From: George Murphy (gmurphy@raex.com)
Date: Sat Jun 28 2003 - 07:41:58 EDT
RFaussette@aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 6/27/03 1:38:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> richard@biblewheel.com writes:
>
> > I couldn't imagine saying something like this because we come to Christ for
> > salvation from sin and death, not for things. It still sounds like a
> > misrepresentation of the Gospel for which untold thousands of Christians have
> > abandoned everything, including their lives.
> >
> > Am I still missing a piece of your puzzle?
> >
> > Richard
> >
> >
>
> I don't think Sheila is trying to misrepresent the gospel. Although I
> appreciate what you are saying, I also welcome what Sheila is saying. The fact of the
> matter is that truly Christian communities enjoy great prosperity. If it is
> God's will that Christian communities prosper, then that is good. Many early
> Christians thought they had to be martyred to be Christlike, but seeking
> martyrdom was an act of personal will, not the will of the father. Was it really
> necessary for Origen to castrate himself? Of course not, but he was obsessing
> over Jesus' sacrifice. The sacrifice is made in order to do the will of God, not
> the will of man and hairshirts are unnecessary to enter the kingdom, but a
> willingness to brave any obstacle and make any sacrifice is necessary - that
> doesn't mean we deliberately pursue misery, poverty and death. You abandon what
> the Father wills, not what you will.
"If any want to become my followers, let them take upo their cross and follow me. For
those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my
sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it." (Mk.8:34-35 - cf. Mt.16:24-25 &
Lk.9:23-24.)
"Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will
keep it for eternal life." (Jn.12:25)
You are right that suffering is not be be sought out for its own sake. "When
they persecute you in one town, fles to another" - the church had to condemn those who
deliberately sought out martyrdom. But the church is under the cross till the end of
the world, and if it becomes extremely prosperous, secure &c, it's probably doing
something wrong.
Shalom,
George
George L. Murphy
gmurphy@raex.com
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
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