Comments on: Jesus’ way to heaven http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/ Helen Mildenhall's site Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:21:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Theodore A. Jones http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-645 Theodore A. Jones Sun, 04 Mar 2007 01:42:28 +0000 http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/#comment-645 FYI. The only Way into heaven is by the faith to repent of the one sin of Jesus' murder for the forgiveness of ALL sins. FYI. The only Way into heaven is by the faith to repent of the one sin of Jesus’ murder for the forgiveness of ALL sins.

]]> By: Helen http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-217 Helen Tue, 06 Feb 2007 11:06:10 +0000 http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/#comment-217 I like that verse too, Paul. In fact <a href="http://www.mildenhall.net/2003/07/15/devotional-on-ephesians-210/" rel="nofollow">I wrote about it for a devotional once</a>. Thanks for your response! I like that verse too, Paul. In fact I wrote about it for a devotional once. Thanks for your response!

]]> By: Paul http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-216 Paul Tue, 06 Feb 2007 07:36:52 +0000 http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/#comment-216 I think everyone has the capacity for good but then i think we also have a high capacity to do crap - i don't like that fact either but having seen all the dark that swims in my soul i'm more than happy to say that following Jesus helps me to be good more often... I like Paul says in ephesians about how we follow Jesus he leads us into doing good works that he's already set up - where as i am a lot more variable on my own... :) I think everyone has the capacity for good but then i think we also have a high capacity to do crap – i don’t like that fact either but having seen all the dark that swims in my soul i’m more than happy to say that following Jesus helps me to be good more often…

I like Paul says in ephesians about how we follow Jesus he leads us into doing good works that he’s already set up – where as i am a lot more variable on my own… :)

]]> By: Helen http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-210 Helen Mon, 05 Feb 2007 14:30:05 +0000 http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/#comment-210 <blockquote>i realise that my own goodness is limited and the best chance i have of being able to love people, being able to break the cycle of self is to have a higher power that is actively interested in helping me - and actively requires me to admit my own limitiation, my own self centredness and say I need help - I need help from God</blockquote> Paul, I understand that you are saying this out of humility. But I don't like what it seems to imply - which is that people who don't ask for God's help can't be as good as those who do. If I looked around me and saw that people who ask for God's help are noticeably more good, then I'd think, wow, I guess that really is the only way to attain a certain level of goodness. But what I actually see is people being basically similar in how good they are, regardless of whether they are asking God to help them be good or not. Why is that Paul? Can you explain it? Is it my eyesight - do I need to look harder? ;-)

i realise that my own goodness is limited and the best chance i have of being able to love people, being able to break the cycle of self is to have a higher power that is actively interested in helping me – and actively requires me to admit my own limitiation, my own self centredness and say I need help – I need help from God

Paul, I understand that you are saying this out of humility.

But I don’t like what it seems to imply – which is that people who don’t ask for God’s help can’t be as good as those who do.

If I looked around me and saw that people who ask for God’s help are noticeably more good, then I’d think, wow, I guess that really is the only way to attain a certain level of goodness.

But what I actually see is people being basically similar in how good they are, regardless of whether they are asking God to help them be good or not.

Why is that Paul? Can you explain it? Is it my eyesight – do I need to look harder? ;-)

]]> By: Paul http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/comment-page-1/#comment-208 Paul Mon, 05 Feb 2007 10:50:36 +0000 http://www.mildenhall.net/2007/02/04/jesus-way-to-heaven/#comment-208 Helen, i like your thoughts, not least as they add an extra depth/dimension to what was an effective but still relatively reductionist approach to the kingdom of God - that seems to me the invitation that Jesus was issuing - not so much one of do ya want to go to heaven, more do you want to join/be part of my kingdom... I think to that end doing good to people is the actual living out of God's kingdom - it's about for me the putting into practice the beliefs that say ok my life is not just about me and what i can take/get/do my life is about something bigger/harder which is loving and caring for this planet and its inhabitants. Now the nub I find is that when i try and put into practice that sort of kingdom living i find that i quickly run out of the resource that is needed - i am just limited in my love and ultimately i am quite selfish and self interested and therefore any acts of goodness that i do are usually offset with equal amounts of crap born out of my own insecuriy, vanity, addictions etc. It is I think the reason i decide to follow Jesus cos i realise that my own goodness is limited and the best chance i have of being able to love people, being able to break the cycle of self is to have a higher power that is actively interested in helping me - and actively requires me to admit my own limitiation, my own self centredness and say I need help - I need help from God and I need help from the people who follow God if i am gonna live out the values that God espouses/values and love/serve/give to the people in the communities that i inhabit... Helen, i like your thoughts, not least as they add an extra depth/dimension to what was an effective but still relatively reductionist approach to the kingdom of God – that seems to me the invitation that Jesus was issuing – not so much one of do ya want to go to heaven, more do you want to join/be part of my kingdom…

I think to that end doing good to people is the actual living out of God’s kingdom – it’s about for me the putting into practice the beliefs that say ok my life is not just about me and what i can take/get/do my life is about something bigger/harder which is loving and caring for this planet and its inhabitants.

Now the nub I find is that when i try and put into practice that sort of kingdom living i find that i quickly run out of the resource that is needed – i am just limited in my love and ultimately i am quite selfish and self interested and therefore any acts of goodness that i do are usually offset with equal amounts of crap born out of my own insecuriy, vanity, addictions etc.

It is I think the reason i decide to follow Jesus cos i realise that my own goodness is limited and the best chance i have of being able to love people, being able to break the cycle of self is to have a higher power that is actively interested in helping me – and actively requires me to admit my own limitiation, my own self centredness and say I need help – I need help from God and I need help from the people who follow God if i am gonna live out the values that God espouses/values and love/serve/give to the people in the communities that i inhabit…

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