Lively Stone
New Member
Have you read St. Antony? by Athanasius? Good book!
What about him?
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Have you read St. Antony? by Athanasius? Good book!
God doesn't call us to be hermits. He created is to be of service to Him by being available and of service to others. His desire is to use us to reach the world for Christ. Living in isolation or in some way sequestered away from the world, or choosing to live in lack of any sort is serving self.
Some people are called to live in cloisters and some people are called to live in the world. We don't all have the same calling.
Only if you do not believe in the power of prayer. Cloistered monks and nuns spend their time praying for the world. Monks and nuns that are not cloistered spend their time praying for the world and serving their communities. There is nothing to criticize here.
Then why did he add the word to Romans 3:28?
If you don't believe in the power of prayer, then you need a revelation. People who know Christ intimately defintiely beleive in the power of prayer. We are all to spend time praying, but we are also supposed to be balanced---outward-focused, discipling the world. God doesn't call us to an unbalanced life.
Matthew 28:19
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I agree, it is self evident, Luther didn't need to except that Rome kept denying the obvious and since She still holds to the Council of Trent, She still denies 'by faith alone'. Actually the more exact expression is 'by grace alone, through faith alone'.
The entire framework of Benedictine spirituality is balance. Most monasteries follow the Rule of St. Benedict.
The life lived in Christ is balanced. Monasteries are superfluous to a serious walk with Christ. I suppose, thouugh, if the church one belongs to isn't doing a good job in teaching the word and training in ministry, then perhaps a short time out for an encounter with God is in order, and if monsateries can provide that, it is a good thing. However, if one is starving in their church, then they need to ask the Lord to lead them somewhere else.
Have you been to a monastery? If you have not, how do you know what they are about or what they offer or teach? I belong to a monastery and am Christ-centered when I am there and when I am home in my parish. However, I have been clear on this thread that monasteries are not places to run away to. You have to be a committed follower of Christ and have a special vocation in order to flourish.
What is that 'special vocation' that one needs to flourish? Right away that smacks of favoritism, which the Lord instructs us against.
Really? Do you reject the idea that Christ needs to call you before you can become a minister? How about a missionary? I believe you have to be call to these vocations if you expect to be blessed and experience success. Or is this favoritism?
All Christians are called to be ministers. The word 'minister' means 'servant'. It is beneficial to really understand what the word says and means. We are all called to be missionaries---as in the great commission---called to preach the gospel to every creature.
We don't have to be called to anything apart from that to obey God.
As far as success goes:
Joshua 1:8
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
We are called by God into specific vocations based on our gifts.
1 Corinthians 12
The entire framework of Benedictine spirituality is balance. Most monasteries follow the Rule of St. Benedict.
Sounds like you are blaming Catholics for Luther adding to scripture.
No, I am simply defending Luther against Rome's attack on justification through faith alone apart from works/law.