Go back
Dear Fellow Human Beings

Dear Fellow Human Beings

Spirituality

Vote Up
Vote Down

To my fellow human beings. Sometimes you know there must be an answer to a problem down in your gut because the NEED is so great.

Such is the nature of God's salvation revealed to us in the Bible.
Without the Bible we know there is a great need.

This need is a Person - the Son of God. In fact He is called "the Desire of all the nations" [b](Haggai 2:7)

How does Jesus Christ meet this description of "the Desire of the nations"? Even if you have trouble believing in Him as Son of God, what do you know about Him that merits the description of "the Desire of the nations" ?

Vote Up
Vote Down

Jesus recognize that some people have a real hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Though we may be sinners He recognized that in spite of this some have a longing and desire for there to be righteousness in the earth.

He starts early in His Sermon on the Mount to say such ones will be satisfied. They will see righteousness in the earth in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matt. 5:6)

Jesus Christ is saying the He Himself as the King in the kingdom of the heavens coming to the earth, will satisfy that longing for justice, righteousness, rightness, uprightness among nations, on earth, with nature, in the world.

"[F]or they SHALL BE satisfied".

This is good news my fellow human beings.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Do you think the intense desire for righteousness is an indicator that righteousness WILL be actualized on the earth ?

Vote Up
Vote Down

@sonship said
Do you think the intense desire for righteousness is an indicator that righteousness WILL be actualized on the earth ?
No.

I have an intense desire for vegetarianism, but this doesn't translate as an indicator that such a lifestyle will spread across the Earth.

Vote Up
Vote Down
-2

@sonship said
Do you think the intense desire for righteousness is an indicator that righteousness WILL be actualized on the earth ?
I think all people should be seeking to improve the human environment in which they live, and on whatever scale they are capable of affecting. This is true, to my way of thinking, regardless of one's theism or atheism.

I think seeking in some small way to make the world a better place than it was when one was born into it is a form of "righteousness", debates and disagreement about what changes or improvements are to be made or what is to be preserved notwithstanding. All that is mostly subjective [and never likely to be agreed to unanimously] although empirical data can be wielded in those debates.

I have met countless Christians who are driven by their faith to work towards making the world a better place and do so by taking inspiration from Jesus' commandments which they labour to put into practice.

By contrast, I have met a fair few Christians who feel misanthropic about the world, and impotent and dismissive about struggling to contribute in some way to improving the lot of their fellow beings.

These kinds of Christians disappear into their own ideological navel gazing, and pore over the Bible as if doing so, and deriving from it convoluted no-need-to-do-anything dogmatic assertions about the world and the human condition, is somehow "righteousness" in and of itself.

The world, according to so many metrics, is a better place for more humans, and a larger proportion of humans, now, than it was when I was born.

I salute those who have had a hand in that, theists and atheists alike.

I have less respect, in this matter specifically, for those I have encountered throughout my lifetime who have wittered on about the end being nigh, thrown their hands up in an impotent gesture, declared themselves "saved", and looked for solace by continuing to gaze at their navels through their religious prisms.

Vote Up
3
Vote Down
-1

I came in here expecting to read something profound after seeing the capitalised title: “Dear Fellow Human Beings”.

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

@ghost-of-a-duke said
No.

I have an intense desire for vegetarianism, but this doesn't translate as an indicator that such a lifestyle will spread across the Earth.
Well, I think the method with some is a certain diet - vegetables. But the underlying desire is to eat what is healthy and contributes to well-being rather than harm. That is the universal part.

Like all people desire to meet other people who will show them respect.
The method of showing and receiving may differ from culture to culture.
In the West a hand shake is the custom of showing respect.
In the East to bow is the custom to accomplish the same thing.

What is universal is the desire that respect be shown and appreciated.

Universal imo are the desire to be loved, understood, cherished, and to belong, to have a just and fair shake, to be without fear and to be worthy of dignity. Now these desires I would say are universal, I think. Probably to eat well is also.

2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

@Mercury

I came in here expecting to read something profound after seeing the capitalised title: “Dear Fellow Human Beings”.


In the OP:

How does Jesus Christ meet this description of "the Desire of the nations"?


Nothing is stopping you from contributing something you find profound.

You impress me as possibly shy or just dipping your toe to test the waters.
Why you waiting man, or mam ? You're a wise person. Well you're at least clever.
So some people will assume that if you're clever then you must also be wise. So speak up.

Write something for everybody to benefit from your wisdom.
Are you just waiting to point out some boo-boo you see me write?

Vote Up
Vote Down

Christ is the Desire of the nations in this way I believe:

He said that You shall be perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I think He meant not that we on our own effort can become perfect as God is perfect. I think He meant that if we would allow God to father us by putting His Spirit into us, dispensing His nature into us as His children, eventually we would be as Jesus - perfected human beings.

You shall be perfect even as Your heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48).

A world consisting of perfect people as Jesus Christ was a perfect person ?
I think it is an inevitable.
I think it is an unstoppable culmination of history.

I think some segment of humanity will participate.
I think in this He will accomplish the desire of all the nations.

The New Testament speaks of an eventual new heaven and new earth in which righteousness dwells.

"But according to His promise we are expecting new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells." (2 Pet. 3:13)

The prophet Habakkuk also speaks of the knowledge of the glory of God filling the earth as the waters fill the sea. Amazing.

" For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah as water covers the sea." (Hab. 2:14)

The former things will be passed away.
Death will be no more.
I think this is an inevitable culmination of the history of this planet under the kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Vote Up
Vote Down

@sonship said
To my fellow human beings. Sometimes you know there must be an answer to a problem down in your gut because the NEED is so great.
I don't see this as a very strong argument, sorry.

A strong need for something has no bearing on whether or not there is something out there to satisfy it. All you are left with is hope, and faith.

Vote Up
Vote Down
-1

@ghost-of-a-duke said
All you are left with is hope, and faith.
He is not interested in greatest thing. He likes the lesser things

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13:13 KJV)

2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down
-1

@ghost-of-a-duke said
I don't see this as a very strong argument, sorry.

A strong need for something has no bearing on whether or not there is something out there to satisfy it. All you are left with is hope, and faith.
Oh, I could be wrong or over generalizing.

Anyway, Christ as "the Desire of the nations" does mean to me that there IS an answer for the longings of all peoples. After all they were made for God.
"It is He who has made us and not we ourselves.
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." (Psa. 100:3b)

Vote Up
Vote Down
-1

It also says that God has placed eternity in man's heart. Man has a longing for the eternal and the meaning of life in the eternal scheme of things.

"He has made everything beautiful in its own time; also He has put eternity in their heart, yet so that man does not find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

With Christ God says He will swallow up the tragedy of death which covers all peoples.

"And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering that covers up all the peoples, even the veil that veils all the nations. He will swallow up death forever;

And the Lord Jehovah will wipe away the tears from all faces." (Isa. 25:7,8a)

If God is to wipe away all tears it must mean eternal satisfaction of human longings.

"For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and guide them to springs of waters of life; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Rev. 7:17)

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

@FMF

I think all people should be seeking to improve the human environment in which they live, and on whatever scale they are capable of affecting. This is true, to my way of thinking, regardless of one's theism or atheism.


I agree.
Hope and expectation in God's full salvation is not VERSES working to improve the human predicament.

A good example of this is Daniel in the OT. He was definitely hoping and praying for God's intervention to return the Jews from Babylon to the Holy Land. Yet he was a high official and extremely useful to the governing of that society.

That is why there was such jealousy against Daniel.
And of course many humanitarian companies function under a Christian banner of some type.

Vote Up
Vote Down


I think seeking in some small way to make the world a better place than it was when one was born into it is a form of "righteousness", debates and disagreement about what changes or improvements are to be made or what is to be preserved notwithstanding.


I agree. In fact when in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said the kingdom people were "the salt of the earth"{/b] I believe He meant their presence in the world acts as a kind of preservative. As salt prevents to rotting of the meat so His people of [b]"the kingdom of the heavens" act as a moral preservative arresting to degrading of society or at least slowing the process down.


I have met countless Christians who are driven by their faith to work towards making the world a better place and do so by taking inspiration from Jesus' commandments which they labour to put into practice.


As I said above, having hope in God's full salvation is not VERSES doing things to improve the human predicament.

And working with a humanitarian effort under a Christian banner is not VERSES having a expectation in Christ establishing His eternal kingdom on this earth at the end of the age.

The Gospel writer Luke, author of Luke and the book of Acts was a physician.

George Muller was a man of great praying experience. He opened scores of orphanages.

Christians with a hope in the full salvation of Christ are in practically every area of professional humanitarian efforts.

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.