RedLetter Christians

[MatthewG]

Just recently heard about Redletter Christians.

Have you ever heard of them before? Apparently it's a section of a group of people that only read the words of Jesus, and do not go any further than that.


Thoughts? Experiences with anyone like this?

Please feel free to share.

 

[Jesus Wept]

Just recently heard about Redletter Christians.

Have you ever heard of them before? Apparently it's a section of a group of people that only read the words of Jesus, and do not go any further than that.


Thoughts? Experiences with anyone like this?

Please feel free to share.

I've heard of them. If that's all the scripture they feel comfortable putting their confidence in, fine with me. If all believers took a similar approach, not to read only the words of Christ, but to obey them, the world would be a far better place. Let's hope obedience is also part of their program.

 

[Lambano]

“Red Letter Christianity” is a reaction against (post-dispensational?) “Paulianity”. I was introduced to both concepts years ago on another forum.

Some of the criticisms of Paul is that he did not know Jesus during His lifetime, appears to have very little knowledge of what Jesus actually taught and considered it irrelevant, and the only aspects of Jesus’s life that are relevant to Paul is His death and resurrection and what it means in the “big picture” story of humanity, sin, and Israel. “Faith” in Jesus has been redefined as intellectual belief and trust in Christ’s atoning death (usually in the form of the Penal Substitution model), and has been decoupled from trust in Jesus Himself.

The purpose of Red Letter theology is to make Jesus’s earthly life relevant again, and to turn Christ back into a real person to be loved and obeyed rather than a mere symbol that is little more than a sacrificial lamb.

Fair criticism?

 

[Rita]

I think the words of Jesus are so important, I often read ‘ His words ‘ in one of my Bible, but to only read those words misses context and the whole story , the whole history of a relationship through its ups and downs.
Not for me xx

 

[David Lamb]

Just recently heard about Redletter Christians.

Have you ever heard of them before? Apparently it's a section of a group of people that only read the words of Jesus, and do not go any further than that.


Thoughts? Experiences with anyone like this?

Please feel free to share.

I have strong reservations about such an idea. Why? Because it casts doubt on the whole bible being God's inspired word. Jesus Himself taught two on the road to Emmaus about Himself from the Old Testament:

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (Lu 24:27 NKJV)

It's all God's word, from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22.

Think, too, of the apostles whose preaching we read of in Acts. They didn't merely quote the words of Jesus, did they?

 

[David in NJ]

Just recently heard about Redletter Christians.

Have you ever heard of them before? Apparently it's a section of a group of people that only read the words of Jesus, and do not go any further than that.


Thoughts? Experiences with anyone like this?

Please feel free to share.

Red all about it

 

[David in NJ]

“Red Letter Christianity” is a reaction against (post-dispensational?) “Paulianity”. I was introduced to both concepts years ago on another forum.

Some of the criticisms of Paul is that he did not know Jesus during His lifetime, appears to have very little knowledge of what Jesus actually taught and considered it irrelevant, and the only aspects of Jesus’s life that are relevant to Paul is His death and resurrection and what it means in the “big picture” story of humanity, sin, and Israel. “Faith” in Jesus has been redefined as intellectual belief and trust in Christ’s atoning death (usually in the form of the Penal Substitution model), and has been decoupled from trust in Jesus Himself.

The purpose of Red Letter theology is to make Jesus’s earthly life relevant again, and to turn Christ back into a real person to be loved and obeyed rather than a mere symbol that is little more than a sacrificial lamb.

Fair criticism?

the only aspects of Jesus’s life that are relevant to Paul is His death and resurrection

Well, we know that is false because of the many things Paul spoke of the Eternal glory of Christ

Paul focused on many things that are all pertinent to the 'big picture'

 

[MatthewG]

Hello @Jesus Wept, @Rita, @David Lamb, @Lambano, @David in NJ

Thank you for your thoughtful comments. I would suggest that adhering strictly to the written words regarding Jesus represents only one aspect of a broader, more comprehensive understanding.

Personally, I find it difficult to relate to experiences such as being cast into a pit, like Joseph, or being sold into bondage. These narratives resonate deeply, and I believe they carry spiritual significance—either within specific elements or in the overarching message of the story itself.

 

[Behold]

Some of the criticisms of Paul is that he did not know Jesus during His lifetime,

Whomever said thet Paul didnt know Jesus during His Lifetime, never read the New Testament.

Paul himself stated that He Knew Jesus. In Fact, it was Jesus Himself who called Paul into a 3 yr sabbatical and personally delivered to Paul......"The Gospel" and the Doctrine for the Church.

 

[Rita]

Hello @Jesus Wept, @Rita, @David Lamb, @Lambano, @David in NJ

Thank you for your thoughtful comments. I would suggest that adhering strictly to the written words regarding Jesus represents only one aspect of a broader, more comprehensive understanding.

Personally, I find it difficult to relate to experiences such as being cast into a pit, like Joseph, or being sold into bondage. These narratives resonate deeply, and I believe they carry spiritual significance—either within specific elements or in the overarching message of the story itself.

There are many events in the OT I find hard to relate to , although the more I understand the original language and context through the patterns that exists throughout its pages I find I discover new spiritual significance.
I value and appreciate the whole history that unfolds in scripture - I still find it strange that a group of Christian’s can just decide that much is just not worth it. - in the scheme of spiritual warfare, then someone other than the Lord is winning in their lives. ( just an opinion )

 

[Lambano]

Thank you for your thoughtful comments. I would suggest that adhering strictly to the written words regarding Jesus represents only one aspect of a broader, more comprehensive understanding.

Just a clarification: You say "the written words regarding Jesus." "Red Letter Christians" focus on the teachings of Jesus. The reference is, of course, to those Bibles that have the words of Jesus written in red letters.

 

[MatthewG]

Just a clarification: You say "the written words regarding Jesus." "Red Letter Christians" focus on the teachings of Jesus. The reference is, of course, to those Bibles that have the words of Jesus written in red letters.

What? I don’t know, Lambano.

Idk what people do with their lives.

God does though.

 

[Lambano]

Whomever said thet Paul didnt know Jesus during His Lifetime, never read the New Testament.

Bible trivia time:

Question: How many times does Paul quote Jesus's teachings? Answer: Once. Twice, the first being Acts 20:35: 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” And this quote is not corroborated in any of the Gospels. (But Jesus could have said it.)

Question: Other than His death and resurrection, how many times does Paul refer to events in Jesus's earthly ministry in his speeches or letters? Answer: Just one. The Lord's Supper. 1 Corinthians 11:23ff: For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." And note that the quote doesn't match what is recorded in the Gospels.

So, Paul obviously didn't follow Jesus before that little Damascus Road incident and either didn't know about what Jesus did and said (and didn't care enough to learn about it), or he didn't consider it significant enough to mention. The only thing he considers significant about Jesus is His death and resurrection. We only have Paul's own testimony that he received some private revelations in the desert.

 

[Behold]

So, Paul obviously didn't follow Jesus before that little Damascus Road incident and either didn't know about what Jesus did and said (and didn't care enough to learn about it),

Paul refers to Himself as "the Chief of sinners"......not because he was sinning, but because In his estimation, the worst type of sinner, the "Chief" of sinners, is a person who was or is killing Christians.
This is what Paul was doing, he was helping them be murdered.
You can read the account of Stephen being stoned to death, and Paul was right there.

When Jesus told Paul.....>>"its hard to kick against the pricks'...........this means that Jesus had been dealing with Paul, before his conversion.... and Paul's conscience was at war with Paul's hyper religion.

or he didn't consider it significant enough to mention. The only thing he considers significant about Jesus is His death and resurrection. We only have Paul's own testimony that he received some private revelations in the desert.

Paul said that "Jesus loved me and died for me".
You forgot that one.

Also, the :"Private revelations" you stated, were 3 yrs long........3 Yrs of Paul receiving from Jesus personal revelation......that created the 13 Epistiles that Paul wrote that make up most of the NT Epistles and all the Church Doctrine, and of course "THe Gospel".

 

[Lambano]

Paul said that "Jesus loved me and died for me".
You forgot that one.

Once again, focusing on Jesus's death, as if dying was the only thing Jesus did or said that mattered.

...and all the Church Doctrine...

Which of course tells Christians they may (and even should!) disobey the Torah that Jesus lived by and affirmed.

and of course "THe Gospel".

Which, as our resident hyper-dispensationalist will tell you, is not the same "Gospel" of the imminent Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed.

3 Yrs of Paul receiving from Jesus personal revelation.....

Yep. The bottom line is that Paul is claiming to be a prophet, and the reader is forced to accept that. Peter and James and a lot of Paul's countrymen did not. They'd been warned about false prophets who would try to lead them astray and the need to remain faithful to God's commands. The Maccabean revolt against Antiochus IV was only a few centuries past.

(Note: The views expressed above are not necessarily the views of the author. How's that for a disclaimer? I am intentionally phrasing this provocatively so that readers will see what the problem is and why there are "red-letter Christians". The narrative that Christ's life and teachings are irrelevant should strike Christians as something desperately wrong.)

 

[Behold]

Once again, focusing on Jesus's death, as if dying was the only thing Jesus did or said that mattered.

Yes, i always focus on The Cross of Christ (Jesus's Death) as without it, there is NO Salvation., there is no Christianity.

Which of course tells Christians they may (and even should!) disobey the Torah that Jesus lived by and affirmed.

The day you keep Moses's 613 Laws, you let us know.
You couldn't name 40 of them, unless you GOOGLED it..

"but i keep the law".

Now you dont.
You just think you do.

Which, as our resident hyper-dispensationalist will tell you, is not the same "Gospel" of the imminent Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed.

Paul's Gospel is Cross Centered........its "The preaching of the Cross".

Yep. The bottom line is that Paul is claiming to be a prophet, and the reader is forced to accept that.

Your interpretation is flawed.
Listen, Paul's Doctrine is the Church Doctrine.

You can't Grow in Grace or in Revelation Knowledge, unless you study Paul's Doctrine, Theology.
This is why Paul told you. to "be a follower of Me, as i follow Christ".

and a pride filled heretic will say,......"well, not ME.....im gonna follow Jesus".

Yeah, ive heard it a few hundred times, or more.....same type always.........>"well, here is what I THINK">..

Got it.

 

[lforrest]

Red letter Christianity sounds like a convinent way to reduce the breadth of scripture so that false doctrines can be introduced without challenge.

 

[MatthewG]

Its like Jesus said this but.......................................................

He was never talking to actual human beings living in that time..................... that generation which would experience the wrath

and that never means anything............................................... (So what)

ever..................................................................... (Jesus is wrong)

yet all the while quoting him.......................... (It's so mind boggling.)

He is talking to me, now today .................................................. (Oh really?) You're not Jewish.


And I better follow his commandments .......................................... spoken to his apostles in that day, which were to go and do things he commanded..............

If you are biblical literalist .......................................... Everything Jesus said must be done (otherwise you aint doing so good.)

You better sell everything otherwise, ....................................... (You aint going to heaven)


You aint making it............................................... (Jesus said this, but Heck with Paul, heck with peter too and James cause they all suckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk and JESUS ROCKS)


This is all satire. PRAY FOR THE WEALTH AND YOU GET IT! CAUSE GOD WILL GIVE YOU YOUR HEARTS DESIRES DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH




Thats all people tend to do who actually don't read the bible. They forget the audience, the context to the audience, and none of that matters to them because it's all to you today!

It was never for them in that day in age... that we just so happen to benefit from.




rolls eyes. This whole post is satire.

 

[DuckieLady]

Just recently heard about Redletter Christians.

Have you ever heard of them before? Apparently it's a section of a group of people that only read the words of Jesus, and do not go any further than that.


Thoughts? Experiences with anyone like this?

Please feel free to share.

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense since a lot of what Jesus said was directly quoting the scriptures.

 

[MatthewG]

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense since a lot of what Jesus said was directly quoting the scriptures.

Hi duckielady,

It's hard to understand what you are saying.