer 7

So states aceboyle2003 while sitting in an air conditioned house typing on the computer that was received free of charge along with the monthly access subscription

Answer 8

Everyone is not gonna be saved. People don't always make the right decisions. We all will just have to pray 4 them! Even the 1st guy who reponded 2 this....knows so little.

Answer 9

Amen to that. People always claim they are christian but alot of them sit home and do anything but fellowship spend tim with God or just help people

Answer 10

The ones that do are called mystics, and are publicly scorned because of that approach. Once you realize you can attain the power of jesus, people try to silence you because it takes away from their power.

Answer 11

It may be that when our judgement comes we will not be pressed to explain what we have done (sins) but what we failed to do. We are all sinners, we will all have sins, BUT did we feed Him, clothe Him, visit Him, etc. What have we failed to do to the least of His people.

We get lost at times trying not to do wrong, we forget we should be doing right.