An atheist is one who professes no belief or faith. A Red-Letter Atheist [RLA] is one who understands the teachings of Christ and who in their daily lives put into practice many of these principles.
A Christian is one who professes belief / faith in God. A Black Letter Christian [BLC] is one who does not acknowledge the teachings of Christ claiming that it does not apply to them [using expressions like New Covenent, Dispensationalism etc]. They instead cherry picks the teachings of the Apostles and formulates doctrines which support a faith only position. Good works they will obviously do they claim.
Not so according to Jesus who preached extensively and almost continuously about good works and condemned lip service and mouth worship, and ending with the most powerful statement about judgment day in Matt 25 - those who do good works will enter the Kingdom of God, others will be cast out.
Christians who have both faith and good works are the elect, the chosen ones. They are the cream of the crop who have been predestined to rule with Christ. No argument there.
Who will fare better on judgment day? The RLAs of BLCs ?
Jesus preached this parable:
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.(Matthew 22:2-14 KJV)
God called many people to his Kingdom.[Jews Christians]
Some listened [The Elect]
Many of those called did not listen, did not obey God. [some BLCs]
Therefore he destroyed them.
God then called in everyone else
All who were ready were welcomed into the marriage feast [The Kingdom of God]
Some BLCs, some RLAs.
The criteria is good works and righteousness as laid out in the teachings of Christ
Originally posted by @rajk999It doesn't get much more clear and unambiguous than this:
Jesus preached this parable:
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are ...[text shortened]... weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.(Matthew 22:2-14 KJV)
Matthew 13
36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
42They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
1) ALL "who do evil...[will be thrown] into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
2) " the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father."
3) "Whoever has ears, let them hear"
The clear and unambiguous dividing line is between:
1) those "who do evil", i.e., those who continue to commit sin
AND
2) the "righteous", i.e., those who no longer commit sin.
Originally posted by @thinkofoneThats a good one. I would guess [although it would be worth working out exactly], that about 75% of the parables and teachings of Christ was spent in promoting good works. Yet this critical matter is sidelined by Christians of today.
It doesn't get much more clear and unambiguous than this:
Matthew 13
36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the ...[text shortened]... hose who continue to commit sin
AND
2) the "righteous", i.e., those who no longer commit sin.
Sidelining comes in the following forms:
- claiming that they have the Holy Spirit and this means that they WILL do good works.
- they are eternally saved and good works is the result of being saved
- even petty things [which all people do naturally], are classified as being good works
Its a complete insult to the teachings of Christ.
As for the Apostles, much of their writings warn the saved born-again Christian Saints about doing good works otherwise they will not enter the Kingdom of God. But again these warnings fall on deaf ears.
Originally posted by @rajk999Who will fare better? I will not judge. I only judge myself.
An atheist is one who professes no belief or faith. A Red-Letter Atheist [RLA] is one who understands the teachings of Christ and who in their daily lives put into practice many of these principles.
A Christian is one who professes belief / faith in God. A Black Letter Christian [BLC] is one who does not acknowledge the teachings of Christ claiming that ...[text shortened]... le with Christ. No argument there.
Who will fare better on judgment day? The RLAs of BLCs ?
Originally posted by @karoly-aczelSome Christians claim that only they can enter the Kingdom of God, while all others will be tormented for all eternity.
Who will fare better? I will not judge. I only judge myself.
Its good to understand why this doctrine proclaiming a monopoly on Christ and the Kingdom is wrong and how it is that Christ will accept many others who are prepared and ready for Gods Kingdom
Its not about judging.
Originally posted by @rajk999I know you know that I know you know that it is not about judging. No one has a monopoly on truth, like you say
Some Christians claim that only they can enter the Kingdom of God, while all others will be tormented for all eternity.
Its good to understand why this doctrine proclaiming a monopoly on Christ and the Kingdom is wrong and how it is that Christ will accept many others who are prepared and ready for Gods Kingdom
Its not about judging.
Originally posted by @rajk999Of course it depends entirely on the heart of the BLCs. I think it is potentially possible to actually reject the aspects of salvation that are important and be a BLC, but that is pretty unique.
An atheist is one who professes no belief or faith. A Red-Letter Atheist [RLA] is one who understands the teachings of Christ and who in their daily lives put into practice many of these principles.
A Christian is one who professes belief / faith in God. A Black Letter Christian [BLC] is one who does not acknowledge the teachings of Christ claiming that ...[text shortened]... le with Christ. No argument there.
Who will fare better on judgment day? The RLAs of BLCs ?
You are doing something a little bit dangerous here, Rajk, in the sense that you are implying that:
-God will be merciful to Red Letter Atheists because they acknowledge the teachings of Christ while being faithless.
-God will not actually be merciful to people who acknowledge Him if they have improper and flawed ideas, even if they were well intentioned and thought they were doing right, because... Muh Red Letters.
Both people are in some kind of error, my friend!
Why would the person who gives their life to Christ not receive mercy, but the person who doesn't be treated with more mercy, even when this is not really the basis of what is preached in the New testament?
And... are there Red Letter Atheists that are honestly out there actively living a huge commitment to Christian principles? Is that a thing?
Hwo the heck do you do that withotu prayer?
And why would you uphold some of the more puritanical ideas about marriage and sexual chastity without Faith in what the system is?
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Originally posted by @rajk999What do you consider to be good works? I’m not asking you to identify your good works; just give some examples of what you consider to be good works.
Thats a good one. I would guess [although it would be worth working out exactly], that about 75% of the parables and teachings of Christ was spent in promoting good works. Yet this critical matter is sidelined by Christians of today.
Sidelining comes in the following forms:
- claiming that they have the Holy Spirit and this means that they WILL do good ...[text shortened]... ks otherwise they will not enter the Kingdom of God. But again these warnings fall on deaf ears.
How many good works must one do to be righteous and enter the Kingdom of God in your view?
Do you still hold that a Christian cannot sin - not even a single time - and inherit eternal life or have you moved off that ridiculous Christ-hating notion?
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Originally posted by @rajk999You’re preaching another false doctrine, Christ hater. Jesus Christ’s own words said no one comes to the Father but through Him:
Some Christians claim that only they can enter the Kingdom of God, while all others will be tormented for all eternity.
Its good to understand why this doctrine proclaiming a monopoly on Christ and the Kingdom is wrong and how it is that Christ will accept many others who are prepared and ready for Gods Kingdom
Its not about judging.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
(John 14:6)
This is found numerous times in the Bible:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.“
(John 3:16-21)
You diminish or ignore Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and God’s New Covenant with man made possible by Christ’s shed blood, you ignore that it is accepting Christ that makes one righteous and you now claim Jesus Christ isn’t necessary to gain salvation and enter heaven.
You are either badly misinformed or deliberately deceiving people. I used to think it was the former; I now think it’s the latter.
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Originally posted by @karoly-aczelYes, someone does have a monopoly on the truth:
I know you know that I know you know that it is not about judging. No one has a monopoly on truth, like you say
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
(John 14:6)
Originally posted by @romans1009Read Matt 5,6 and 7.
What do you consider to be good works? I’m not asking you to identify your good works; just give some examples of what you consider to be good works.
How many good works must one do to be righteous and enter the Kingdom of God in your view?
Do you still hold that a Christian cannot sin - not even a single time - and inherit eternal life or have you moved off that ridiculous Christ-hating notion?
Originally posted by @philokaliaHow do people go good works?
Of course it depends entirely on the heart of the BLCs. I think it is potentially possible to actually reject the aspects of salvation that are important and be a BLC, but that is pretty unique.
You are doing something a little bit dangerous here, Rajk, in the sense that you are implying that:
-[i]God will be merciful to Red Letter Atheists becaus ...[text shortened]... e more puritanical ideas about marriage and sexual chastity without Faith in what the system is?
They have the light of Christ in them.
All people have this light in them
Do you have a Bible?
Please read it.
Originally posted by @philokaliaMatthew 7
Of course it depends entirely on the heart of the BLCs. I think it is potentially possible to actually reject the aspects of salvation that are important and be a BLC, but that is pretty unique.
You are doing something a little bit dangerous here, Rajk, in the sense that you are implying that:
-[i]God will be merciful to Red Letter Atheists becaus ...[text shortened]... e more puritanical ideas about marriage and sexual chastity without Faith in what the system is?
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Pay particular attention to the phrase in BOLD above.
The Golden Rule has been recognized across many cultures and within both theistic and secular schools of thought - some well before the Sermon on the Mount. They all recognize the same underlying concept. No one has a monopoly on it. Truth is available to all who seek.
Also read my post on Matthew 13 on page one.
It's not that difficult to understand.