Christianity

This is being written on Christmas Eve, 2014, and motivated by the variances in which Christmas is perceived and celebrated in America – and to even greater differentials in other nations.  In some areas of the world, carried by different secular or religious contexts in cultures, the incarnation of Jesus Christ from God is not believed, or may be held as a pagan concept deemed untrue in religion and culture – to the point it may be made an illegal practice in legal systems – worthy of omission.  The trail of unbelief can be perceived in any country, but is accented more in some areas than others.  Personal faith toleration in English-speaking countries is high, and Christianity in its various interpretations has held majorities that are now being diluted by mission from other faiths – both spiritual and humanistic in their contexts.  All this weighs on Christians to advance views of God and his revelation – related to all human life and conduct.

The foundation for God begins with faith and communication.  (Hebrews 11:6)  Christian theology and spiritual experience begin there.  This calls on human beings to extend their context for intellectual and physical experience beyond the limitations of nature.  If this positive presupposition about God is rejected, the matter is closed for the individual.  God is beyond the measurements of nature not to be found by human research, although the greater the understanding of the universe, the creation of God, the closer we may come to the perception of a creator – even if that with a big bang.  We need search more than research.

The communication of God must be in a form that the receiver of the communication can decipher, or it becomes gibberish and useless.  In Christianity we are rewarded with revelation – the communication by God in that context mankind can receive and made to work for life – natural life as related to spiritual.  In this we are offered Scripture, the Holy Spirit and the biblical Church – with prayer, nature and procedure related to life, both physical (nature/creation) and spiritual (divine/revelation).  The proof of the Christian experience is in the fulfillment of faith and conduct to the individual committing his or her self to God.

Faith commitment is found in repentance, in renouncing human frailty (sin) and accepting the adoption of God that, in Christ, becomes redemptive affecting the nature of the individual – so finding strength to live obediently to the will of God in righteousness, and all that aided by the Holy Spirit.  The process and procedure is spelled out in Scripture.  The person lives by values, related by God on the basis of holy affirmation and divine truth.  Spiritual life is positive and sustains itself in affirmations that, when correctly perceived, relates to truth and God’s will.  In this is the base for morality.  The practice of the Christian life is not found for the person in perfection or even full clarity, but is related to progression commonly identified as a process of sanctification.  There is spiritual growth sometimes expressed in the awareness that one has progressed from former ways and thoughts, but not yet what the individual will, and ought to, become.  The difference is made up by the justification of God for those he identifies as his children – both physical and spiritual.  Justification of God’s imperfect children is a part of the redemptive process.

To the humanist the Christian appeals to the affirmations of faith, truth, right, love, equality, peace, respect, redemption, family as the beginning of society, government, education, motivation to service, and the like. The details are widely agreed to, such as maintenance for good health is found in moderation’s oversight.  The standard solution for failure is related to forgiveness, education to responsibility, and upward growth (change).  The values of Christianity are clear.  Christians ask questions about the mystery of life and its desire for perpetuity, and the common desire to live life well and long.  What better proposal can be found than that which rests itself in faith in God, based on the good news of the one sent from God?  There are no hidden motivations requiring greater sacrifice for mankind than simply resting oneself in the promises of God.  He has paid all the ransom that makes imperfect persons acceptable to him – so acceptable he offers to meet the human hope for immortality.  All this is incorporated in biblical Christian faith.