Blessing is not being happy

[Skeptics]

"The secret of a blessed and happy life therefore, is “recognizing Jesus, but Jesus as the living God,” he said."

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-06/pope-at-angelus-the-secret-to-a-blessed-and-happy-life-is-recog.html

 

I believe is just a turn around, a sort of religion rewriting, from blesing = God protection, to Blessed = happy, but only with Jesus.

Or there are different meanings depending of past and present hapennings of the person blessed ?

I'm personaly happy without Jesus.

 

[midniterider]

Food, shelter and clothing are are also  helpful. 

[WalterP]

6 hours ago, midniterider said:

Food, shelter and clothing are are also  helpful. 

 

James 2 : 14 - 17

 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?  

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 

If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

 

 

[MOHO]

8 hours ago, WalterP said:

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

 

So, is this an admission that faith is useless and that it is actually action that has value?

[Tsathoggua9]

I think that some (not all) christians react very badly upon discovering that many people bereft of a relationship with Jesus are actually quite happy, and are capable of leading fulfilled lives.

Their "faith" indicates to them that this should not be the case. Because everybody gots ta be "saved", dontcha know.....

[Geezer]

Saved by faith or works? Scripture can be found that says a believer is saved by faith and faith alone. Scripture can also be found that indicates “works” are required. What kind of works and how many works are required is not revealed. A strong indication, at least to me, that scripture has human origins because it’s filled with contradictory and inconsistent instructions and statements. 
 

A true believer, blinded by faith, never sees those problems though, and if they do they simply rationalize them away. 

[WalterP]

4 hours ago, MOHO said:

 

So, is this an admission that faith is useless and that it is actually action that has value?

 

Not exactly, MOHO.

 

What James is saying is that faith on its own is useless unless it is accompanied by action. 

 

God wants Christians to have faith and to put that faith into action by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and generally attending to the physical needs of others.  

 

Belief in God on its own is useless.  That is a dead faith.  James even gives an example. In verse 19 of James 2.

 

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

 

So, if a Christian thinks that they are saved just by believing that there is one god, then they are very much mistaken. 

 

Demons believe there is one god and that belief has no power to save them from the everlasting fire. 

 

Therefore, if a Christian is to have a saving faith they have to do more than just believe in god. 

 

Thank you.

 

Walter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tsathoggua9]

16 hours ago, Geezer said:

Saved by faith or works? Scripture can be found that says a believer is saved by faith and faith alone. Scripture can also be found that indicates “works” are required. What kind of works and how many works are required is not revealed. A strong indication, at least to me, that scripture has human origins because it’s filled with contradictory and inconsistent instructions and statements. 
 

A true believer, blinded by faith, never sees those problems though, and if they do they simply rationalize them away. 

 

Oh, yeah, humans have an infinite capacity for rationalization!

[Geezer]

16 hours ago, WalterP said:

 

Not exactly, MOHO.

 

What James is saying is that faith on its own is useless unless it is accompanied by action. 

 

God wants Christians to have faith and to put that faith into action by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and generally attending to the physical needs of others.  

 

Belief in God on its own is useless.  That is a dead faith.  James even gives an example. In verse 19 of James 2.

 

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

 

So, if a Christian thinks that they are saved just by believing that there is one god, then they are very much mistaken. 

 

Demons believe there is one god and that belief has no power to save them from the everlasting fire. 

 

Therefore, if a Christian is to have a saving faith they have to do more than just believe in god. 

 

Thank you.

 

Walter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not according to Ephesians 2:8-10. Believers are saved by faith through grace, not of works, least anyone boast. The book of James, of course, emphasizes works as proof of true faith. The author of James makes a valid point, that faith without works is a dead faith. That, of course, means the author of Ephesians is wrong and that would indicate the Bible isn’t inerrant. And so it goes.....
 

 

[TABA]

You may have heard of Martin Luther .

 

Luther famously came to the conclusion that believers are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not by any works.  Luther famously referred to the Epistle of James as “really an epistle of straw” and proposed that it not be taught in schools.  
 

Other Christians disagreed and there followed centuries of religious wars in Europe. 

[Hierophant]

18 hours ago, Geezer said:

Saved by faith or works? Scripture can be found that says a believer is saved by faith and faith alone. Scripture can also be found that indicates “works” are required. What kind of works and how many works are required is not revealed. A strong indication, at least to me, that scripture has human origins because it’s filled with contradictory and inconsistent instructions and statements.

 

Thank you! I always thought about this as a believer. How much do I have to give; what does Christianity in the 21st century look like; how much do I have to forgive, and what does that really mean; am I supposed to follow the law as in Matthew; should I follow OT dietary laws; should I really give everything to those who ask; what does that homeless person need: money, food, physical care, mental care? Just endless amount of unknown questions and your potential eternal fate is on the line. Good grief. It is enough to give anyone a stroke who takes it seriously.

[AntiChrist]

On 6/30/2020 at 12:01 PM, Skeptics said:

"The secret of a blessed and happy life therefore, is “recognizing Jesus, but Jesus as the living God,” he said."

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-06/pope-at-angelus-the-secret-to-a-blessed-and-happy-life-is-recog.html

 

I believe is just a turn around, a sort of religion rewriting, from blesing = God protection, to Blessed = happy, but only with Jesus.

Or there are different meanings depending of past and present hapennings of the person blessed ?

I'm personaly happy without Jesus.

 

How many times did I hear those words from a Christian with a little grin on their face.

 

"God has blessed me this, and God has blessed me that"

 

I remember thinking back then, how I just wanted to punch them hard and scream at them for being such a shallow and selfish human beings. (You don't get over that insane Christian attitude so easy)

 

[TheRedneckProfessor]

Blessing is not the same as blissing.