• @[email protected]
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    26 months ago

    Oh yeah? Can you point me to those because I’d rather do something quick to earn God’s favor than commit daily to living a penitent Christian life. It doesn’t let me do my favorite sins.

    https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew 19:16-30&version=NLT

    17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep[b] the commandments.”

    18 “Which ones?” the man asked.

    And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c]”

    20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

    21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

    22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

    Also, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke 10:25-37&version=NIV

    The Parable of the Good Samaritan

    25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

    26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

    27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”

    28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

    29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

    30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

    36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

    37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

    Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

    Now, many people make up many justifications about how they don’t need to get rid of their possessions, or they don’t need to really help that guy. But the text is pretty clear to me. If you see a homeless person on the street, per the text, you should help them get shelter. Most people don’t do that.

    • @[email protected]
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      -16 months ago

      Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are pillars of the Christian life. The two scriptures you quoted are great examples of why this is the case.

      To the original point though if I gave all my possessions away or helped my neighbor and “kept score” like a Pharisee it’s all for naught. Works won’t get you to heaven yet faith without works is dead.