Re: New Max Thomas forum!
Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:13 pm
Hey, 1after2, thank you so much for your response to my last posting!
I too used to think that the "truth" probably consisted of little bits and pieces from the various different faiths that exist in the world. Then it began to dawn on me that "Truth" can, almost by definition, only be defined or identified in ONE single way otherwise it simply doesn't exist - and that didn't make sense at all! In other words, there can only be ONE truth, otherwise there is no such thing.
I've written elsewhere about the process that took place which led me to realize that Christ is indeed the Way, the Truth and the Life.... so I won't repeat it here.
Now, moving on to the last part of your posting...
First of all, I have to say that syzygy is right - and thank you for your wonderful contribution,syzygy - there is indeed hope for everyone, and God Himself hopes for all of us...
It is difficult for many people to understand the concept of the Son of the Creator of the Universe having to become a human being in order potentially to save the human race (I''ll return to the significance of the word "potentially" another time) from the fate that is destined to befall the one who is the source of all evil in the world. However, this is a whole, huge, other subject, and I won't attempt to discuss it here and now. Let me not lose track of what we're currently talking about...
We need to ask ourselves certain questions before we take on the role of judge regarding the guilt (or innocence) of others:
Who are we to judge the gravity of another's sin when we will ALL need to seek forgiveness for our own sins one day?
What right (or certainty) do any of us have to look at another person and say that we are better than them, or that we would never have done what they did?
"Forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us." In the Lord's prayer itself we are told to seek forgiveness AND to forgive others.
If we live our lives not forgiving others, how can we expect forgiveness ourselves?
It is anyway such a burden to carry resentment or bitterness or anger or unforgiveness around with us. It doesn't change or make any difference to the one whom we hate (unless we chose to hurt or kill that person, and, don't forget that Hitler's Chiefs of Staff would all pay the ultimate price of losing their lives anyway). God will anyway judge them just as He will judge us. It serves only to keep us constantly weighed down with all those most negative and unpleasant emotions as listed above... and it will translate into our own lives in other ways: anger will manifest itself whenever we are reminded of the subject of our hate; we will inevitably speak badly of them to others; we will start to resent anyone whom we consider not worthy of what they have, or who they are. Jealousy and envy can grow out of all control in a bitter person, and in some cases, that person may well turn into someone much worse than the one they have despised in the first place!
I dare say that there are millions of families in the world which are torn apart by lack of forgiveness of one or more members as a result of some unpleasant event that took place in the past (it can even be a hatred that spans different generations), even before we atlk about the hatred that some people have for other ethnic groups.
I won't blather on any more now, but I think discussions of such issues deserve a new topic, so if I can do it, I might put the last three or four postings on these issues in a new topic called...forgiveness?
Love to you all!
Max
I too used to think that the "truth" probably consisted of little bits and pieces from the various different faiths that exist in the world. Then it began to dawn on me that "Truth" can, almost by definition, only be defined or identified in ONE single way otherwise it simply doesn't exist - and that didn't make sense at all! In other words, there can only be ONE truth, otherwise there is no such thing.
I've written elsewhere about the process that took place which led me to realize that Christ is indeed the Way, the Truth and the Life.... so I won't repeat it here.
Now, moving on to the last part of your posting...
First of all, I have to say that syzygy is right - and thank you for your wonderful contribution,syzygy - there is indeed hope for everyone, and God Himself hopes for all of us...
It is difficult for many people to understand the concept of the Son of the Creator of the Universe having to become a human being in order potentially to save the human race (I''ll return to the significance of the word "potentially" another time) from the fate that is destined to befall the one who is the source of all evil in the world. However, this is a whole, huge, other subject, and I won't attempt to discuss it here and now. Let me not lose track of what we're currently talking about...
We need to ask ourselves certain questions before we take on the role of judge regarding the guilt (or innocence) of others:
Who are we to judge the gravity of another's sin when we will ALL need to seek forgiveness for our own sins one day?
What right (or certainty) do any of us have to look at another person and say that we are better than them, or that we would never have done what they did?
"Forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us." In the Lord's prayer itself we are told to seek forgiveness AND to forgive others.
If we live our lives not forgiving others, how can we expect forgiveness ourselves?
It is anyway such a burden to carry resentment or bitterness or anger or unforgiveness around with us. It doesn't change or make any difference to the one whom we hate (unless we chose to hurt or kill that person, and, don't forget that Hitler's Chiefs of Staff would all pay the ultimate price of losing their lives anyway). God will anyway judge them just as He will judge us. It serves only to keep us constantly weighed down with all those most negative and unpleasant emotions as listed above... and it will translate into our own lives in other ways: anger will manifest itself whenever we are reminded of the subject of our hate; we will inevitably speak badly of them to others; we will start to resent anyone whom we consider not worthy of what they have, or who they are. Jealousy and envy can grow out of all control in a bitter person, and in some cases, that person may well turn into someone much worse than the one they have despised in the first place!
I dare say that there are millions of families in the world which are torn apart by lack of forgiveness of one or more members as a result of some unpleasant event that took place in the past (it can even be a hatred that spans different generations), even before we atlk about the hatred that some people have for other ethnic groups.
I won't blather on any more now, but I think discussions of such issues deserve a new topic, so if I can do it, I might put the last three or four postings on these issues in a new topic called...forgiveness?
Love to you all!
Max
