r/dankchristianmemes • u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes • Feb 09 '25
a humble meme When You Thought Just Saying 'I'm a Christian' Was the Golden Ticket (feat. Matthew 7:21-23 vibes)
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u/Aware-Sea-8593 Feb 09 '25
After being shot down in a hand basket to Hell:
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u/mhoke63 Feb 10 '25
The irony that his name is "Wasserman". He probably had a German ancestor that might have been a firefighter to get the name "Wasserman", which translates to "Water man"
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u/eastbay77 Feb 09 '25
What? Didn't networking at church to help their business help them get in? Or giving enough offering to get a tax break? Or telling others how to live a Christian life yet ignoring to live that and same Christian life. Wild.
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u/leetrout Feb 09 '25
> Didn't networking at church to help their business
Too soon. I felt that like a punch in the gut. It is _SUCH_ a thing.
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u/DeezRodenutz Feb 10 '25
A lot of people seem to think that "accepting Jesus" only means accepting his gift of sacrificing for your sins, without needing to do anything else, like it's a "get out of jail free" card.
If you really accept him, then you should try to follow what he said and taught.
Yes we are all imperfect and will fall short, but we should at least try to do better, that is the very least we can do in return for his gift.
Doing the exact opposite of what Jesus taught is certainly not the way to truly "accept Jesus", and there are a lot of folks who will be very surprised when they get to the gates, like OP points out.
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u/mostwant_ded Feb 11 '25
A gift is something you can accept without having to do anything back. “Trying to do better” or better yet “working” as means to attain your salvation simply takes away from the glory of Christ…
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u/ELeeMacFall Feb 14 '25
It does not take away from the glory of Christ if the purpose of our salvation is good works. Y'know, like Paul says it is.
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u/mostwant_ded Feb 15 '25
Read Paul again and note how many times he mentions the gospel
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u/ELeeMacFall Feb 15 '25
The gospel isn't just about what we're saved from. It is equally about what we're saved for, and the two cannot be separated.
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u/junkmale79 Feb 09 '25
have you heard the song "Charlies Inferno" by that handsome devil?
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u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
I have not
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Feb 09 '25
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 10 '25
Rule #1 of r/DankChristianMemes Thou shalt respect others! Do not come here to point out sin or condemn people. Do not say "hate the sin love the sinner" or any other stupid sayings people use when trying to use faith to justify hate. Alternatively, if you come here to insult religion, you will also be removed.
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u/BiggieSlonker Feb 09 '25
Our salvation is dependent on our faith in Christ, not our works.
What would really happen here is that Christ's perfect righteousness will be imputed on this man, and he will be judged not by his own life and actions, but by the perfect life and sacrifice of Christ.
If it was up to our own works or how we lived our lives, none of us would get in to heaven. There is NONE righteous, no not one.
It's simple as.
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u/BatJew_Official Feb 09 '25
Many people believe someone who says they believe in Christ by word but not by action cannot truly believe in Christ and therefore does not have salvation. James is often used to support this line of belief. Personally I think it IS probably possible to live a life where you, say, are a secret serial murderer and rapist by night and a billionare that uses his wealth and power to ruin the lives of as many people as possible by day, that still truly believes in Christ, but in practice I don't think it's likely. Especially when considering that true belief in Christ is supposed to fill you with the holy spirit which, while it won't stop you from sinning, should at least cause people to feel convinction for their most egregious sins.
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u/Equivalent_Nose7012 Feb 09 '25
It ISN'T up to our own works, but "faith working through love" (St. Paul).
Self-giving love is the very LIFE of God. As Jesus said: "I am the Vine, you are the branches. Remain in Me...Without Me you can do NOTHING."
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u/Charpo7 Feb 09 '25
if you truly believe Christ is perfect then you would seek to exemplify his teachings. Maybe if you try and fail to do right but have faith, you are saved. But your faith is atrocious if you belief Jesus is perfect and that he is God and then refuse to do as he did.
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u/mostwant_ded Feb 11 '25
Just to mention that which you call atrocious is the exact type of faith that God is looking for 😊😊
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u/Mister_Way Feb 10 '25
Paul said that, but Paul also talked a lot about all the things you should be doing as a Christian. I think you might have misinterpreted the point he was making when he said that. It's not just you, it's whole denominations, but it's so contradictory against what Jesus taught that it seems crazy to think he meant if you're baptized and say a few words, you automatically are covered forever.
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u/mostwant_ded Feb 11 '25
Paul preached the gospel first. “How Christ came…” everything else is to be read in context of the dispensation Paul was referring to.
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u/Rooney_Tuesday Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 09 '25
I’m not sure the word “rich” is needed here, tbh. Still works perfectly well without it.
ETA Lol what’s with the downvotes? Some of y’all are a little uncomfortable with the implications I guess.
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u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
I would argue that being rich is one of the worst things you can do as a Christian
Matthew 19:23-24 (NRSVUE) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Luke 6:24 (NRSVUE) “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.”
James 5:1-3 (NRSVUE) Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NRSVUE) But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
Luke (NRSVUE) – Parable of the Rich Fool Jesus tells the story of a rich man who stored up wealth but was not "rich toward God," and his life was demanded from him that night.
Mark 10:25 (NRSVUE) “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NRSVUE) The lover of money will not be satisfied with money, nor the lover of wealth with gain; this also is vanity.
Proverbs 11:28 (NRSVUE) Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.
Luke 16:19-31 (NRSVUE) – The Rich Man and Lazarus The rich man lived in luxury but ignored the poor man, Lazarus, and ended up in torment after death.
Revelation 3:17 (NRSVUE) For you say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.” You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
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u/Rooney_Tuesday Feb 09 '25
I’m not arguing that it doesn’t apply to the rich. I’m arguing that it doesn’t only apply to the rich.
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u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
Yeah, I think it works better with it
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u/Rooney_Tuesday Feb 09 '25
I never argued it wasn’t okay with it in there. Just the that it has broader applications when it’s not there.
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u/chillychili Feb 09 '25
I don't think it's that clear cut. The OT is full of people who are rich enough that they and their spouse have different sets of servants yet are extolled as right with God.
Greed is sinful because it begets exploitation or holding back generosity. Being rich often sustains greed or is the result of greed, which is why being rich is warned against.
It is fortunate to have a Savior who can redeem even those that seem irredeemable from such greed.
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u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
The Old Testament is filled with things that contradict Jesus' teachings. Jesus fulfilled the old law, and the new law became love God and love others
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u/chillychili Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 10 '25
However, none of the verses you cited, OT or NT, are condemning the mere possession of earthly riches, but rather the love of earthly riches. Every single one is presenting a contrast: the focus is cautioning against the damning state of allowing earthly riches be one's master rather than God, because idolizing investment in temporary earthly things hinders one's ability to set their mind on things above. A call to be set apart for God (holy priesthood) and a good steward does not make possession of earthly resources inherently sinful. It is a stern warning for those who are in positions of earthly wealth or chasing such positions that those positions are rife with temptation, internally in one's heart and externally with one's peers of oligarchical wolves. It is a condemnation of the heart, not a condemnation of the gold. And really the point of these verses isn't so much condemnation, but magnification: they speak of how great God's glory is that no earthly treasure can compare, and thus worth abandoning all possessions for.
To answer your question below since the powers that be decided that your comment in response to a suggestion explicitly saying you are arguing was not an argument but responses to that argument apparently were the problem comments worth deleting:
You are forcing the activity of hoarding onto the definition of being rich.
Consider the difference in how Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott steward their money.
Bezos, despite having more dollars than he can physically count, still feels the need to donate $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund in order to maintain and/or expand his wealth and influence.
His ex-wife Scott is, at least from what is publicly known, aggressively setting up systems to give her wealth away. And yet, due to the nature of the wealth reinforcing itself in our capitalist economy, still one of the top (known) 50 richest people in the world.
Side note: I am not claiming anything about whether Scott is motivated by the love of God. I am also not claiming anything about Scott's involvement or lack thereof in how Amazon extracted that wealth in the first place.
One is hoarding wealth, the other not so much. One is keen on further exploiting people, the other wants to loosen, if not break, those chains. One is practicing greed, the other attempting generosity. Both are obscenely rich. Both will continue to be rich until the day they die, whether they want to or not.
One cultural aspect you may be (unintentionally) de-emphasizing from the texts is the prevailing idea in biblical-times/places' societies that one's earthly riches are an indication of God's favor. Hope to the poor means counterculturally busting that myth. The message is not primarily about how the rich often gatekeep themselves out of the kingdom, but that the kingdom has gates open wide for everyone, especially the poor, because of a God of self-sacrificial love. God is the richest of heaven and intent on having his creation share in those riches, especially the poor, but not only the poor.
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u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
How can someone hoard wealth while denying that they idolize or even love said wealth? There's a correlation there.
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Feb 10 '25
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 10 '25
We are here to enjoy memes together. Keep arguments to other subs. We don't do that here.
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u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 10 '25
That just feels like a really complicated way to make it okay to be rich. Whatever she's giving away, she could give more, and problem solved. Nobody's forced to be wealthy. Billionaires are all known "philanthropists."
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u/Nis5l Feb 09 '25 edited Mar 05 '25
I agree with the comment above you.
Why dont you give up what you have, you are probably rich in many peoples eyes. Are you a christian, and if not do you think you are less obligated? What is too rich for a christian?
Its less about money and more about the values, christian values and being rich can live in harmony. Maybe if you were to live perfectly you would give up everything, but we never meet the standard, thats kind of the point of beeing christian.
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u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
I don't have hoarded wealth, no. Jesus said, rich. Paul said, rich. James said, rich. Rich is the hoarding of wealth.
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u/Nis5l Feb 09 '25
Do you have excess wealth that you could use for good, but spend it in a selfish/meaningless way?
If yes, i would argue you are comitting the same sin.
Maybe to a lesser degree, but who are you to judge that your sin is below the threshold and theirs above?15
u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
I do not. I'm just going off many different Bible verses.
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u/Nis5l Feb 09 '25
And i get what you are trying to get at with the meme, to some degree i agree.
My point is if you take these bible verses seriously, in gods eyes you fucked up just like them.
Its gods job to judge, you dont know their heart, its always easy to talk, look in the mirror.11
u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
Only those not claiming to be Christian. We can openly condemn Christians going against the teachings of Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons, 10 not at all meaning the immoral of this world or the greedy and robbers or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. 11 But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? 13 God will judge those outside. ‘Drive out the wicked person from among you.’
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Feb 09 '25
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Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 20 '25
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 09 '25
We are here to enjoy memes together. Keep arguments to other subs. We don't do that here.
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 09 '25
Chill out and enjoy the memes. If you're taking this so seriously that you're getting in arguments, take a break.
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Feb 09 '25
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u/mondo_juice Feb 09 '25
Yeah let’s all just hold hands and talk about how great rich people are underneath the post that criticizes rich people. There’s definitely no cognitive dissonance going on here.
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 09 '25
We are here to enjoy memes together. Keep arguments to other subs. We don't do that here.
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Feb 09 '25
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u/mondo_juice Feb 09 '25
It does make you feel big and strong I can tell.
Gotta flex that power when you can, right? Jesus would have loved that.
He certainly doesn’t want us using a common space to discuss the meaning of his Father’s words. No, of course not! We should all just keep laughing and having a grand ol’ time as the meaning of the Bible gets trampled on.
Anything to keep the peace.
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 09 '25
Chill out and enjoy the memes. If you're taking this so seriously that you're getting in arguments, take a break.
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u/Leeuw96 Feb 09 '25
As I said to the other commenter: real "rich" generally comes with a love for money, and as we know "the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim 6:10). A million dollars/euros/pounds or such can be achieved in a fairly normal life (inthe West), certainly as net worth. But a billion/milliard, or a thousand millions, is not something you'd get without greed, not without loving the money itself, not without doing injustice to others purposefully.
I'd say that is a strong enough argument to show the incompatibility of richness and Christian values.
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u/Nis5l Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 09 '25
I agree that love for money is a sin.
I would not go as far as saying its incompatible with christianity, every christian is a hypocrite to some extend.
We all have our relationship with the devil, we all sin.
As i said, its for god to judge where their heart is, i dont know what they went through, why they do it or what their life is like.-14
u/MikeyFuccon Feb 09 '25
Uh oh. Unless you live in the 3rd world (how are you on the internet?!) you’re richer than 99% of humanity ever dreamed of being and richer than a LOT of people currently living. But I’m guessing that “rich” means “owns more than I do”, right?
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u/Leeuw96 Feb 09 '25
in the 3rd world (how are you on the internet?!)
They have internet in poor countries too, you know.
you’re richer than 99% of humanity ever dreamed of being
The West/Global North/1st world is not per se the top 1%, but certainly the global top 10%. Though median/modal wage in many western countries is above the global 1%.
Sure, you and I are relatively rich on a global scale, but I am not that far above the poverty line in my country (disability pay isn't high). I agree, I have a decent life (money-wise), but I am not rich.
But real "rich" generally comes with a love for money, and as we know "the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim 6:10). A million dollars/euros/pounds or such can be achieved in a normal life, certainly as net worth. But a billion/milliard, or a thousand millions, is not something you'd get without greed, not without loving the money itself, not without doing injustice to others purposefully.
1 Timothy 6:8-10 (NRSVue)
But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
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Feb 09 '25
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Feb 09 '25
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 09 '25
Chill out and enjoy the memes. If you're taking this so seriously that you're getting in arguments, take a break.
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 09 '25
We are here to enjoy memes together. Keep arguments to other subs. We don't do that here.
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u/MikeyFuccon Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 09 '25
I’m so glad that Jesus will then step in and tell St. Peter that I’m good to go. I’d hate to be going to the Heaven that judges you based on works.
Oh no! Will Jesus let me into Heaven if I have negative karma on Reddit?!!?
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u/Rob_the_Namek Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
James 2:14-17 (NRSVUE): "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead."
James 2:18 (NRSVUE): "But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you faith."
James 2:26 (NRSVUE): "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead."
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u/rootedandrelevant Feb 09 '25
I agree with you OP. Jesus is pretty clear about that too in Matthew 25: ““But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and majesty and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. [Rev 20:4-6] All the nations will be gathered before Him [for judgment]; and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; [Ezek 34:17] and He will put the sheep on His right [the place of honor], and the goats on His left [the place of rejection]. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me [with help and ministering care]; I was in prison, and you came to Me [ignoring personal danger].’ [Is 58:7] Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.’ [Prov 19:17] “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (demons); for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me [with help and ministering care].’ Then they also [in their turn] will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will reply to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these [my followers],you did not do it for Me.’ [Prov 14:31; 17:5] Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life.” [Dan 12:2]” Matthew 25:31-46 AMP https://bible.com/bible/1588/mat.25.31-46.AMP He also tells the parable of the wise man who builds his house on solid ground vs the fool who builds it on sand. The wise man is who hears Jesus’ instructions and acts on them while the fool is one who hears the words and does nothing about it.
If someone believes Jesus is who He stays He is, but doesn’t do what He says, then that’s on them.
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Feb 09 '25
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u/rootedandrelevant Feb 09 '25
lol, if you don’t want to read Jesus’s teaching that’s up to you.
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Feb 09 '25
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u/Bakkster Minister of Memes Feb 09 '25
It's not about being judged for your good works, it's that a genuine faith unavoidably bears fruit in the form of good works. We're saved by faith alone, but "faith without works is dead".
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Feb 09 '25
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u/cr0m300 Feb 09 '25
Do you think there's any merit in the idea that faith, without works, is as good as dead?
Do you think there is or ever has been such thing as a person who pays lip service to the tenets of Christianity but doesn't really hold it in their heart? What does that mean for them, assuming we are talking about a non-universal approach to salvation?
I don't think any of us humans get to be the final judge, and I know we all have blindspots where we may not be totally self-aware of how our actions have an effect on others. None of us can claim to have some perfect, unassailable perspective on the world.
But I also understand where the OP is coming from. If a powerful person consistently makes decisions that help themselves and harm others, does their conspicuous piety and invoking of so-called Christian values even mean anything?
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u/Nis5l Feb 09 '25
Do you think there is or ever has been such thing as a person who pays lip service to the tenets of Christianity but doesn't really hold it in their heart?
Obviously these people exist, but i think every christian should wonder from time to time if they are that person themselves, we could all try harder...
Its not our job to judge, we dont know their hearts.
The time you spend worrying about other peoples sins, you could spend worrying about your own.5
u/asuperbstarling Holy Chair Lifter Feb 09 '25
No honey, they're saying God will judge them.
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u/Nis5l Feb 09 '25
God will judge us all, we are all sinners, the meme is saying god wont forgive them. honey.
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u/cr0m300 Feb 09 '25
Obviously these people exist, but i think every christian should wonder from time to time if they are that person themselves, we could all try harder...
I can be onboard with that. Everyone should reflect and try harder. That's how we become better people.
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u/DefinitelyNotKuro Feb 10 '25
Eh I think corinthians 5:12 says I absolutely should be judging those within the faith. God will judge those without.
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u/Nis5l Feb 10 '25 edited Feb 10 '25
We are supposed to judge their actions.
But we are not supposed to judge their hearts, or in a way that condemns, we cant know, some people struggle.
The meme states that they wont be forgiven, judging their hearts, thats the issue i have with it...-5
Feb 09 '25
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u/cr0m300 Feb 09 '25
Non-universal salvation is not something I think I believe in. I was raised to think that only some will be saved and used to buy into the idea, but I don't subscribe to the idea anymore.
I think this whole thread is kind of about what is or isn't a disqualifier for "salvation". I don't mean to assume for you, but I was trying to continue the spirit of what I thought this thread was about and get you to say more about your perspective.
Sorry if I came off as putting words in your mouth.
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Feb 09 '25
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u/cr0m300 Feb 09 '25
I don't know why your other comments are being downvoted so much. I appreciate your perspective, even if you come off as cynical towards Christianity. Your comments struck me as thoughtful.
I want to believe that God is all loving. Sometimes I have a hard time believing it, but I try to hold on to it.
I was also told that God was all-loving. But there were strings attached, and that duality is hard for me. I think a lot of Christians try to have it both ways: they try to call God all loving but also say that only some will be saved. The older I get, the more I think that the two are mutually exclusive.
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Feb 09 '25
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Feb 10 '25
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 10 '25
We are here to enjoy memes together. Keep arguments to other subs. We don't do that here.
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u/dankchristianmemes-ModTeam Feb 10 '25
Rule #1 of r/DankChristianMemes Thou shalt respect others! Do not come here to point out sin or condemn people. Do not say "hate the sin love the sinner" or any other stupid sayings people use when trying to use faith to justify hate. Alternatively, if you come here to insult religion, you will also be removed.
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u/randompearljamfan Feb 09 '25
But I said the magic words and had the euphoric experience that one time!