Selections from the Christian Gospels - Essay Example

Selections from the Christian Gospels The gospel books in the New Testament contain the life of Jesus Christ as well as some of his major teachings. The Beatitudes for example, which Jesus taught the crowds and his disciples on the mountainside explains to Christians some of the behaviors they should embrace in order to live by the teachings of Christ. The Beatitudes teach Christians that they should be humble and mourn for their sins and the transgressions of others. The Beatitudes equally challenge Christians to be merciful, and always try to hunger and search for what is right (Brown, 2009). The Beatitudes further encourage Christians and other believers to ensure that they are pure in heart, and that they are always ready to fight and be persecuted for what is right. Throughout his teachings in the Gospel, Jesus Christ continuously reaffirmed the importance of living by the law. The law, which should act as the standard of human conduct, is a guide for Christians to live by and a platform for them to understand God’s purity, and use it in making sure that they do not sin (Brown, 2009). Jesus Christ similarly emphasized the need for Christians to be truthful in their activities and ascertain that their faith in God is sincere. It is for this reason that he told the parable of the Good Samaritan, where a priest disregarded the suffering a traveler who had been robbed and injured, while a Good Samaritan consoled the traveler and took care of him until he got better (Brown, 2009). Through the parable, Jesus Christ encouraged his disciples and other believers to ensure that they took care of their neighbors just as they took care of themselves. Regarding true treasures, Jesus Christ conveyed the opinion that in as much as most of our activities as Christians and believers are on earth, we should focus on the relationship between us and our Father in heaven, for that will ensure that most of our efforts are not taken for granted here on earth due to the continuous destructions. Using his teachings in the book of John: 8, Jesus Christ informed Christians and believers of the importance of living by his teachings. This is because he was the way of light and ignoring him would result in confusion and darkness. Additionally, Jesus emphasized on the need to have respect for the word, which is referred to as logos in the beginning of the book of John. Jesus advised that the word should be respected, because it existed before, and comes directly from the heart of God. In assembling his disciples and sharing the last supper with them, Jesus Christ was demonstrating to them that they should be committed to one another, and to their course, as some of them may contemplate giving up in the course of the journey (Brown, 2009). The crucification and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is highlighted in the Gospel books show that it is important for Christians to have strong faith in God, for he is the protector and does not let the suffering of his people, be in vain. Faith is one of the most vital elements of Christianity. Faith is quite powerful for the reason that it brings Christians together and connects them with God. Additionally, the faith Christians have in God is the only thing that holds them steady and keeps them safe from the storms of life (Brown, 2009). The book of Hebrews defines faith as the aspect of having confidence in the things that believers hope for as well as having assurance for the things that they cannot see (KJV). It is important to understand that the concept of faith revolves around the promised future along with the present things that are invisible and hidden from the eyes of believers. It is equally of great significance to take note of the fact that faith, which is the foundation of Christian lives, is heavily hinged on the word of God. This denotes that a believer who lacks the word does not have faith. I presume true the fact that prayer is the most inspiring and meaningful religious principle. This is majorly because the theme of prayer runs throughout the Bible, and Jesus Christ himself taught his disciples how to pray in the gospel according to Mathew (KJV). The importance of prayer in the lives of Christians is equally demonstrated by the fact that practicing it on a daily basis makes one strong in faith. On the other hand, lack of prayer makes Christians weak and vulnerable to various transgressions. Christianity, Judaism and Islam believe in the existence of one God and that he is the origin of everything that exists today. The three religions likewise share the ideology that human beings are the highest creatures on earth, and that being righteous, loving and good towards one another draws them closer to God. On the other hand, bringing harm to others draws human beings far from God. The three religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam believe that the guidance of God is watching over human beings and that there is salvation for those who live according to the teachings of God (Brown, 2009). All the above notwithstanding, the religions differ on their teachings regarding the afterlife. Christians for example, believe that the righteous will be taken to heaven forever while the sinners will spend the rest of eternity in hell. Islam shares the same ideology, but adds that the righteous will be provided with seventy-seven virgins in heaven, which they refer to as paradise. Judaism equally reaffirms that in as much heaven and hell exists, sinners will not spend eternity in hell, as God will forgive them. I believe that indeed the current believers are living at crossroads because of the contradicting ideologies between the Christian faith and the scientific world. Nonetheless, I have faith in the fact that religion is the ultimate foundation for valid morals. In like manner, I believe that the assigned text has focused on monotheistic faith, for it has repeatedly referred to the similar beliefs between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Moreover, the text has not talked about the three religions having different Gods. References Brown, G. (2009). Living Religions and Anthology. Pearson Custom Publishing. The Holy Bible. King James Version. Read More