Just what does it mean to "accept" Jesus?

[Jainarayan]

No, this is not trolling or looking to **** anyone off or offend them. Even when I was Christian I never understood this.

I hear all the time that this person or that person has accepted Jesus as their savior, or "accept Jesus and you'll find peace/salvation". So just what does that mean? What is the mechanism for accepting Jesus. I'm not looking to do it or go back to Christianity because I'm quite happy in my own faith and believing in God as I see him and think I'm coming to know him.

• Jesus says he is the Way. OK, I understand he taught how to develop a personal relationship with God.

• Jesus died for us. So did Army Cpl. Joseph Maciel. He died trying to keep terrorists at bay and maybe preventing a terrorist attack. So did all the soldiers who died in WWII, defeating Hitler.

• John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

OK, I do believe he existed, as a teacher with great wisdom. I'll even concede he may be God (God can do whatever he wants, and send whomever he wants, after all). Does that mean I'm saved? Does it mean that anyone, from any religion who thinks as I do, mean we're saved? Not every Christian denomination believes in Original Sin. The Eastern Orthodox Church doesn't. So why did Jesus die for them? If not for Original Sin, and one's personal sins, people still commit them. Did Jesus die in vain? Or do people misunderstand and/or misinterpret?

These are things I don't understand. This Quora Q&A comes close, but I get the impression from Christians that there is much more to it than this. Is this all it means?

 

[Desert Snake]

The sacrifice, is conditional, and only for Jesus adherents. You actually answered your own question, using logic, perhaps without realizing it.

 

[Jainarayan]

The sacrifice, is conditional, and only for Jesus adherents. You actually answered your own question, using logic, perhaps without realizing it.

Interesting. So if I say "I acknowledge he sacrificed himself and died for mankind [but like I said, so do US soldiers, first responders, etc.]", and I live as he commanded (which I do anyway) what does that mean to me? It seems that there's nothing special about it.

See, I'm just a very curious person and like to understand things.

 

[Desert Snake]

Interesting. So if I say "I acknowledge he sacrificed himself and died for mankind [but like I said, so do US soldiers, first responders, etc.]", and I live as he commanded (which I do anyway) what does that mean to me? It seems that there's nothing special about it.

See, I'm just a very curious person and like to understand things.

Because 'for god so loved the world', doesn't mean what you think it means. It's conditional, and therefore, 'for god so loved the world', means what it means literally, in context. Not as uncontextual. So what is the context? The context is that the sacrifice is conditional, and only for Jesus adherents, as explicitly noted in the Bible.

 

[Desert Snake]

Interesting. So if I say "I acknowledge he sacrificed himself and died for mankind [but like I said, so do US soldiers, first responders, etc.]", and I live as he commanded (which I do anyway) what does that mean to me? It seems that there's nothing special about it.

I think you missed the 'its only for Jesus adherents', part. Which involves theism. You can't put other Gods before the God noted in the Bible.

So, what isn't obvious about that, I'm not sure.

 

[Jainarayan]

You can't put other Gods before the God noted in the Bible.

But there is only one God; he has hundreds or maybe thousands of names and faces.

 

[Desert Snake]

But there is only one God; he has hundreds or maybe thousands of names and faces.

Not every entity is the same god of the Bible. This is noted in the text, as well. So, not every entity, whether real, or not, is God. God has more than one name, yet isn't every god or entity.

 

[Jainarayan]

Not every entity is the same god of the Bible. This is noted in the text, as well. So, not every entity, whether real, or not, is God. God has more than one name, yet isn't every god or entity.

But what is one of those Gods, I mean, an example of one... Zeus? Thor? Odin? I don't consider any of them the supreme God, but rather, what we call in Hinduism, 'devas', sort of demi-gods.

 

[Kenny]

No, this is not trolling or looking to **** anyone off or offend them. Even when I was Christian I never understood this.

I hear all the time that this person or that person has accepted Jesus as their savior, or "accept Jesus and you'll find peace/salvation". So just what does that mean? What is the mechanism for accepting Jesus.

In my understanding, it means you have accepted the atoning work of God through Jesus Christ and have dedicated your life to have "His will be done" vs your will. If you would to break it down, it would include believing that He was raised from the dead (for if He didn't, He wouldn't be able to do it for you too) and a repentance of heart.

It doesn't mean perfect living.

Much like a husband and wife that have dedicated their lives in exclusivity to each other. Might not be perfect but perfectly committed.

I'm not looking to do it or go back to Christianity because I'm quite happy in my own faith and believing in God as I see him and think I'm coming to know him.

Fine with me.

• he says he is the Way. OK, I understand he taught how to develop a personal relationship with God.

• Jesus died for us. So did Army Cpl. Joseph Maciel. He died trying to keep terrorists at bay and maybe preventing a terrorist attack. So did all the soldiers who died in WWII, defeating Hitler.

The difference is that Jesus was without sin while Army Cpl. Joseph Maciel wasn't. Additionally, according to what was written, Jesus was more than just a man since his body was created by God's Holy Spirit vs natural means.,

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
OK, I do believe he existed, as a teacher with great wisdom. I'll even concede he may be God (God can do whatever he wants, and send whomever he wants, after all). Does that mean I'm saved? Does it mean that anyone, from any religion who thinks as I do, mean we're saved? Not every Christian denomination believes in Original Sin. The Eastern Orthodox Church doesn't. So why did Jesus die for them? If not for Original Sin, and one's personal sins, people still commit them. Did Jesus die in vain? Or do people misunderstand and/or misinterpret?

A lot of questions here. I don't think I am the judge on who is saved and who isn't. I don't even see where it says "you must believe in the Original Sin" but can you agree that you have sinned?

God is the final judge so I find it amusing when Christians try to play God. Jesus said "Preach the Gospel". He didn't say "Go around deciding who is saved and who isn't"

 

[sun rise]

To me Jesus is one of the Avatars of God. To "accept" him thus to me is to accept that God became man and that to "follow" him is to work on living his message. This is, of course, not theology that Christians or many Hindus would accept.

 

[Jainarayan]

Going back to something I previously thought, it's really pretty simple then. More simple than many make it out to be, what with all the "born again", "Jesus came into my life", and such. So they simply found someone to believe in and follow as God. The rest is all just semantics.

 

[Jainarayan]

To me Jesus is one of the Avatars of God. To "accept" him thus to me is to accept that God became man and that to "follow" him is to work on living his message. This is, of course, not theology that Christians or many Hindus would accept.

No, not many of either. Though some Hindus do enshrine his image, I don't. I'm iffy about him being God, though I don't rule it out... God can do whatever he wants or needs to do.

 

[LuisDantas]

This reminds me of my doubts about monotheism. How and why would the acceptance of Jesus as an aspect of God be different from a strictly monotheistic view of Jesus-as-God? (Yes, I know that for many people Jesus-as-God-the Son is not even monotheism in the first place).

I guess I am not attuned to whatever is perceived as the significance of monotheism.

 

[Kenny]

Going back to something I previously thought, it's really pretty simple then. More simple than many make it out to be, what with all the "born again", "Jesus came into my life", and such. So they simply found someone to believe in and follow as God. The rest is all just semantics.

I can't say that the logic here is correct - in Christian understanding, it's not just semantics.

Jesus took our sins and paid for them. Not semantics but rather a gift from God.

In I were to go to Hinduism, one would be born-again, again and again because of Karma. In essence the agent to achieve perfection is done by man.

In Christianity, just once and forever and the agent isn't our capacity--it's a gift from God.

 

[Orbit]

No, this is not trolling or looking to **** anyone off or offend them. Even when I was Christian I never understood this.

I hear all the time that this person or that person has accepted Jesus as their savior, or "accept Jesus and you'll find peace/salvation". So just what does that mean? What is the mechanism for accepting Jesus. I'm not looking to do it or go back to Christianity because I'm quite happy in my own faith and believing in God as I see him and think I'm coming to know him.

• Jesus says he is the Way. OK, I understand he taught how to develop a personal relationship with God.

• Jesus died for us. So did Army Cpl. Joseph Maciel. He died trying to keep terrorists at bay and maybe preventing a terrorist attack. So did all the soldiers who died in WWII, defeating Hitler.

• John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

OK, I do believe he existed, as a teacher with great wisdom. I'll even concede he may be God (God can do whatever he wants, and send whomever he wants, after all). Does that mean I'm saved? Does it mean that anyone, from any religion who thinks as I do, mean we're saved? Not every Christian denomination believes in Original Sin. The Eastern Orthodox Church doesn't. So why did Jesus die for them? If not for Original Sin, and one's personal sins, people still commit them. Did Jesus die in vain? Or do people misunderstand and/or misinterpret?

These are things I don't understand. This Quora Q&A comes close, but I get the impression from Christians that there is much more to it than this. Is this all it means?

To answer the original question, what it means to "accept" Jesus meant (in my church) that you confess your sins to Jesus and ask him to forgive you, saving you from your sins (and by extension, Hell). It really was as simple as that. The creed was that Jesus was the son of God who died on the cross so that our sins were forgiven and we would be saved from Hell. I think that's a pretty common Protestant creed, other traditions may vary.

 

[Phantasman]

No, this is not trolling or looking to **** anyone off or offend them. Even when I was Christian I never understood this.

I hear all the time that this person or that person has accepted Jesus as their savior, or "accept Jesus and you'll find peace/salvation". So just what does that mean? What is the mechanism for accepting Jesus. I'm not looking to do it or go back to Christianity because I'm quite happy in my own faith and believing in God as I see him and think I'm coming to know him.

• Jesus says he is the Way. OK, I understand he taught how to develop a personal relationship with God.

• Jesus died for us. So did Army Cpl. Joseph Maciel. He died trying to keep terrorists at bay and maybe preventing a terrorist attack. So did all the soldiers who died in WWII, defeating Hitler.

• John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

OK, I do believe he existed, as a teacher with great wisdom. I'll even concede he may be God (God can do whatever he wants, and send whomever he wants, after all). Does that mean I'm saved? Does it mean that anyone, from any religion who thinks as I do, mean we're saved? Not every Christian denomination believes in Original Sin. The Eastern Orthodox Church doesn't. So why did Jesus die for them? If not for Original Sin, and one's personal sins, people still commit them. Did Jesus die in vain? Or do people misunderstand and/or misinterpret?

These are things I don't understand. This Quora Q&A comes close, but I get the impression from Christians that there is much more to it than this. Is this all it means?

I think you are seeing physical Jesus, the man.

Jesus became Christ by the Spirit (Holy Spirit/Mother) entering him. We seek the Mother (Holy Spirit) to enter us as well. This is the knowledge Christ taught. To become a Christ (son of God) as he did/was. This is the Gospel message. Choose spirit over flesh. This is the sword he brought, the division of the two, and which way we accept as truth.

 

[Phantasman]

But there is only one God; he has hundreds or maybe thousands of names and faces.

I believe God has no name (as we use names/words). Names are given to created things, so the thousands of name you reference are names given by men, not Gods name. He is Father (of the All). Jesus glorified who he was, which is what a name does.

 

[Jainarayan]

I believe God has no name (as we use names/words). Names are given to created things, so the thousands of name you reference are names given by men, not Gods name. He is Father (of the All). Jesus glorified who he was, which is what a name does.

Very good point. Names are really descriptions, adjectives not really nouns. For example, in Hinduism the names Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, Durga, Lakshmi mean, respectively, All-Pervading, Auspicious, Attractive (or Dark), Invincible/Unconquerable, Fortune. The names of the other deities are actually adjectives also.

 

[Jainarayan]

Really good answers. Actually what I thought. Clearly it’s more, I dare say mystical than the “Christ, you know I love you; did you see I waved? I believe in you and God, so tell me that I'm saved!” from Jesus Christ Superstar. On the face of it many people I’ve encountered come across this way.

 

[Phantasman]

Very good point. Names are really descriptions, adjectives not really nouns. For example, in Hinduism the names Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, Durga, Lakshmi mean, respectively, All-Pervading, Auspicious, Attractive (or Dark), Invincible/Unconquerable, Fortune. The names of the other deities are actually adjectives also.

There's truth in there. You just need to see it. Not let others dictate it.