I'll go ahead and state that I'm not a big fan of karma.
Yet, it is a very prevalent part of our nation and people's outlook around the world. There are even quite a few Christians who believe in karma principles. Since so many people adhere to karma like philosophies, we need to understand if we believe it or not, for it motivates a great number of people's actions in life.
It's important to examine karma because I think it does have half-truths rooted in the truth of the Bible, but it's very dangerous because it abuses or uses the truth of God to propel a false philosophy.
In considering if it is true or not, what does the Bible have to say, either directly or indirectly about the topic. Is karma a principle close to the heart of God?
Karma is basically the belief that your good or bad deeds will come around back to you in the future via good fortune or bad misfortune.
1. karma equates to self-salvation
Belief in karma predicates the thought that a person can alter his or her actions to be good enough to find salvation or comfort in life. "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17
I think this is an arrogant and ignorant view of the human heart. I think most people, secular or Christian, can identify with Paul in Romans 7 when he talks about struggling with sin. He wants to do what is good -- all of us do most of the time -- yet there is something, some junk that prevents us from living that out.
2. karma has no need of Christ - grace is gone
Related to #1, belief in karma calls for throwing Christ out of the picture. For CHRISTians who believe in karma, this is a clear contradiction of beliefs -- it's sort of one or the other. Believing in karma reduces Christ from Great Savior to enlightened teacher at best, some guy in history at worst. "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace that you have been saved." Ephesians 2:5
Believing in karma means grace is gone.
3. With no first love, how does karma work?
Throwing out Jesus by believing in karma throws out that God has incredible love, unfathomable love, for His created order. The understanding of God's love is just that, unexplainable. Through the ages, the best we can come up with is labeling our understanding of God's great love as "grace," and it's true, we're not even close to getting how much He loves us.
By not understanding God's great love for us, we attempt to be like Jesus and love others, and then it is when that we get acts of service in line with His Kingdom. We only breathe each breath, wake up each day, eat each meal by the grace of God and His love and mercy for us.
"We love because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19
So without having a first, greater act of love from God, then how would karma proponents know how to do acts of "love"..."good deeds"? Do karma proponents believe in evolved moral standards? There seems to be a contradiction here.
When we get back around to it, I find it hard to believe that in the karma philosophy, there is something genuine that is the fuel, the underlying impetus, to motivate the good deeds. Here in lies a half-truth. Karma masks itself as being a genuine good act in the service of others, but based on the wrong motives.
Karma is meant to further the self. Jesus wanted us to further His kingdom, serve others, at the expense of self. Give our lives self-LESS-ly for the love of Christ and His people.
In that vein, karma can't exist.
Showing posts with label Ephesians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ephesians. Show all posts
1.16.2010
8.11.2009
the way I speak
I was realizing something the other day, so I thought I'd write a post on it in case it resonates with anyone else.
The world is boastful, arrogant, loud, it wants to be known and gain recognition. I pick up on this example and end up doing the same thing. It translates into speech and thoughts which aren't always God-honoring. I'll sometimes joke, or gossip, or speak about someone behind their back in a negative way to affirm myself in the conversation, or in some weird way I'm trying to gain approval if I concede to talk about something or someone in a way that is not building up or encouraging.
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
It's a big deal because it hurts the person I'm talking unwholesomely talking about, and it is a poor testimony on my part to Christ, for others are listening "..that it may benefit those who listen."
In contrast, those who are quiet and peaceful (who I dare to sometimes judge that they need to be more "active" or "vocal" about their faith)...know something I seem to forget too often.
"...that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:26 NIV)
"Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." (1 Peter 3:4)
The people who are quiet and gentle have a firm and bold peace and understanding that their salvation is found in the boldness and sovereignty of Christ. In light of this, they have no need to be load and boastful, or have a need to be heard by the world.
I should take notice of this example.
The world is boastful, arrogant, loud, it wants to be known and gain recognition. I pick up on this example and end up doing the same thing. It translates into speech and thoughts which aren't always God-honoring. I'll sometimes joke, or gossip, or speak about someone behind their back in a negative way to affirm myself in the conversation, or in some weird way I'm trying to gain approval if I concede to talk about something or someone in a way that is not building up or encouraging.
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
It's a big deal because it hurts the person I'm talking unwholesomely talking about, and it is a poor testimony on my part to Christ, for others are listening "..that it may benefit those who listen."
In contrast, those who are quiet and peaceful (who I dare to sometimes judge that they need to be more "active" or "vocal" about their faith)...know something I seem to forget too often.
"...that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:26 NIV)
"Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." (1 Peter 3:4)
The people who are quiet and gentle have a firm and bold peace and understanding that their salvation is found in the boldness and sovereignty of Christ. In light of this, they have no need to be load and boastful, or have a need to be heard by the world.
I should take notice of this example.
3.09.2009
I dare you to measure...
This post is my inner nerdling side coming out, which is a sizeable portion...but...
I think humans have an utter fascination with quantifying things.
Was it just coincidence that the founders of the United States mandated an every 10 year census as an inherent part of the Constitution? The answer -- no. Those guys were quite smart, it wasn't an accident.
We try to count everything. Look at sports fans, their teams and joys are built around sports stats, how many points their team or favorite player is scoring...if you think about it, in every industry and area of life, there is an important emphasis placed on being able to quantify whatever it is that needs quantifying.
Some things I have my doubts that accurate quantifying is going on. Scientists and doctors think they know about 15% of all there is to know about the brain. With so much unknown, how do they even know the overall amount to determine that they already know 15%? It's probably more like 0.15%.
Concrete quantities, or even estimates (that might be inaccurate), provide a much deeper understanding of the world around us. I guess that's why the human race wants to quantify so much in life, they want to understand the world in which they live.
Paul writes
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV)
Paul gets human nature. He's saying, go ahead people! Try to understand the concrete amount of Christ's love like you want to quantify all things. Its almost as if Paul is getting at that we might actually be able to understand the quantity of Christ's grace. Then he immediately follows with:
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Eph. 3:20-21)
"immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..."
It's just going to be one of those things that we won't be able to quantify. Christ's love and His merciful grace is too great, too wide, too deep to count for us quantifiable-happy humans.
But go ahead, I dare you to really think about it and try to measure it.
I think humans have an utter fascination with quantifying things.
Was it just coincidence that the founders of the United States mandated an every 10 year census as an inherent part of the Constitution? The answer -- no. Those guys were quite smart, it wasn't an accident.
We try to count everything. Look at sports fans, their teams and joys are built around sports stats, how many points their team or favorite player is scoring...if you think about it, in every industry and area of life, there is an important emphasis placed on being able to quantify whatever it is that needs quantifying.
Some things I have my doubts that accurate quantifying is going on. Scientists and doctors think they know about 15% of all there is to know about the brain. With so much unknown, how do they even know the overall amount to determine that they already know 15%? It's probably more like 0.15%.
Concrete quantities, or even estimates (that might be inaccurate), provide a much deeper understanding of the world around us. I guess that's why the human race wants to quantify so much in life, they want to understand the world in which they live.
Paul writes
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV)
Paul gets human nature. He's saying, go ahead people! Try to understand the concrete amount of Christ's love like you want to quantify all things. Its almost as if Paul is getting at that we might actually be able to understand the quantity of Christ's grace. Then he immediately follows with:
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Eph. 3:20-21)
"immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..."
It's just going to be one of those things that we won't be able to quantify. Christ's love and His merciful grace is too great, too wide, too deep to count for us quantifiable-happy humans.
But go ahead, I dare you to really think about it and try to measure it.
12.01.2008
grace
I think the longer that I'm seeking and trying to follow Jesus, the more I recognize, truly get, that salvation is completely by grace, and grace alone.
This of course is a very central tenet to the Christian faith, one of the main ones, if not the most important thing that sets it apart. It gets talked about and preached quite often, but that doesn't always mean it's something that I really own and know to be true. That comes with time, and is till a work in progress.
The idea of grace that comes in the form of an incredibly joyous and pure eternal life found in Jesus, a pure gift with no strings attached of compensation from me or something I have to earn, is ridiculously radical.
I was thinking, the more I come to understand grace, the more incomprehensible it really becomes.
That sounds, at first, quite a contradictory statement. But I really think it's true. Think of doctors and their understanding of the human body. Or think of scientists and their grasp of the universe. In each case, the objects that are trying to be understood (the human body and the universe), are complex, but at the same time, wonderful and beautiful. Not much is understood of either. Talking to my doctor friends about the human body, the overall percentage of what's really known is very small. How all the systems interact with each other, how the brain works, how different cells work in different situations...if they really knew a lot more, I don't think we'd have as many diseases or cancers or afflictions.
Same with the universe. Scientists don't really know that much about all the stars or if global warming is really part of a longer term normal cycle or if it's something man-made. Sure, there's data to back up that claim. There's also data to back up the other side. You can get data to work how you want it to in scientific studies. The point is, not much is really understood. When doctors or scientists do discover something new or come to some new knowledge, it usually opens up more unknowns and more questions than before! Doctors and scientists can't even start to say how much they know because they don't know the finite amount of what can be known!!
In thinking about these examples, I think grace is similar. Grace is complex and we don't nearly know how extensive and amazing it really is. The more that is understood about a certain aspect of grace, more questions are brought up regarding other elements that stem from grace. So, the more I seem to understand grace, the more incomprehensible it really becomes. There are so many things I can think of right now that I take for granted that otherwise should not exist, and the only answer (rational or irrational) I have for those things, is grace. As complex as it may really be, I think it can also be compiled simply into Jesus, and the love He offers.
And so, more than anything, I'm incredibly stunned at how amazing grace really is.
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:4-10 NIV)
This of course is a very central tenet to the Christian faith, one of the main ones, if not the most important thing that sets it apart. It gets talked about and preached quite often, but that doesn't always mean it's something that I really own and know to be true. That comes with time, and is till a work in progress.
The idea of grace that comes in the form of an incredibly joyous and pure eternal life found in Jesus, a pure gift with no strings attached of compensation from me or something I have to earn, is ridiculously radical.
I was thinking, the more I come to understand grace, the more incomprehensible it really becomes.
That sounds, at first, quite a contradictory statement. But I really think it's true. Think of doctors and their understanding of the human body. Or think of scientists and their grasp of the universe. In each case, the objects that are trying to be understood (the human body and the universe), are complex, but at the same time, wonderful and beautiful. Not much is understood of either. Talking to my doctor friends about the human body, the overall percentage of what's really known is very small. How all the systems interact with each other, how the brain works, how different cells work in different situations...if they really knew a lot more, I don't think we'd have as many diseases or cancers or afflictions.
Same with the universe. Scientists don't really know that much about all the stars or if global warming is really part of a longer term normal cycle or if it's something man-made. Sure, there's data to back up that claim. There's also data to back up the other side. You can get data to work how you want it to in scientific studies. The point is, not much is really understood. When doctors or scientists do discover something new or come to some new knowledge, it usually opens up more unknowns and more questions than before! Doctors and scientists can't even start to say how much they know because they don't know the finite amount of what can be known!!
In thinking about these examples, I think grace is similar. Grace is complex and we don't nearly know how extensive and amazing it really is. The more that is understood about a certain aspect of grace, more questions are brought up regarding other elements that stem from grace. So, the more I seem to understand grace, the more incomprehensible it really becomes. There are so many things I can think of right now that I take for granted that otherwise should not exist, and the only answer (rational or irrational) I have for those things, is grace. As complex as it may really be, I think it can also be compiled simply into Jesus, and the love He offers.
And so, more than anything, I'm incredibly stunned at how amazing grace really is.
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:4-10 NIV)
9.18.2008
makes sense
We have 5 senses that we know of and use everyday. Sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. We use these to navigate through life each and every day. In freaky sci-fi movies, there is many times a "6th sense" alluded to or somehow exists.
I'm going to make the hypothesis that a) we humans are fundamentally composed of a body and a soul, and that b) each one of those components has its own senses. We are already used to and for the most part know the bodily ones.
In the context of faith, I think we can also recognize a body and soul. How those two unite is another story. I do think that obtaining salvation has something to do with the merging of these two, body and soul, and somehow the Holy Spirit is involved, and has to be involved, in that merging/holding together. That's more complicated to understand I think, and that's not the purpose of this post.
This post is meant to spur thinking about: what are the soul's "senses"? I think there's considerable logic for the existence of soul senses, and I would also contend that we use them every day, just like our bodily senses. In that case, what are they, and of what importance are they?
Well, they're REALLY important. Think about it. If "touch" was broken down one day, that'd be very bad. You'd get burnt or cut or who knows what. Likewise, if our soul senses were broken down, one or many of them, there'd be similar implications of pain and/or hurt. But this time maybe emotional.
Leading to that, I would suggest that the soul's senses are: courage, hope, joy, praise/thanksgiving, compassion...this is not an inclusive list, but I think it's a start.
Throughout various Psalms, the soul is somewhat personified having bodily actions/features/reactions, which leads me to believe more strongly that it would have senses. Psalm 42 is a good example.
Later, in the New Testament, I think there is more evidence for this. The greatest commandment states "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' (Matt 22:37 NIV)
Jesus delineates different parts of the whole person to which they are to completely love the Lord. The mind here I think represents the body. All are to love the Lord. It makes sense that if they are supposed to submit, each of these components has substance, and I would think they need senses to interpret other substances around them.
Hopefully that's not too confusing.
Paul later writes "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:17-18 NIV)
Paul asks for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation FOR THE BODY. And then "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened..." I doubt Paul is repeating himself. He was a highly educated man, and an excellent author. I think Paul simply recognizes there are two important parts, body and soul.
So I guess I've focused more on trying to show that a human is composed of a body and soul, but I think it makes a ton of sense that the soul would also have senses.
That's important for our spiritual walks because if we recognize that there really is an existence of "soul senses", then we might try to enhance using them.
I'm going to make the hypothesis that a) we humans are fundamentally composed of a body and a soul, and that b) each one of those components has its own senses. We are already used to and for the most part know the bodily ones.
In the context of faith, I think we can also recognize a body and soul. How those two unite is another story. I do think that obtaining salvation has something to do with the merging of these two, body and soul, and somehow the Holy Spirit is involved, and has to be involved, in that merging/holding together. That's more complicated to understand I think, and that's not the purpose of this post.
This post is meant to spur thinking about: what are the soul's "senses"? I think there's considerable logic for the existence of soul senses, and I would also contend that we use them every day, just like our bodily senses. In that case, what are they, and of what importance are they?
Well, they're REALLY important. Think about it. If "touch" was broken down one day, that'd be very bad. You'd get burnt or cut or who knows what. Likewise, if our soul senses were broken down, one or many of them, there'd be similar implications of pain and/or hurt. But this time maybe emotional.
Leading to that, I would suggest that the soul's senses are: courage, hope, joy, praise/thanksgiving, compassion...this is not an inclusive list, but I think it's a start.
Throughout various Psalms, the soul is somewhat personified having bodily actions/features/reactions, which leads me to believe more strongly that it would have senses. Psalm 42 is a good example.
Later, in the New Testament, I think there is more evidence for this. The greatest commandment states "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' (Matt 22:37 NIV)
Jesus delineates different parts of the whole person to which they are to completely love the Lord. The mind here I think represents the body. All are to love the Lord. It makes sense that if they are supposed to submit, each of these components has substance, and I would think they need senses to interpret other substances around them.
Hopefully that's not too confusing.
Paul later writes "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:17-18 NIV)
Paul asks for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation FOR THE BODY. And then "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened..." I doubt Paul is repeating himself. He was a highly educated man, and an excellent author. I think Paul simply recognizes there are two important parts, body and soul.
So I guess I've focused more on trying to show that a human is composed of a body and soul, but I think it makes a ton of sense that the soul would also have senses.
That's important for our spiritual walks because if we recognize that there really is an existence of "soul senses", then we might try to enhance using them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)