Importance of Jesus, His teachings, His actions, and His death...

edited September 2004 in Faith Issues
my friends, i want to make this thread a place where we can come and contimplate on the significants of Christ, His teachings, His actions, and His death...

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  • Everytime I think about this, it amazes me even more and more. Can you believe that Jesus Christ, divine, though in the form of a human, allowed people to persecute Him the way they did? Besides the physical torture, they spit on Him, and called Him names, and so many other things that are very saddening. He put up with the torture, which I'm not going to go into, but can you believe how much strength He has? I'm not talking about physical strength, I mean the strength of self-control. He could've yelled back at everybody, and called them names back, but not only did He not go down to their level, but He preserved our Christianity! We are taught to forgive and forget, and to show our Christian behavior at all times. So imagine if in the Bible, the same thing that we are being taught is being contradicted? Now that is a contradiction (hustler). In other words, if you look at it from a different perspective, yes, it was out of unconditional love that Jesus did not treat them in the same manner they treated Him, but in my opinion, He also went so far as to make sure there are no contradictions in the Bible, so all these these you point out hustler, cannot be contradictions if you look at it from this point of view, because, even 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ protected and preserved our Christianity.
    Nice post GJI, it's a nice way to say what Jesus Christ did for us.
  • beautiful response LHM
    it is touching as we say in the Gregorian mass, "he did not his face form the shame of spiting"
    he could have done more than "yell back" he had authority over the andels, remember wen Peter cut off the gaurd (Malchus) ear, jesus said that if he said the word 12 legions of angels would surround him and rescue him, that is wat i find amazing he had the power to stop, everything but he didnt, when they told him to come off the cross and save himself that they may believe, he didnt...

  • but what i understand, but fail to explain to non-believers is why he had to die, they alwaz ask me that, and i tell them he was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and then they ask why?, then i say because in the old testment sins were forgiven through sacrifices, then they ask why?, then i say because there had to be a blood offering for the remission of sins, then they say why?, then i get stuck, i cant say its GOd's plan, its what he wanted, because they dont believe in him, so how do we explain the reason for his death, they all say, why couldnt he just click his fingures if his God...etc

    what do i say???
  • I agree with you GJI. About your second post, I really wouldn't know what to answer if it reached that point either. Maybe say about how since God is divine, he is omnipotent, and our limited minds will never be able to understand His emmense knowledge. When they say why, as an example, say to them, "You can bring a bucket and you can fill it all the way and over flow it with sand, but you will never be able to fill it with all the sand on the beach." Just the same, God does things that we don't fully comprehend, but we listen to Him, because we trust that He is the Truth.
  • but what i understand, but fail to explain to non-believers is why he had to die, they alwaz ask me that, and i tell them he was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and then they ask why?, then i say because in the old testment sins were forgiven through sacrifices, then they ask why?, then i say because there had to be a blood offering for the remission of sins, then they say why?, then i get stuck, i cant say its GOd's plan, its what he wanted, because they dont believe in him, so how do we explain the reason for his death, they all say, why couldnt he just click his fingures if his God...etc

    Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death

    Genesis 2:17 - But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

    so, if man died, and human nature was corrupted, God had to take the form of a human to die on our behalf. He couldnt just click his fingers and forgive them, becaus he told them they would die if they ate from the tree, and God is just...this whole thing is explained by St. Athanasius btw...
  • yeah guys i understand that, but the non-believer would say that it was just an excuse that our minds cant comprehend it, and quoting from the bible wont help they dont believe in it...
    any time i talk with a non-beliver, i have good progress until i hit this point, then there hearts harden and their minds dont allow them to believe...
  • Jesus Christ, our beloved savior...in all His teachings and actions....we learned from Him many things

    -BAPTISM: He did not need to be baptized..because God is without sin, and baptism leads to the remission of sins..but yet, He got baptized to teach us..humility and to teach us that we should obey Gods commandments

    -TEMPTATION: When He was tempted by the devil.....we learned from Him..that being tempted in itself is not a sin..but giving into temptation is..He taught us to overcome the evil one...not by physical power...or strength..but by the word of God we can overcome all evil...and not to rely on ourselves but to depend on Him when we are tempted..as He gave us the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and all the power of the wicked one

    HUMILITY: In all of our Lord's actions we see true humility. He is the greatest example of humility that ever was....Our king of kings and Lord of Lords was born in a manger..among animals.......He washed the feet of His disciples...He died for us a death of humility...a death of shame, crucified!..the worst type of death at that time..He was beaten and bruised....they spat upon His face...all for our sakes...

    LOVE:: Our sweet Lord Jesus is love itself! From all what He did for the sakes of us..who are nothing but sinners we see great ..unconditional love. He taught us to love one another and to love our enemies even...“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” Matthew 5:44 the people whom He created with His own hands..and in His image...crucified Him and reviled Him...but yet..He didnt say a word.....but He showed us that if our hearts really have love in them we must also learn to forgive one another..so He said "Father forgive them"

    why did Jesus die for us???

    "For God so loved the world, that He sent His only begotton Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16

    God...who is the very essence of love, who by His nature is love itself...loves His children so much, and because of so, God is"not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 So when Adam and Eve fell...they died.."the wages of sin is death"...so in order to bring us back to life again..something had to be sacrificed...because "without the shedding of blood there is no remission" (Heb 9:22)..so because of His great love..He gave us all a second chance..so He made a new covenant with us...and sent His only begotton son..to die for the sins of the world..and by His stripes we were healed..and by His precious blood our sins were washed away..that we might have ..yet another chance to enter heaven and to live with Him forever in eternal joy and glory
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  • [quote author=G.J.I link=board=1;threadid=607;start=0#msg10434 date=1094251401]
    yeah guys i understand that, but the non-believer would say that it was just an excuse that our minds cant comprehend it, and quoting from the bible wont help they dont believe in it...
    any time i talk with a non-beliver, i have good progress until i hit this point, then there hearts harden and their minds dont allow them to believe...


    yeh i agree i think thers noway out of it, they have to believe first b4 they can come to terms with it, or am i wrong??
  • This is not much of an answer, but I couldn't think of anything else. Since it is their hearts that harden, then our goal is to "soften" them. What I mean is that they have reasons for shutting out the True word of God, but when they see how much joy and how beneficial it is for you, they will want the same for them also. Moses had showed Pharoah great and amazing wonders, yet, each time his heart would harden again, and he would not let the Israelites go. So don't just leave it at that, because just like Pharoah whose heart was hardened, yet finally let them go because of the great wonders that God had shown, others will also believe when they see how Christ-like you are.

    The one thing that I just wish for all non believers, besides the salvation of their souls, is that they could enjoy the so many beautiful things that Christianity has to offer. It is like a blanket in the winter, a loyal friend in times of harships, priceless advice from parents, it is every good thing possible, and this is not even getting into the unexplainable feeling we get when we sing hymns, help others, etc.. Just as the sun brings forth light, and without the sun there would be no life, God gives us salvation and without God there would be no life.
  • wow great words LordHaveMercy :)

    well when talking to non-believers about Christ, keep in mind that there are two kinds of non-believers...those that ask you about Christ just for the sake of disproving your religion, or those that ask...because they really hunger and seek for information about the right religion...

    Pray for all those who do not believe, because even though their hearts might be hardened and they are walking in darkness and can not see the True Light, one day the Light of the world, might open the eyes of their hearts so that they may see Him.

    If they are lost, don’t worry He will find His lost sheep. "I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness." Ezekiel 34:11, 12

    And remember that whether for us believers, or for non-believers..that if you have gone astray, He will bring you back to Him. If you were once in darkness, walk in His light once again. If you have forgotten Him at times, He has never forgotten you. If you have forsaken Him sometimes, He will never forsake you, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" Hebrews 13:5. Come back to your loving father, who for you, shed His blood on the cross, "return to Me, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will return to you" Zechariah1:3
  • Thanks. :
    [quote author=PrincessMary link=board=1;threadid=607;start=0#msg10544 date=1094319830]
    well when talking to non-believers about Christ, keep in mind that there are two kinds of non-believers...those that ask you about Christ just for the sake of disproving your religion, or those that ask...because they really hunger and seek for information about the right religion...


    I can't agree with you more PrincessMary. Has anyone noticed that there are more people that do not have a religion than there are people who will argue their religion?
  • but we can change that...cant we? I mean if every person that is willing to defend their religion is also willing to bring christ into an empty heart, wouldnt that change? I kno its easier said than done but no one said it cant be done....most teens or christians in general are always talking about how wonderful and merciful our God is and yet he's never brought up in our skewls, with our friends, @ work....we (speaking 4 myself ) just live each day complaining that theres more muslims than christians or more atheists than christians. I think if we each try 2 bring up more God in our conversations and less "world", many ppl might start to take interest in this "God"u keep talking and talking and talking about. Ionno, if anyone agrees with me or not, I just feel that sometimes they're so many more ways to talk or bring up Christ but we just never take the chance because our friends will laugh @ us or we wont be accepted by society....so neways it was just something to think about. Oh and guys I wasnt directing this to anyone else but myself so please no1 take this personally or anything...


    GOD BLESS ALL! :-*
  • The extent of which I agree with u is unmeasurable, ur absolutly rite, wow, that was beautiful, I thank u greatly, uve given me hope;)
  • any more contimplations or questions on this matter?
    :)
  • but what i understand, but fail to explain to non-believers is why he had to die, they alwaz ask me that, and i tell them he was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and then they ask why?, then i say because in the old testment sins were forgiven through sacrifices, then they ask why?, then i say because there had to be a blood offering for the remission of sins, then they say why?, then i get stuck, i cant say its GOd's plan, its what he wanted, because they dont believe in him, so how do we explain the reason for his death, they all say, why couldnt he just click his fingures if his God...etc

    what do i say???

    Why did God sacrificed His only begotten Son for our Salvation?
    It’s all started with Adam and Eve as we all know. When they committed the sin and disobeyed God, sin, which is so opposite to the nature of God, made Adam and Eve feel and see what great (or you might want to say what huge) evil they have committed, they disobeyed God. They departed from the presence of God and from being united with Him. And just like a priest (can’t remember his name) said in a lecture, their disobedience, their ambitious and their curiosity to have knowledge as God, made them commit many sins: *disobeying the law of God, *disbelieving God (as if He was lying to them when He said if you eat form this tree you will die), *prejudice for wanting to be like God (same sin which the devil fell in when he was an angel), *listening to the serpent and believing what she told them without consulting or praying to God, *first look and desire – they saw the fruit and they found it desirable, *non-satisfaction as they left all the trees of heaven including the tree of Life (which is Jesus Christ) and desired the forbidden tree. On the other hand their senses that committed all those sins, where not the parts that they hid from God, their ears sinned when they listened to the serpent, their eyes sinned when they looked and desired the fruit, their hands sinned when they touched the fruit and their mouths and tongues sinned when they talked to the serpent and tasted the fruit and find it delicious, yet when they saw themselves naked, they covered their body parts which did not commit any sin but which they saw were different between the figure of Adam and the figure of Eve, cause when they disobeyed God, they did not part from His presence only, but they parted from each other as well, they noticed for the first time the differences between themselves. They lost the innocence that God created them with. After they were used to focus on God and His gifts and blessings to them, they started to be focused each on himself and notice the differences from the other (selfishness). When they departed from God, they disgraced (opposite to grace) the magnificent human body that God have created, and when they noticed that they were naked, they also departed from each other mentally and spiritually. But because God not only Just, but also Merciful, Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.Gen2:21 – so basically God offered the first animal sacrifice on behalf of the human race to cover their knowledge of being naked which resulted from sin thus blood was shed to cover sin and that was God’s rule; the fig tree leaves which Adam and Eve used to cover their nakedness was not enough, but God made coats of skin to cover them. God hid His face from sin, and by covering Adam and Eve with coats of skin, He symbolize the need of a sacrifice to cover sin and to cover the human shame from the face of God. But can animal blood return the human body and the human race to its first rank united with God, of course not, and since man had sinned, even any regular human cannot return man to his original rank united with God who breathed in him life from His Holy Spirit. So the only solution for man to become united with God again is that God himself be united first with the human nature to bless it, consecrate it and return it to its original rank, also, blood still must be shed to cover not only the material nakedness of man but also his soul and spiritual nakedness, so our Lord Jesus Christ had to die on the cross and shed His precious blood in order that the Father accept the only and final sacrifice to cover the human race starting from Adam until the end of the world, a divine sacrifice that will cancel all other in-sufficient and un-complete sacrifices of the old testament. Also, with Christ’s sacrifice and the establishment of the Eucharist, we are now wearing Christ each time we have communion, that’s the ultimate unity with God once again. He is the tree of life, and he who eats from it will live for eternity, not on earth, but in the Kingdom of the Father. The blood also refer to the Passover. The whole ordeal of the old testament of the Passover was to prepare the world for the original and one sacrifice that will free the children of God from the slavery of sin. But remember that salvation is not complete except with the Resurrection. So we die from the world and from sin to be resurrected with Him in glory.
    Hope this humble explanation would answer the question of GJI dated in 09/03/04.
    Please remember me in your prayers.
    Ibrahim
  • dude u rock!!
    ;)
  • Jesus changed alot wen he came, wat exactly did he change?
  • In my opinion, other than salvation, the next biggest thing that He changed was the "abstract idea" of God. God had revealed Himself, He was no longer this far away God who was isolated from us, sort of in a different realm, He was our God, our Father, our Savior. He became a living example of the true Christian life and taught us like parents teach their children. He taught us how to forgive and forget, He turned the meaning of love into something that we had never been introduced to before. It was no longer a giving and taking process, but a giving process, not expecting to get anything back. He taught us so much that I wouldn't be suprised if this thread beats the record of the longest thread on this site....
  • your right ;) ;) good work!!!

    i think he also changed how judgement would come immediatly eg with the women who commited adultery and when he said "he who has no sin let then cast the first stone"
    i think he changed that, u know wat i mean, know, punishment and judgement comes after death, rather than imeddiatly.
  • Thanks. You brought up one of the best points! This is one of my favorite stories, it's so brief, yet so powerful. I just love it, the more I hear it, the more it means to me, it is so beautiful. Thanks for bringing it up!
  • no worries ;)
  • I think that one of the things he also changed was that he gave people hope, he gave us hope :D... these people back then had nothing to follow or nothing with a true foundation to believe in and trust until he came....every single miracle in the Bible gives u hope one way or another, he healed the blind, he accepted sinners, he dined with them, he stopped a woman from bleeding after how many years ( which is my fav story because that lady had more faith in that moment than i think I'll ever have) in every thing Jesus did he gave us hope which is something that we didnt have before him and we would have never had if he didn't die for us which links back to the whole salvation thingie.....


    GOD BLESS ALL! :-*
  • my sister you are absolutely correct...
    he didnt only Give us hope, but he taught us how to love, how to pray, how to preach, how to act...
    he put us on the path of salvation for everyone who accepts him.
  • exactly, see u get wut I'm saying...sometimes ppl just 4get these litle things although without them we wouldnt really be functioning as normal beings... :-\


    GOD BLESS ALL! :-*
  • One of my favorite things that Jesus did was fill that empty gap. That lonesome hole in our spirits was filled to a point that they were overflowing. An example I've heard is, we used to be eating mud, but when He came, He offered us honey to eat.
  • NICE!!! LHM ;)

    wat i want to know it Jesus gave gave his life up willingly on the cross for us, right??
    and he had free will, and he was all human and all GOd.
    so that means he could have pulled out, doesnt??
    he could have stopped every thing and saved himself, he had the power to, but he didnt...


  • Thanks GJI. ;)

    A master can never take his servants where he himself has never been. So how can Jesus tell us to sacrifice our lives for others, and to put others before us, unless He himself did this? For example, if a mother tells her child not to run in the house, but the mother does, and uses the excuse that it is because she is older and has more authority that she can run in the house, it lessens the probability that the child will listen.
  • [quote author=LordHaveMercy if a mother tells her child not to run in the house, but the mother does, and uses the excuse that it is because she is older and has more authority that she can run in the house, it lessens the probability that the child will listen.

    thats so kewl, i never thought of it lyk that...u go guys!

    GOD BLESS ALL! :-*
  • :D ;) High five to all of us!
  • I think the death of Jesus Christ is absolutely significant. No dduuhhhh ::), lolx...i dont mean the death though, i mean the events that acually led to that final moment. Did anyone ever read Luke 23 and feel like ur gut was aching inside just by reading what they did to him? How many times did Pilat say "I have found no fault in this man" Yet they were so persistant to crucify him. It makes me tremendously angry when I read this chapter in Luke because it displays a picture of me. Its like everytime i read this chapter i cry and yell and at that moment i feel like i should have died, not him but a day or two after and it just fades. It's not that my feelings changed about God or about what i read but my actions sometimes dont justify wut i feel. I can read that chapter a billion times and cry everytime but after i go into back into my world i realize i make him relive that chapter all over. Each time we deny Christ in our schools we put another crown of thorns, each time we curse or make believe we've never heard of the Bible before we dig that spear further into his side! Reading this ch. also made me realize how powerful God's will truly is. This "man"was being cruscified for procaliming truth yet it was his will to die. It was in his will that Judas would trade the Son of Man for 30 pieces of silver, it was his will for people to want barabbas released who was a murderer and ask for Him to be crucified. Everything was iin his will, I mean if u really read this ch. its amazing how everything happened like clock work. He had done nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing...even if u hated him with all of ur heart and u read that chapter u will still see that he did NOTHING! and yet it was his will....to me that is the epitomy of significance and power and most def LOVE and it also makes me realize that in order for u to deny God it doesnt mean u stand in a roo and say "I dont know Him", but denying God is when u have the chance to confess ur faith but u dont because ur worried about how society will view u afterwards...if u get asked to a dance would u say no i dont want to i dont believe this is right because of Christs commandment or would u say sure, i'll go and later on realize that u just hammered a nail into his hand? Sorry guys if this is loong i just wanted to share this because its something i think we all should realize because we all read the Bible but we all interpret things differently and i just wanted to share my opinion...so...sorry if i happen to have used the guilt treatment on any of u, cuz i seem to have used it on me too but it seeped in sooner or later, lolx..sooo i'm gonna shut my face now and

    GOD BLESS ALL! :-*
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