Something that makes Christianity unique is the concept of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Many other systems of belief state that souls dont exist, and good and bad arent absolutes, so were not in danger that we should need salvation. The problem with that is nobody really believes it: we all look up to someone who is good and pursue good things, and they usually wind up being the same people and things, and when we catch someone looking up to bad people and wanting bad things, well, theyre bad and we look down on them. Even people who have opposed concepts of good and bad agree on some things (both sides will accuse the other of lying and/or hatred and/or tyranny, for instance). Then theres that everyone complains about the evil in the world--that argues for absolute morality because Ive never heard any sane person complain about world peace and prosperity. As for souls, that is easy--human minds can create information, and since information can be created it is not physical, and physical things cannot produce nonphysical things--therefore, humans have immaterial souls. And since people die and none can know where souls go after death except if a spiritual entity shows or tells them, were all scared of death, which makes death our primary danger. So the materialistic relativists are wrong--souls exist, were in danger, good and bad are absolutes, and we should probably get this salvation issue figured out at some point. Others state that salvation is by human effort. Youll notice that those who suppose this, whether they realize it or not, are theists: they believe in a moral law by which we are saved, and laws cant exist without a Lawmaker. This salvation by human effort idea, however, cant be: whatever standard of goodness you settle on to try, you will be found guilty of either violating it or not living up to it or both, and then your standard will be measured by Gods standard and probably found lacking, and then you will be measured by Gods standard and undoubtedly condemned--it is obvious to any person who pays attention that nobody can even be good enough by their own fallen standards! How much less can anyone meet Gods perfect standard? No matter how many good things one does, it cannot subtract moral guilt. Salvation can only be a gift of God that He gives because He loves us and wants us to be saved. I dont see any good reason to suppose He doesnt: He made us; He made us good; He hasnt destroyed us yet, though we sin against Him; and He has never said, Seek Me in vain--He never drives away those who come to Him. I will continue this in another post, for its getting late.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 08:09:51 +0000
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