Being a Christian is all about Communion

[Nine_Two]

Matter of fact, it is. We do owe him adoration and thanksgiving.

The word “owe” has taken on two meanings in the English language. I’m wondering if you mean we owe God in the sense that we must repay a debt to him, or if you mean we owe him as in it is the least we can do for the gift he has given us?

In the first case, if we are looking at it as a transaction, I’d first say that the whole point of Christ coming was to forgive us our debts. If we accept Christ we are out of debt. Even if we weren’t though, there is nothing we can do to even begin to repay the debt. It is like trying to repay a million dollar debt a penny at a time - almost insulting.

If you mean owe in the sense of a voluntary, “it’s the least we can do” sort of thing, I agree. We aren’t paying him back for the gift he gave us, rather we’re giving him a gift of our own - like a young child making a card for his/her father. It isn’t a great gift, it certainly doesn’t help pay the mortgage, its merit is completely the thought with which it was made, and given in.

 

[hn160]

What else? Worship is supposed to bring us into communion. Why do you think God wants us to act a certain way for worship? Is it because it pleases Him that we do as we are told? Or that He is amused by our actions? I find it hard to believe that a perfect, infinite being would even want anything from us. But God is love, and so our act of worship should be something that brings us into the love of God.

This is not something we owe to God. For what? What is there for us to give to God given that God is infinite and all powerful? God doesn’t need anything from us, but worship simply brings us into communion with God because God is love. God does not need us, we need Him.

It is the Lutheran view that God comes to us in His Word is read and preached and in the Sacraments. We view our Divine Service as the arrow is pointing down to us from heaven.

 

[Abbigaelann]

Guess I’m Christian and Catholic for all the wrong reasons…
it’s not about quotes, not about semantics, not about research, not about communion.
God is Love.
Share it.
Live it.
The only thing that endures.

goes great with coffee n donuts…

 

[cheezey]

Guess I’m Christian and Catholic for all the wrong reasons…
it’s not about quotes, not about semantics, not about research, not about communion.
God is Love.
Share it.
Live it.
The only thing that endures.

goes great with coffee n donuts…

 

[Publisher]

In another thread I brought up this fact that being a Christian is all about Communion. We are a Church because we are gathered in communion with one another and our bishop **

**Of course there are some push-back by non-Ancient Christians who do not have the Eucharist as part of their Christian life (let us leave aside discussions about validity for now and assume for the sake of discussion that all churches that claim to have the Eucharist do so validly).

So what do each of us think (anyone is invited to chime in) about this? Why do you think you have a church/community/congregation/etc.? What is the point of gathering about if not for communion with Christ and with one another?

Absolutely agree with the bolded part…Communion is the whole “raison d’etre” of worship.

“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there with them in their midst”

 

[PJM]

=ConstantineTG;10751942]In another thread I brought up this fact that being a Christian is all about Communion. We are a Church because we are gathered in communion with one another and our bishop and collectively are in communion with Christ.

Of course there are some push-back by non-Ancient Christians who do not have the Eucharist as part of their Christian life (let us leave aside discussions about validity for now and assume for the sake of discussion that all churches that claim to have the Eucharist do so validly).

So what do each of us think (anyone is invited to chime in) about this? Why do you think you have a church/community/congregation/etc.? What is the point of gathering about if not for communion with Christ and with one another?

Such a position is ONLY a desire; a dream adrift from reality.

Because there is But One God [who must be and IS Good and Perfect]

That One God can only have One set of faith beliefs.

AND just as for reasons Only He God; can understand; He choose to have ONLY One chosen people.

In the OT the Jewish nation
In the NT His Catholic Church; the Only church founded by Christ personally.

I DO NOT deny that as Christians; there is a lser form of unity.

 

[ConstantineTG]

In the NT His Catholic Church; the Only church founded by Christ personally.

This claim falls into Protestant heresies where there are claims of an elect. Christ broke down that barrier. He died for all. This is not to say that all will be saved regardless of what we do, the same way that not all Jews were worthy as being the Chosen People, which is why God chastised them all the time. There is no more a chosen race, all of us belong to that. It is just a matter now of living accordingly, worthy to be truly a part of His Kingdom.

Think of it this way. Secular citizenship is justified by a birth certificate or certificate of naturalization, also by a passport. But are you truly a citizen of a nation if you do not contribute towards the building of that nation? True citizenship is not just a legalistic bind to the nation, but by active participation towards nation building.

All of us are creations of God, thus in a sense we are all children of God. But true sonship means we participate in the life of our Father, and not just merely be the spoiled brat who does what we want and expect a big inheritance at the end of the day.