Saturday, December 6, 2008

Can a Christian be logical?

Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple."

Mark 10:19 "You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

Matthew 15:3-9.

Can one hate one's parents while honoring one's parents? Can one honor one's parents while hating one's parents? Technically yes?

Can one believe both Luke 14:26 and Mark 10:19, be Jesus's (modern) disciple, and be logical at the same time ?

If one disbelieves Luke 14:26, one can love one's family and be logical at the same time. However, can one be Jesus's disciple if one disbelieves Luke 14:26?

If one disbelieves Mark 10:19, one can hate one's family and be logical at the same time. However, can one be Jesus's disciple if one disbelieves Mark 10:19?

If a Christian does not have to be Jesus's (modern) disciple, what is a Christian?

Is a Christian logically illogical given that "all things are possible with God"?

Can a Christian be logically logical?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

The word "hate" in its original context means "prefer x than y". What Jesus saying was if you don't love me (and God) more than your parents, spouse, and children, how can you truly love them?

About source of love:
1 John:4:7 "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God"

About the greatest commandment:
Matt 22:37-39 "... Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind. And the second is like it: Love your neighobor as yourself."

Logic is a good tool but it doesn't explain what's beyond its limitation.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"

It is so illogical that God loved the world, because the world (i.e. we) are unworthy of His love.

It is so logical that we are able to and should love our neighbors (our parents, spouse, children, ...) because God loves us first.

1 John 4:19 "We love because he first loved us."

ym said...

Many thanks to CountryBoy, and many thanks to those who sent their comments and love through email.

Some people might hate (aka "love less" or "prefer x to ym") ym for asking questions. On the other hand, the questions might provide some fun exercises for CountryBoy, who might need to handle similar "stupid" questions when he formally becomes a pastor later on.

Hope answers to all the posted questions will be convincing and helpful to many people. But at the end of the day, all things are up to God, amen?