Here's the fourth of four looks at,
"Is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ sufficient?"
I'm one of the folks who answers, "yes."
My spiritual diversity accepts that Jesus' is the unique, supernatural incarnation of God among us. If he is who he said he is, then other religious expression is unnecessary - Jesus, through his life, death and resurrection is sufficient. My own relationship with God has a point of access (in the name of His Son, Jesus); validity (reconciliation of all that I've done that is sinful, through Jesus' atoning death on the cross), and a promise of an eternal relationship with God, even after my death (the promise of everlasting life, death defeated on the cross).
That is sufficient.
I continue to respect and appreciate the diversity of my other friend's beliefs - and they are many. But I do find myself wondering over the sufficiency of other belief systems.
If an eternal outcome depends on how good someone is in this life, or how well they live their life (merit, works)...then that process is ultimately insufficient - or at least fraught with risk and uncertainty. By what defined standard is someone worthy of keeping company with the Holy God of the universe?
If a philosophy is only successful if all believers of it achieve a certain level of consistency and discipline at the same time - then it is insufficient, or at least improbable, as history proves.
Even believers in the 'tenets' of Christianity - if self-separated from the divinity of Christ - are ultimately defining their own, customized religion, perhaps sufficient for a party of one or two, but easily trumped by the next version, and therefore - insufficient.
Is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ sufficient?
What do you believe?
1 comment:
Yes
I recently took a course about a flavor of Christianity where we discussed when one is "saved" and what the requirements are. We even discussed the verse in Matthew where it says "if you don't forgive your brother, God won't forgive you." Matt 6:15. But I believe the message that surfaces again and again in the scriptures is many try, all fall, we can't save ourselves and our best efforts fall short. Our salvation has to come from God and His way, Christ's coming, dying for us, rising again from the dead, is our only hope.
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