Fruits Of The Spirit...Who Has Them??
Who would God say are His true followers???
1. Christians who claim to be his followers or
2. Anyone who isn't a believer in Christ, but who do exhibit the fruits of the spirit.
THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRITS ARE.
Love, patience, self control, mercy, long suffering, humility, compassion, kindness, charity, not boastful, not delighting in evil,...etc...
I also know Christians that are fruity, but I know many that are judgmental...It's my way or you are going to hell...And that type of thinking was implemented by Constantine when he chose what books would be included in the Bible...Why would he only include those that would condemn people? As I was in the Baptist type churches, I also was judgmental too...I'm beginning to wonder if religion is a good thing?
Yeah I know what you mean. I don't agree with the hell fire and brimstone screaming kinda stuff. Jesus was about love, not being pissed off all the time.
With Constantine and all, you have to remember that it is the orthodox church. They are very strict. I don't know very much about the constantine thing which you are referring to. It doesn't sound right though because he was the one to first legalize Christianity in Rome. But then again, I think he also forced many to believe in God.
I'm a little shady on that part of history.
Constantine was really a pagan who wanted power. He knew how to bring all the religions together by bringing in the pagans under the name of Christ. He used the same model, but changed the name of the god. The early Christians knew this but had no choice but to go along with it. Forced worship, and the pagans didn't like it because it was the same and they knew it. They like the old names better. As time went on people forgot about what happened. The Catholic church became very powerful and very violent if you didn't except their teachings...
I think the original sect of Christians were gnostic, and the church tried to wipe them out too..Constantine's church symbols, and rituals, were taken from pagan rites, also baptism, man (Jesus) as god, works to be saved. They included only the scriptures that would suit the church and left others out, such as other saying of Paul. etc..
Wait I'm confused, are you talking about Constantine I who was the founder of Byzantium and all? Who had the vision of the cross at the Battle of Milvian Bridge?
Cuz from what I've learned he wasn't really that bad. And there were a lot of different constantine you must remember.
Well I'm still confused.
The later coresponds with some facts of buddhism. Although we do not believe in a deity or a god who has created us all, those fruits of spirit are in our belief - Buddhism states that anyone believing in anything or worshiping anything, if fundamentaly has those qualities will achieve the higher realm of rebirth and eventually brake off from Samsara.
Thats just a little explanation from my point...
But I also vote the latter. 👆
I feel religions are screwing things up and thats not what God had in mind when Jesus was talking...or any other religious leader. I feel that Pastors can be some of the worst when it comes to condemning other people. If God is love then anything negative that comes out of anybodies mouth is not from God...It can't be..And it's a lie to say it is!