MJFlores
Well-Known Member
It is a very Christian characteristic to focus and emphasise points of difference. Many Christians I come across, do this. No sooner have I mentioned the word Baha'i than the Christian is looking for the areas of disagreement so they can satisfy themselves that the Baha'i faith is false and fell good about their own (perceived superior) view.
The main problems with this approach:
- It causes division amongst Christians who of course understand the bible differently.
- It leads to Christians being less inclined to associate with others who they view as different and deficient.
- The standards that each Christian uses are not necessarily any more true or correct than the principles they reject in others belief systems.
I prefer to focus on the vast areas of agreement.
- We believe in an Omnipotent, All-Powerful God.
- God has created the universe and all that exists
- God has qualities of Love and Justice
- God is concerned for His creation
- Man is a special part of His creation and we have been created in His image
- God out of concern for His creation and humanity has guided us through Great Teachers and/or prophets
- One of those Great/Teachers or Prophets (Jesus) is exalted above all humans
- God expects us to make a great effort to live in accordance with His teachings and to have Faith in Jesus
- The OT prophets have provided God's guidance to the Jewish peoples
- The Bible has a record of Jesus, the apostles, and the OT prophets
- Jesus, the apostles, and the OT prophets we guided by God's unerring spirit
- The Bible should be considered authentic and authoritative
- We should love God with all our being and love our neighbours and enemies as Jesus taught
- We should forgive others
- We should be good as God is good
- We believe that we have a soul and that there is an afterlife
- We believe that evil is a real problem
- We believe that Christ promised He would return and spoke of the signs that would accompany His Return.
- The Returned Christ will bring in a new age or era in human history.
- Jesus is the 'Son of God'
- 'Salvation' is intimately associated with Christ.
- Jesus was crucified
- His sacrifice enabled our salvation
- The resurrection is a concept/reality of profound significance and importance
Well, what my Lord Jesus said is what my Lord Jesus said.
Matthew 7:15-23 New International Version (NIV)
“Watch out for false prophets.
They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
If we are careful in what we eat, use in this everyday temporal life - how much more should we be careful with regards to what we believe in? It will spell eternal life or eternal punishment - at the end of time.