What I meant is, who or what does the trinity serve in scheme of things? If the trinity belief is a club, what does this club actually DO to serve humanity and help strengthen communities? Is it doing anything to actually make this world a better place?
This debate could go on until the Second Coming, lol! The question I ask is what are the "club's" ACTIONS that help others while they're alive here on earth?
By becoming a member of the select club, I take it to mean those who are born again. The phrase is deliberately confrontational as it suggests a supernatural encounter with God that causes a new spiritual identity to be created. Galatians 2 puts it far better…
“ 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
I came to faith when I was perhaps 10 years old listening to an
old cassette. Nobody told me that Jesus was God - to start with I just knew he was my Saviour, but as I began to know the Lord, without anyone really telling me, it made sense.
What does being “born again” even mean and what does it actually accomplish?
I have a mental image of a medieval town, with a controlling tyrant holed up far out of sight in a heavily protected central building.
From this building, the despot has been able to exert power over the whole town. Parts of it had been able to shake off control from time to time (rather like in the Hunger Games) but before long the troops would march in and things would be back to normal.
I then imagine a crack SAS unit moving in, getting past the defences, killing the tyrant and installing a new leader. The rest of the town might wake up and find nothing changed on the streets the next morning, but over time things may be very different.
I believe that in a way, WE are this town, once occupied by our sinful nature inherited from the Fall, and the results that sin and influences have had on the various districts of our lives. Those of us who are born again have had a new leader installed in the centre and our life is to go with him and take back the town to become something someone from outside might see the difference.
I love the verse “Christ IN us, the hope of glory” as it is only the work of Jesus that changes and develops us. Some faiths are “sideways” inasmuch as they spend all their time correcting and chastising believers in their faith communities about various infringements.
Christianity is an “inside out” faith where the reality of a reborn spirit works out into observable changes that others see. I believe it is the Holy Spirit who is the one who brings changes in believers lives, talking with the inner man of the heart. With our own towns very much a work of transformation in progress, we should take care when judging others, as in the end it will be the Lord who will judge the quality of our works.
It must be honestly noted that some people who are “saved” make no earthly difference at all. Perhaps in this analogy they sit comfortably in the knowledge that their spiritual town has a new leader, but never go out and take back ground, which is a tragedy.
I have never been very fond of
religion as I think that often religious observance is social action is done out of fear and a desire to be accounted “
good enough”. Instead, gratitude for the gift of eternal life should be our motivation for good works done out of a heart of love.