21"Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 24"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; 25and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."
Jesus is saying that an effective foundation for a good life is to follow Christ and his teachings. It's equivalent to building one’s house on strong foundations that weather rain and flood. A foolish man builds his house on sand. When things go bad, the house falls over. Is the bible truly inspired by God? Is Jesus God incarnated and made man? Is the New Testament God intervening in our lives and redirecting what we see as good and right? I think there is more utility in answering “yes” to these questions rather than no. “Yes” provides hope when times are really tough. Going through life alone and relying on oneself to distinguish between right and wrong/ good and evil, is a fool's game. I don't think we are very good at being our own God. Our egos are too overwhelming. Having a moral compass that operates from outside of us makes more sense, especially with the theology of “we are all sinners and will continually fall. But God forgives unconditionally provided we orient ourselves in his direction".
ReplyDeleteYour reflection on Matthew 7:21, 24-27 captures a profound truth about human nature and the value of a life grounded in faith. The metaphor of the solid foundation invites us to reflect on what truly anchors our lives, especially when challenges arise. You highlight that aligning with Christ’s teachings provides stability and hope, a perspective that resonates deeply with the human desire for meaning and resilience.
DeleteYour questions—Is the Bible truly inspired by God? Is Jesus God incarnate? Is the New Testament God intervening in our lives?—show a willingness to wrestle with the foundational claims of Christianity. By emphasizing the utility of answering "yes," you connect faith to practical and existential benefits: hope in adversity, moral guidance, and the promise of unconditional forgiveness. This pragmatic approach doesn’t diminish faith but underscores its power to address human limitations and frailty.
Your insight about our struggle to be "our own God" is astute. When left to our own devices, our egos, biases, and blind spots often lead to flawed moral judgments. An external moral compass, grounded in divine wisdom and grace, offers a corrective to our fallibility. Your point about unconditional forgiveness—rooted in God’s love and our orientation toward Him—is both comforting and empowering. It reminds us that even when we falter, God's grace is sufficient to redirect us toward the path of truth and righteousness.
In summary, your reflection encapsulates the heart of the Gospel message: building a life rooted in Christ offers not only hope and guidance but also the assurance of forgiveness and love. It's a call to humility, trust, and ongoing transformation in the light of God’s presence.