Post by Maggie on Mar 10, 2014 13:49:39 GMT -6
God calls all of us and takes us as we are. We are simply not a monolith and never will be. While it is true that only one of the religions can be completely right, that does not mean that the others are entirely wrong. Perish the thought! God has been very clear about what he wants. We Catholics say, "no salvation outside the Church". This is true, of course, but where is "outside"? the further we get from the light the harder and harder it is to see. Maybe we won't be able to see on the outskirts until Jesus comes and turns all the lights on.
Matthew 25:31ff tells us a lot, if we will but listen:
I don't see anything in these words to suggest that it is critical that we all think alike, or that we be able to pass a college level examination in the subject of theology. Christianity is an activist religion. Yes, it is important that we think correctly about it and talk correctly about it but if we lack that measure of wisdom we can be content to do what we have been commanded to do. Thus we are and we remain a blessing to those around us who need God's help. We are God's hands and feet. What good is brooding about esoteric matters when there are hungry people to feed?
Matthew 25:31ff tells us a lot, if we will but listen:
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not [e]take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
I don't see anything in these words to suggest that it is critical that we all think alike, or that we be able to pass a college level examination in the subject of theology. Christianity is an activist religion. Yes, it is important that we think correctly about it and talk correctly about it but if we lack that measure of wisdom we can be content to do what we have been commanded to do. Thus we are and we remain a blessing to those around us who need God's help. We are God's hands and feet. What good is brooding about esoteric matters when there are hungry people to feed?