A Response.


This is a response to my friend's comment on my last post.

Yes, I have heard the lunatic/liar/lord argument.  I know there are scholars from the different camps who have written extensively on the historical Jesus, some to give evidence for faith, some to destroy faith, and some who simply want to examine the facts honestly.   For me, to parse out the truth of what happened 2000+ years ago is an hopeless task.  To call myself even an amatuer history buff would be too much.  I enjoy history but only have devoted myself to it sporadically.  Yet even if I did devote myself fulltime would the conclusions I come to be any more valid than the countless other historian who have gone before?   I have trouble enough determining what is true in the here and now, let alone seeing the truth in a distant path, where much knowledge has been lost and forgotten.

In truth I haven't given a lot of thought to the historical Jesus, to either prove or disprove his worth.   It has always been the idea of a living Christ which concerns me.

Like many others I find Christ's message of compassion and love inspiring and convicting, but I know that it is not what you are asking about.  I think you are asking about the unique claims of Christianity.  You want  to know what I make of Jesus's claim that he is the son of God and that salvation comes only through him.   For myself I also question what we should expect from Christ's promise to send the holy spirit to us.   I want to know what we can expect from a living Christ in the here and now.  If the full weight of the historical world were behind  the Christian view of Christ as Lord, and yet we do not experience Christ in the here and now then all that historical data is useless.

What is it that Christianity provides that no other faith experience can?  What will accepting Christ as Lord and trusting in him do that there is no substitute for?  

I know people who live wonderful lives, inspired by Christ's message, but there is a difference in saying that one has touched the divine through Christ versus no one may touch the divine except through Christ.  I think that you believe that confessing Christ and Christ alone is the only way, not only for one to be saved for eternity, but to live a truely meaningful life in the here and now.  

What convinces you of this?



 













Comments

Sarah said…
When I read your blog I feel that we've had similar experiences and questions, but come to different conclusions. I don't feel like I can point to one particular thing and say that's why I believe in a living and personal Jesus, but I do believe. That sounds sort of... brainwashed and unconvincing. I guess what persuades me is a combination of personal experience, books, and talking to older and wiser trustworthy people. I feel it should be something more discrete and specific.
November 20, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Ann said…
Sarah, I have no problem with your or anyones experience of faith. Thanks for being honest about the sources of your faith. I know that faith cannot be broken down into a concrete explanation. This is why I question the "My faith is right and yours is wrong" assumption of so many people. I feel the divine, the transcendent, is a mystery that we are all struggling to understand. Why can't we struggle towards it together, instead of dividing up into camps of "I am right and you are wrong."
November 23, 2012 at 6:16 AM
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