Christians believe that faith is a gift. So you don't earn it. What is it faith in? It seems that it is faith in Jesus as God and Risen. Now that is a pretty big leap, but notice that this gift has no steps, or work projects to it. So it seems possible that one could have the gift of Christian Faith, but not change much for the better. Not you of course. But the Christian's scripture seems to emphasize a teaching called "The Way" For the original believers, the gift of faith was connected to "The Way" which was not a gift. The Way referred to doing and acting what Jesus said and did. It is not a gift. You have to work for it. I find people who "believe" but don't do the work, the steps of following their Jesus. Lots of believers don't want to do the work. It would allow for believing that one is saved, but then practicing bad behavior in relationship with the world and people around the "believer." So I tend to say, "I am trying to believe," since I think that dogma belief and right action go together. To separate them is like someone saying they believe in AA but then not do the steps. The results are nil.
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Dear Fr Terry -
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to me, that today's "Christians" (including Catholics) don't follow "The Way", instead, subscribe to the "Mythical Membership" of exclusion and superiority - too bad so many preachers encourage that attitude - it's as bad as any other extermist view...