That's in the New Testament already: "You believe....You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble!...You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (James 2:19-20,24) In parable form, Jesus put it this way: "Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand...the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." (Matt 7:26-27)
Seriously, Jesus spent so much of his time calling out the Pharisees for being wolves in sheep's clothing, whited sepulchres, cups that are clean on the outside but dirty on the inside, etc. This concept is very blatantly embedded in Christianity, the New Testament is basically a response to the Jewish leadership living the letter of the law but ignoring the spirit of it.
It seems he has discovered the difference between religion and a partial truth. Unfortunately good intentions are not enough to make you holy and never will be. The point of the Torah is to emphasize that you cannot ever be holy enough. We all need to come under Christ's authority to receive His forgiveness- and His holiness if we want to be saved. Faith is not "believing" in God. It is trusting in God. When you trust in Christ, righteous is the automatic response.
We are not justified by the law or good works, we are justified by FAITH. Galatians 2:16 _"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."_ Good works are a product of salvation ordained by God beforehand, they are not the cause of our salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10 _"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:_ *Not of works, lest any man should boast.* _For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."_ If we could be justified & saved by our works or following the law, we wouldn't need Jesus - He would have died in vain. We will never be "good" enough when perfection is the standard, that's the entire reason Jesus died on the cross.
@angiew2324 (Sigh)...You have to thread the needle, dude. If your faith isn't expressed in how you live your life (i.e., in your works), then you can't prove to anybody (not even yourself) you have faith -- all you can prove is that you know the right answers to doctrinal questions. Even the thief on the cross, who was trapped on a cross and could do no good deeds, at least petitioned Christ for salvation, and that's the reason we know he had faith. You can argue it isn't the doing that justifies, but without the doing you have no evidence of justification, so either way you need the doing, too.
@@MichaelJPartyka I don't think your reply necessarily disputes what I said. It's our faith that saves us, and although others should be able to see it, God knows whether anyone else does or not (I don't mean that to any extreme). After all, similar to the thief, salvation could happen on our deathbed without time to show any fruit. I do agree the fruit from our faith shows others that we're saved - but like I said, good works are the product of our salvation, not the cause. And really they're not even _our_ good works to begin with, they belong to God. All good works are because He is working through us - we can't take the credit for any of it, all credit goes to Him & Him alone. If we could work our way to Heaven, if we were justified by the law/good works then we wouldn't need Jesus. He deserves all the glory! 🥰
YES! Joseph, Mary's husband is a very good example of this. When Mary was found to be pregnant he would have been well within his rights to have her stoned as prescribed in the Torah but the gospels say that because he was a righteous man he'd planned on divorcing her quietly. At this point Joseph didn't know the details of Mary's pregnancy and who knows what had been going through his head at the time. He could have been devastated, felt betrayed, felt publicly humiliated, would have had every reason to want to lash out at Mary but because he was a GOOD man he didn't.
Thank you, Dennis Prager! This Christian loves your insight to the Jewish faith and your thoughtful questions & commentary at both the OT & NT roundtables. I am sharing this with my Muslim friend as we both had just said the very same thing today. 🤍☝️
Agree, I think that the word believe used here is not what is used by the majority of Christian listeners but for how he choose it and put it in the phrase ABSOLUTELY AGREE with him. Be Holy, therefore Be Good.
@@goldensalmon3122 The central message of the gospel is that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way. It is by grace alone that we are saved. Loving Christ is doing what he says, but relying in how "good" of a person you are is by no means the way.
@@sherockow Following him means to walk in his shoes (or sandals, I guess). Do as he did. Serve the lowest and weakest beneath us. Don't serve yourself. Carry your very own cross without complaining and still give and experience love to your fullest potential. I must admit I fail miserably every day.
The Jewish law also has "Love God with your whole being" (the Shema, which Jews literally fasten to themselves) and "love your neighbor as yourself". That seems to preclude being despicable, although Prager has also expressed mystification over the idea of "loving God". Jesus says, "Love one another as I have loved you," i.e., total self-sacrifice is the new standard of behavior, cf. the Sermon on the Mount. On the other hand, salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The question is, what does "faith in Jesus" actually mean? Do you just recite the Sinner's Prayer once and you're permanently good to go? Or is that saying "Lord, Lord!" without his ever knowing you? If you eat his flesh and drink his blood so that you have life in you, is that enough... of course, if you fail to examine yourself you could be bringing destruction on yourself. And some will be saved without even knowing that they know Jesus. What even is salvation? What does it mean to be "least in the Kingdom of God"? Or saved, despite your works being burned away like straw? To be one with Jesus, as he and the Father are one, is literally unimaginable. When Adam and Eve gained "knowledge of good and evil", the first thing they judged as evil was their circumstance of being without clothing, even though nothing had changed except that they'd separated themselves from God.
Christian theology admits - as did the Apostle Paul - that we sometimes do what we don't want to (sins of commission) and we don't do what we ought to do (sins of omission.) There are sects - which we call "legalists" - in Judaism and in Christianity that think they're beyond or above sin. The Law points to our inability to keep it, and our Messiah points to our inability to be self-cleaning without the help of the Spirit of G-D, which we Christians know as the Holy Spirit. No kind of Legalism is redeeming.
The statement "the law points to our inability to keep it" is somewhat misleading, I think. The law makes one cognizant of sin, and let's one know when they have fallen short of the glory of God, but it does not define the full extent of "sin". This means that it is possible to keep the "Law", as it was given to Moses, but still sin. Paul claimed to be "blameless" before the Law, for example. But Paul never claimed to be sinless. Jesus was very fond of pointing out where sin extended beyond the somewhat morally limited Mosaic law (doesn't forbid slavery in all forms, for example).
Because "sin" means "failure" or "making mistake", what we all tend to do anyway. Like, I think it's ok when we do mistakes, because we can learn from that experience and try not do it again.
I would argue that if you truly believe in Jesus and that He died for our sins, then you would be grateful beyond understanding and therefore work on living like Jesus did, trying miserably to become a better person.
That's what true Christians in churches that aren't progressive (think fundamental Baptist churches, and some methodist churches) strive for, and any Pastor preaching the Gospel worth his salt should be driving that point home. But, there's a caveat - try as we might, we live in a fallen world and all fall short of the glory of God. But, Christians should be striving for a pure life. To make it simple" There alot of people who claim to be Christian that are going to hell. As the Bible says, the path is long, and the gate is narrow.
Well... it would seem like if that's gonna be your core idea for "how to" you'd have wanted Jesus to say something resembling it. You know, as a Jesus follower. He didn't. Instead he focused on "which of these twain did the will of his father?" No focus or reference to feelings compelling you to action whatsoever. Not even a hint at it. In fact, the opposite. Jesus warned that everyone professes nice feelings, but few do good.
Belief and acknowledgement are two different things I'd say. If you acknowledge Christ's existence but don't believe in His message you're doomed to live in sin. If you believe in Christ and His message you don't need written laws, you actively start bearing your cross and live more justly.
Correct, but it's not a want to be "good" it is a want to be like Christ because of what He has done for us. We must lean on Jesus Christ in everything. He is the only way! We can never make it alone, we are saved entirely by grace. Jesus' grace is sufficient, not our want to be good being sufficient.
"Holiness is in right action." It's not enough to do good... ...you have to want to do good for the right reason. Faith alone without works (obedience) is dead.
And "If you love Me, feed My sheep." And "Even as you have done to the least of these, so you have done to Me." JESUS talks about this stuff, it's part of whybwe love Him and part of how we know He is the Good God.
@@janehaefner9438 So? Which is true? Are you saying that one verse is false, because it doesn't fit your theology, and the other is true? Works? Faith? Or both. Choose.
@ you are not saved by your works. If you think they do, then you are saying Jesus need help saving your soul. Which is blasphemy. But if you were implying that our faith compels us to want to obey God then yes good works are the natural result of our love for Him.
@@janehaefner9438 You're right. I'm saved (God willing) through my faith in Jesus. That said, faith without works is dead. Faith in cooperation with works. One of my main issues with Protestantism is the apparent willingness to straight up ignore parts of the bible in order to push doctrines that didn't exist until 500 years ago.
The entire idea behind Christianity is: Here is a phenomenally good man who sacrificed in ways we cannot even begin to imagine and you may never reach those heights but you can try! and in trying your life changes incredibly. In trying you have a life long aim. You have a goal that is amazingly good. You will fall over and over again but you're trying. It's like climbing a difficult mountain. Would you rather be climbing the mountain or just sitting at the bottom watching everyone else try? It gives you immense purpose. Human beings need such purpose. It's an amazing story that if pursued wisely will change your life for the better, guaranteed.
@joytrigg9135 I've listened to Dennis for 30+ years. He would deny that praise. He is very knowledgeable about religion. Back in the day he had a weekly show on just religious topics
Following this train of thought, you can be part of the Highest JEDI COUNCIL and be...not aware of Darth Sidious. 😅 Nah, this kind of thinking come from those that only offer salvation to those Who stay by the Law. The moment you start talking ABOUT Who"s gonna be saved, Who IS good enough for God, you place yourself in HIS place. I rather not judge what God Will do out of despicable people like this hellish "gatekepeer". A good person won't allow anybody to judge Who IS good or bad. And it's a Christian core belief that there IS Hope for the bad one, even the mercurian good thieve!!
You MUST lean on Jesus Christ in everything. Your works and attempts to be "good" will never be enough, but Christ's perfect life, death, and resurrection prove His reliability when He said He is the ONLY way.
Just straight facts what the we needs. The sooner you speak this truth to yourself, the more you will experience the peace of Jesus Christ manifesting in your life.
There are many points throughout the NT where it says exactly this. Jesus Himself even states it. Every book of the NT warns against false faith(except one), and the last few epistles before Revelation are specifically warnings about false teachers/believers.
He’s right. I’ve also seen many religious people scrupulous in the law and faith and are simply Not nice. Or worse. I will say- the law in the Torah is to love one’s neighbor as oneself. So the issue is that too many forget that one and technically are not scrupulous
I'm sure everyone gets something different out of what DP is saying. For me, it's about positional vs practical standing with God. The moment you're saved, righteousness is imputed to you. The thief on the cross had no time for works. That's justification. It's your legal standing with God. But what follows should be sanctification as we mature in the way. Not all do, and some even backslide, leading to the chastisement that Paul spoke of (he chastises every son whom he loves Heb 12:6). But ultimately, the Lord is the author and finisher of our faith
How refreshing to hear! It never ceases to boggle my mind how people can live strictly religious lives but still be abusive towards animals or eachother. For example the discarded workhorses from amish farms. And I'll never forget how this man in a restaurant in Morocco who clearly was a practicing muslim was being an absolute shit to a homeless man who was begging for food. I told the waiter to give the homeless man whatever he wanted to eat and to put it on my bill. The other dude told me that the homeless guy was a fraud and he even tried to cancel the order. That's when I asked him where in the quran it said to treat those less fortunate like shit. Another man who'd warched the whole thing happen laughed so hard he hardly was able to say that that dickhead would probably think of me on his deathbed. Funny, but I hope it won't take until then for him to start acting more kindly.
Do not change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect. This is what we can do through Christ Jesus
2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Talk about Authority
Atheist here. I don't know a whole lot about either religion or believe in either, but I 100% agree with this! I respect everyone no matter what and I always try to be a good man and I've met many people that are the exact image of what he's describing. Big props to that discussion👍
@chrishanson1631 dude shut up 😂 I'm old and I think you're just being negative sac of shii lol he's got a good head on his shoulders and it's good to respect people and be nice until they cross you, because not everyone will and you know that. Just because you got hurt boo hoo get some tissues bud not everyone is miserable like you.
As rich as it is coming from Prager, I completely agree, and moreover it is imperative that we understand this. Many people coming into a secular worldview do so out of a realisation that their community and faith ends up leading them astray from "Goodness". The American ideology issues a license to the individual, unbound from any influence of religion, community and family a la Huckleberry Finn, to pursue the good, _for the road to the good can only be undertaken by them._ Though, Prager fails here as an apologist, because the central appeal of religion is that it collects the material and moral worlds under a metaphysical unity, and carving them up cedes any reason to be religious to the atheist. I am an atheist, but I also believe in that unity - I think it's very important.
I couldn't agree more on this. Any person that just sticks blindly to any religion or dogma without willing to be a good person, without willing to act virtuously isn't a believer; to just claim that they have faith, well what sort of faith is that? And I am not saying this as an Orthodox Christian to lower other religions, I try to be a good person, I fight with myself, and I welcome people in my life from any religion that show me with the lives they live that are good.
Faith, and even repentance, is the beginning of your obligation. You can't just wait passively for inspiration to make personal change effortless. Personal change is the opposite of effortless.
Sound advice. One thing missing tho. U shall Be ALL Inclusive 😂 bc Jesus said NO ONE Will Enter the Narrow Gate unless they First get by HIM!! The Blessed Trinity is God. (HAD A MIRACLE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOLY AND BLESSED TABERNACLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH) 🙋🏻♀️🙏 🌟 🕊️
You are right … but faith in Jesus, true conversion produces the fruit of righteousness and fruit of the Spirit , which is love joy peace gentleness kindness long suffering etc. Point being, if someone is not showing these fruits you can question do they have faith in Him and are they really believers in the first place.
This idea is not sourced from the Talmud. He is referring to a 13th Century Kabbalist and Biblical commentator called Moses son of Nachman or Nachmanides (son of Nachman). Known to religious, Jewish, Talmudic learners and researchers as Ramban. His comment appears on the verse in the old testament in Leviticus 19:2. I would advise that you read it, learn it and understand it as he talks about this very important idea.
@ Yeah I wasn't being specific about what Prager is saying, it's more of a general criticism that they won't cover the Talmud in full and truthfully. If they did no Christian who loves Christ would support modern "Jews".
Moses Had to Learn it Too How refreshing. Moses would like this fellow... If we were part American Indian we could read the sign of the Deity's exploitation of his servants' righteous labors and sufferings when He arranged for the unique Inculcation of Moses... And Moses solved philosophically for the mystery of the Light, and hypothesized the physical solution... But it may be conjectured that Moses's frustration of its substantiation, likely combined with an overly intellectual, and less than authentic practice, enabled the devil to arrange opportunity for his fall. These considerations, in view of the Deity's bee-line for the Mount, are noteworthy. And significant was Moses's contradiction of his Lord, and the evidence that his mind and heart had been divided by his Lord for the perfection of his form, and for a testament. Let us also therefore seek that which the world may not see, but that by Faith and Rigor we may know. qed/sel
When he says “it is not sufficient to believe in Jesus”, he is not talking about the true form of belief. No, rather, it’s the shallow form that’s centered on propositional statements, the kinds that we say as if they are well known scientific equations. Oh, how easy it is to be hypocritical. I understand Dennis, I do. Isn’t it wild how we can both be more religious yet less like Jesus in the process? Isn’t it wild how He rewards the most unexpected things, the childlike faith that we overlook?
In the eyes of God with Jesus you are covered in HIS righteousness so No you aren't despicable in Gods eyes. Thank you Jesus for washing us clean and making us pure in your sight.
It is not a law but a relationship. The law , The Ten Commandments,( not the human interpretation of the law ) shows me that I am a sinner and I need to repent. It is in this relationship . that I see myself as a sinner. And I need a redeemer .So God sent a Savior to reconcile the world through him.
The thing Dennis is missing is that when you truly believe in Jesus and ask him to be the center of your life, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and the Spirit guides you. You need to listen and follow that guide, so he's still correct that you can call yourself Christian but do despicable things.
This reminded me of the movie "Time changer", it's the same argument but the other way around. It is not sufficient to be a good person because you can't make your own way to heaven. If you could you would boast about it. Glory only belongs to God. It's because of his gift that we are able to go to heaven.
What is sad is that there is no religion that can give you the power to be or do good. It is only by being united with the Son of God through His death that you are able to be holy. He must live in you and you must die, in order to walk a holy life.
Let's put it this way: If you are the "perfect" christian, you do only good for your fellow humans. If you're the "perfect" muslim, you hold heads in your hand a lot.
God calls us to have a relationship with him and to follow him. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through him. He is telling us that to follow him and be true in our thoughts, words, and actions is the way to the father. He also said, " A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them." Anyone can believe in God or Jesus. But do their actions and words bear this out to be true! Does how they live their lives and how they treat other people show by example that people live by the words and example of Jesus? In simpler terms if they talk the talk, do they walk the walk? Is what they did, what Jesus would have done?
I was always was told that it is not enough to be a good person, you have to believe in Jesus. If you truly believe in Jesus and you truly look for Him, there is no way for you to generally be a bad person.
Born again! When Christians some suddenly so over time realise they are born again we have the Holy Spirit that speak in that small gentle voice in our consciousness long for holiness and righteousness. All works of the flesh are but filthy rags.
So my question as agnostic fella myself is, can a person be holy without following the rules of the Bible or going to church simply because you are a good person and have a desire to be a good person? How is that worse in the eyes of God? A person who goes you church and reads the Bible is better even they gossip and scheme and do not wish to be a good person? Ive always wondered what the differenciating factor was.
Just trying to be good doesn't work and is why we need the sacrifice of Christ and the Holy Spirit to guide us but if you aren't trying to obey the Holy Spirit, who will cause you to do good, then you don't really believe in Jesus.
And the MOST IMPORTANT THING, Dennis, is that it is insufficient to be "good!" The ONLY way to actually be Holy is to "Take up your cross and follow Me!" This ENTIRE exercise of existence is ONLY about joining with the LORD Hashem in Father, Son and Holy Spirit in a walk of Harmonious Beauty!
Pharisees, false prophets, hypocrites, play actors, Goody two shoes, we have all met "religious" people who think they're better than everyone else, look down on others, and think their stuff don't stink. This my brothers and sisters, is not the way. We are here to help save the sinners, it doesn't mean partake in their sins, but it also doesn't mean judge them and separate yourself entirely. Jesus didn't eat with the priests, pharisees and high muckity ducks of the church, he ate with the sinners and the common people.
Let's actually think this through, based on a real example: A young boy is assaulted by a man of the cloth. As a direct result, the boy turns his back on religion. The criminal still believes. According to this interpretation, the criminal is rewarded with an eternity of bliss, the victim suffers an eternity of torment. It's absurd in its face. So, we are forced to ask a series of questions, including: • Is God fundamentally evil? • Can an evil doer be rewarded in spite of their actions? • Is the victim of a believer destined to eternal punishment as a direct result of a crime completely beyond his/her control? It is not possible to be a thoughtful believer without wrestling with these sorts of quandaries.
What constitutes a good person? The law is a mirror that shows us we are dirty. When you look in the mirror at home and it reveals dirt, do you begin scrubbing yourself with the mirror, or do you get in the shower? Only God can clean the filth we create. The idea that we can do it ourselves if we stick to the law, is the moral relativism that Jesus came and showed that practice only makes others suffer under a tyrannical law.
What is so complicated about Christianity? The main idea is that people should be nice to each other. You can’t be despicable if you just follow that part, being nice to other people.
I believe it would be a much better world if everyone just chose to be the best person they can be every day. Why do people think that in order to receive some type of devine reward they need to pretend to be a good person on Sundays or when they think others are watching and they will get some credit for pretending to be nice. Just be a good person when no one is watching, and at the end of the day, you will honestly feel your own sense of reward. I have no use for a made-up set of rules from a book that has been changed to suit peoples thoughts and ideas at the time to best meet some end goal they have. Choose to want to be a good person on your own and then just go and do that.
You can keep the laws of the Torah, you can believe in Jesus, and you can want to be good too. But it all means NOTHING without deliberately putting yourself in the hands of Christ and completely capitulating to His will. The reward, of course, is salvation for eternity. And there is no other way to get that reward.
He's starting to figure it out. I mean, we were given the answer 2000 yrs ago, but some people need to work the solution out for themselves, I suppose. So, good job!
Good and bad are always comparative terms. They can only be defined when compared to another outcome. What is a good person? Why specifically do thoughs actions or in actions make u good or bad? Good for who? Good for what? There is no such thing as a good person or a bad person. A bad thing for u might be the best thing for them. A person's perspective and understanding will influence there will. Amd only when 1 persons will conflicts with another can a comparative listing of outcomes can be measured to detect a "good or bad" If u were the only person on an island or the planet there would be no counter opinions and anything u did would be good. Because it was what u wanted at that time.
Only God is Good. Faith is enough. The great thing about Christianity is that we drop the Torah for Jesus. Hence why i am holy because Jesus God was Holy.
That's in the New Testament already: "You believe....You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble!...You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (James 2:19-20,24)
In parable form, Jesus put it this way: "Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand...the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." (Matt 7:26-27)
Seriously, Jesus spent so much of his time calling out the Pharisees for being wolves in sheep's clothing, whited sepulchres, cups that are clean on the outside but dirty on the inside, etc.
This concept is very blatantly embedded in Christianity, the New Testament is basically a response to the Jewish leadership living the letter of the law but ignoring the spirit of it.
It seems he has discovered the difference between religion and a partial truth. Unfortunately good intentions are not enough to make you holy and never will be. The point of the Torah is to emphasize that you cannot ever be holy enough. We all need to come under Christ's authority to receive His forgiveness- and His holiness if we want to be saved. Faith is not "believing" in God. It is trusting in God. When you trust in Christ, righteous is the automatic response.
We are not justified by the law or good works, we are justified by FAITH.
Galatians 2:16
_"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."_
Good works are a product of salvation ordained by God beforehand, they are not the cause of our salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-10
_"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:_ *Not of works, lest any man should boast.* _For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."_
If we could be justified & saved by our works or following the law, we wouldn't need Jesus - He would have died in vain. We will never be "good" enough when perfection is the standard, that's the entire reason Jesus died on the cross.
@angiew2324 (Sigh)...You have to thread the needle, dude. If your faith isn't expressed in how you live your life (i.e., in your works), then you can't prove to anybody (not even yourself) you have faith -- all you can prove is that you know the right answers to doctrinal questions. Even the thief on the cross, who was trapped on a cross and could do no good deeds, at least petitioned Christ for salvation, and that's the reason we know he had faith. You can argue it isn't the doing that justifies, but without the doing you have no evidence of justification, so either way you need the doing, too.
@@MichaelJPartyka I don't think your reply necessarily disputes what I said. It's our faith that saves us, and although others should be able to see it, God knows whether anyone else does or not (I don't mean that to any extreme). After all, similar to the thief, salvation could happen on our deathbed without time to show any fruit.
I do agree the fruit from our faith shows others that we're saved - but like I said, good works are the product of our salvation, not the cause. And really they're not even _our_ good works to begin with, they belong to God.
All good works are because He is working through us - we can't take the credit for any of it, all credit goes to Him & Him alone. If we could work our way to Heaven, if we were justified by the law/good works then we wouldn't need Jesus. He deserves all the glory! 🥰
YES! Joseph, Mary's husband is a very good example of this. When Mary was found to be pregnant he would have been well within his rights to have her stoned as prescribed in the Torah but the gospels say that because he was a righteous man he'd planned on divorcing her quietly. At this point Joseph didn't know the details of Mary's pregnancy and who knows what had been going through his head at the time. He could have been devastated, felt betrayed, felt publicly humiliated, would have had every reason to want to lash out at Mary but because he was a GOOD man he didn't.
Truth, indeed. I will remember this and strive to be a better person.
Same
You cannot make yourself "Heaven-worthy". Jesus is the only way.
Thank you, Dennis Prager! This Christian loves your insight to the Jewish faith and your thoughtful questions & commentary at both the OT & NT roundtables. I am sharing this with my Muslim friend as we both had just said the very same thing today. 🤍☝️
Come as you are, but dont stay as you came
Both the coming and the staying is not a goodness that springs from ourselves, it's from Christ.
Agree, I think that the word believe used here is not what is used by the majority of Christian listeners but for how he choose it and put it in the phrase ABSOLUTELY AGREE with him. Be Holy, therefore Be Good.
That’s the central message of the gospel
So the central message of the gospel is that you must want to be a good person?
@@goldensalmon3122 The central message of the gospel is that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way. It is by grace alone that we are saved. Loving Christ is doing what he says, but relying in how "good" of a person you are is by no means the way.
@@sherockow Following him means to walk in his shoes (or sandals, I guess).
Do as he did. Serve the lowest and weakest beneath us. Don't serve yourself.
Carry your very own cross without complaining and still give and experience love to your fullest potential.
I must admit I fail miserably every day.
The Jewish law also has "Love God with your whole being" (the Shema, which Jews literally fasten to themselves) and "love your neighbor as yourself".
That seems to preclude being despicable, although Prager has also expressed mystification over the idea of "loving God".
Jesus says, "Love one another as I have loved you," i.e., total self-sacrifice is the new standard of behavior, cf. the Sermon on the Mount.
On the other hand, salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
The question is, what does "faith in Jesus" actually mean?
Do you just recite the Sinner's Prayer once and you're permanently good to go?
Or is that saying "Lord, Lord!" without his ever knowing you?
If you eat his flesh and drink his blood so that you have life in you, is that enough... of course, if you fail to examine yourself you could be bringing destruction on yourself.
And some will be saved without even knowing that they know Jesus.
What even is salvation?
What does it mean to be "least in the Kingdom of God"?
Or saved, despite your works being burned away like straw?
To be one with Jesus, as he and the Father are one, is literally unimaginable.
When Adam and Eve gained "knowledge of good and evil", the first thing they judged as evil was their circumstance of being without clothing, even though nothing had changed except that they'd separated themselves from God.
Christian theology admits - as did the Apostle Paul - that we sometimes do what we don't want to (sins of commission) and we don't do what we ought to do (sins of omission.)
There are sects - which we call "legalists" - in Judaism and in Christianity that think they're beyond or above sin. The Law points to our inability to keep it, and our Messiah points to our inability to be self-cleaning without the help of the Spirit of G-D, which we Christians know as the Holy Spirit.
No kind of Legalism is redeeming.
Which Christian sects are legalists?
@@instantsiv Many Roman Catholics believe that actions save.
The statement "the law points to our inability to keep it" is somewhat misleading, I think. The law makes one cognizant of sin, and let's one know when they have fallen short of the glory of God, but it does not define the full extent of "sin". This means that it is possible to keep the "Law", as it was given to Moses, but still sin. Paul claimed to be "blameless" before the Law, for example. But Paul never claimed to be sinless. Jesus was very fond of pointing out where sin extended beyond the somewhat morally limited Mosaic law (doesn't forbid slavery in all forms, for example).
Because "sin" means "failure" or "making mistake", what we all tend to do anyway. Like, I think it's ok when we do mistakes, because we can learn from that experience and try not do it again.
@@MasterArkannorThe Catechism, which explicitly outlines what Catholics believe, states otherwise
Powerful - "you must want to be a good person"
I would argue that if you truly believe in Jesus and that He died for our sins, then you would be grateful beyond understanding and therefore work on living like Jesus did, trying miserably to become a better person.
That's what true Christians in churches that aren't progressive (think fundamental Baptist churches, and some methodist churches) strive for, and any Pastor preaching the Gospel worth his salt should be driving that point home. But, there's a caveat - try as we might, we live in a fallen world and all fall short of the glory of God. But, Christians should be striving for a pure life. To make it simple"
There alot of people who claim to be Christian that are going to hell. As the Bible says, the path is long, and the gate is narrow.
You would be grateful, but then accepting gratitude is another massive process.
Well... it would seem like if that's gonna be your core idea for "how to" you'd have wanted Jesus to say something resembling it. You know, as a Jesus follower. He didn't. Instead he focused on "which of these twain did the will of his father?" No focus or reference to feelings compelling you to action whatsoever. Not even a hint at it. In fact, the opposite. Jesus warned that everyone professes nice feelings, but few do good.
So true. Someone had to say it, and I am happy he described it so well for all to understand and avoid misinterpretation. Good job. Bravo.
Belief and acknowledgement are two different things I'd say. If you acknowledge Christ's existence but don't believe in His message you're doomed to live in sin.
If you believe in Christ and His message you don't need written laws, you actively start bearing your cross and live more justly.
TRANSFORMATION is a continuous theme of the saving gospel!
Yes! Sanctification, becoming more and more like Christ ❤
Correct, but it's not a want to be "good" it is a want to be like Christ because of what He has done for us. We must lean on Jesus Christ in everything. He is the only way! We can never make it alone, we are saved entirely by grace. Jesus' grace is sufficient, not our want to be good being sufficient.
Amen! ❤
@@sherockowAMEN! ❤
Indeed. You have to have your heart turn towards God. You honor God with your thoughts, intentions and good actions towards yourself and others.
"Holiness is in right action."
It's not enough to do good...
...you have to want to do good for the right reason.
Faith alone without works (obedience) is dead.
And "If you love Me, feed My sheep." And "Even as you have done to the least of these, so you have done to Me." JESUS talks about this stuff, it's part of whybwe love Him and part of how we know He is the Good God.
not obedience, but practice
if you want to do good then do it in honest way
if you mean good then do it
This statement shocked me into realizing there needs to be this purpose in my life. Do good.
Without works, faith is dead.
Even your best works are like filthy rags to a Holy God.
@@janehaefner9438 So? Which is true? Are you saying that one verse is false, because it doesn't fit your theology, and the other is true?
Works? Faith? Or both. Choose.
@ you are not saved by your works. If you think they do, then you are saying Jesus need help saving your soul. Which is blasphemy. But if you were implying that our faith compels us to want to obey God then yes good works are the natural result of our love for Him.
@@janehaefner9438 You're right. I'm saved (God willing) through my faith in Jesus. That said, faith without works is dead. Faith in cooperation with works. One of my main issues with Protestantism is the apparent willingness to straight up ignore parts of the bible in order to push doctrines that didn't exist until 500 years ago.
@ it’s not ignored by all of us , but I’m happy to say my salvation is complete through the work on the cross.
I agree 100%. Thank you for your teaching and wisdom. God bless
The entire idea behind Christianity is: Here is a phenomenally good man who sacrificed in ways we cannot even begin to imagine and you may never reach those heights but you can try! and in trying your life changes incredibly. In trying you have a life long aim. You have a goal that is amazingly good. You will fall over and over again but you're trying. It's like climbing a difficult mountain. Would you rather be climbing the mountain or just sitting at the bottom watching everyone else try? It gives you immense purpose. Human beings need such purpose. It's an amazing story that if pursued wisely will change your life for the better, guaranteed.
Although Prager isn't a theologian I have learned much more than just this from the man. Great wisdom
Actually, he is a theologian.
@joytrigg9135 I've listened to Dennis for 30+ years. He would deny that praise. He is very knowledgeable about religion. Back in the day he had a weekly show on just religious topics
He just answered the question of “Why do people call themselves Christians and still sin?” perfectly… debate over.
Following this train of thought, you can be part of the Highest JEDI COUNCIL and be...not aware of Darth Sidious. 😅 Nah, this kind of thinking come from those that only offer salvation to those Who stay by the Law. The moment you start talking ABOUT Who"s gonna be saved, Who IS good enough for God, you place yourself in HIS place. I rather not judge what God Will do out of despicable people like this hellish "gatekepeer". A good person won't allow anybody to judge Who IS good or bad. And it's a Christian core belief that there IS Hope for the bad one, even the mercurian good thieve!!
Because you must want to live uprightly.
You MUST lean on Jesus Christ in everything. Your works and attempts to be "good" will never be enough, but Christ's perfect life, death, and resurrection prove His reliability when He said He is the ONLY way.
I believe most of them have gone or will go for the mark of the beast. Yet they call themselves Christians.
No.
Wooooooooooo so deep !!!!!!!!! Dennis is so brilliant ❤
Just straight facts what the we needs. The sooner you speak this truth to yourself, the more you will experience the peace of Jesus Christ manifesting in your life.
There are many points throughout the NT where it says exactly this. Jesus Himself even states it. Every book of the NT warns against false faith(except one), and the last few epistles before Revelation are specifically warnings about false teachers/believers.
He’s right. I’ve also seen many religious people scrupulous in the law and faith and are simply Not nice. Or worse. I will say- the law in the Torah is to love one’s neighbor as oneself. So the issue is that too many forget that one and technically are not scrupulous
I'm sure everyone gets something different out of what DP is saying. For me, it's about positional vs practical standing with God. The moment you're saved, righteousness is imputed to you. The thief on the cross had no time for works. That's justification. It's your legal standing with God. But what follows should be sanctification as we mature in the way. Not all do, and some even backslide, leading to the chastisement that Paul spoke of (he chastises every son whom he loves Heb 12:6). But ultimately, the Lord is the author and finisher of our faith
How refreshing to hear! It never ceases to boggle my mind how people can live strictly religious lives but still be abusive towards animals or eachother. For example the discarded workhorses from amish farms. And I'll never forget how this man in a restaurant in Morocco who clearly was a practicing muslim was being an absolute shit to a homeless man who was begging for food. I told the waiter to give the homeless man whatever he wanted to eat and to put it on my bill. The other dude told me that the homeless guy was a fraud and he even tried to cancel the order. That's when I asked him where in the quran it said to treat those less fortunate like shit. Another man who'd warched the whole thing happen laughed so hard he hardly was able to say that that dickhead would probably think of me on his deathbed. Funny, but I hope it won't take until then for him to start acting more kindly.
Do not change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.
This is what we can do through Christ Jesus
This was a godsent video, thank you
2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Talk about Authority
Atheist here. I don't know a whole lot about either religion or believe in either, but I 100% agree with this! I respect everyone no matter what and I always try to be a good man and I've met many people that are the exact image of what he's describing. Big props to that discussion👍
You must be young. You will eventually have a reason to not respect someone anymore. Give it time.
@chrishanson1631 dude shut up 😂 I'm old and I think you're just being negative sac of shii lol he's got a good head on his shoulders and it's good to respect people and be nice until they cross you, because not everyone will and you know that. Just because you got hurt boo hoo get some tissues bud not everyone is miserable like you.
Amen! I desire to be holy!
EPHESIANS 6:13
Therefore take up the whole armor of GOD, that you will will able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to Stand. "
We are good people. We don’t do anyone wrong, and we care about everyone. Evil people are cursed for doing us wrong.
As rich as it is coming from Prager, I completely agree, and moreover it is imperative that we understand this. Many people coming into a secular worldview do so out of a realisation that their community and faith ends up leading them astray from "Goodness". The American ideology issues a license to the individual, unbound from any influence of religion, community and family a la Huckleberry Finn, to pursue the good, _for the road to the good can only be undertaken by them._ Though, Prager fails here as an apologist, because the central appeal of religion is that it collects the material and moral worlds under a metaphysical unity, and carving them up cedes any reason to be religious to the atheist. I am an atheist, but I also believe in that unity - I think it's very important.
Stop, friends, this isn't the Gospel.
I couldn't agree more on this. Any person that just sticks blindly to any religion or dogma without willing to be a good person, without willing to act virtuously isn't a believer; to just claim that they have faith, well what sort of faith is that? And I am not saying this as an Orthodox Christian to lower other religions, I try to be a good person, I fight with myself, and I welcome people in my life from any religion that show me with the lives they live that are good.
Faith, and even repentance, is the beginning of your obligation. You can't just wait passively for inspiration to make personal change effortless. Personal change is the opposite of effortless.
Being good is difficult. That’s why a lot of people aren’t interested in it. They seek the path of least resistance
You cannot despicable if you are truly faithful to Christ with all your works
Sound advice. One thing missing tho. U shall Be ALL Inclusive 😂 bc Jesus said NO ONE Will Enter the Narrow Gate unless they First get by HIM!! The Blessed Trinity is God. (HAD A MIRACLE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOLY AND BLESSED TABERNACLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH) 🙋🏻♀️🙏 🌟 🕊️
You are right … but faith in Jesus, true conversion produces the fruit of righteousness and fruit of the Spirit , which is love joy peace gentleness kindness long suffering etc. Point being, if someone is not showing these fruits you can question do they have faith in Him and are they really believers in the first place.
Best words to come out of his mouth.
Hah ok yeah… so when is the session focused on the Talmud?
This idea is not sourced from the Talmud. He is referring to a 13th Century Kabbalist and Biblical commentator called Moses son of Nachman or Nachmanides (son of Nachman). Known to religious, Jewish, Talmudic learners and researchers as Ramban. His comment appears on the verse in the old testament in Leviticus 19:2. I would advise that you read it, learn it and understand it as he talks about this very important idea.
Although the Talmud does refer to this idea in passing and makes many inferences to this idea.
@ Yeah I wasn't being specific about what Prager is saying, it's more of a general criticism that they won't cover the Talmud in full and truthfully. If they did no Christian who loves Christ would support modern "Jews".
Amen to that brother 🙏
Moses Had to Learn it Too
How refreshing. Moses would like this fellow...
If we were part American Indian we could read the sign of the Deity's exploitation of his servants' righteous labors and sufferings when He arranged for the unique Inculcation of Moses...
And Moses solved philosophically for the mystery of the Light, and hypothesized the physical solution...
But it may be conjectured that Moses's frustration of its substantiation, likely combined with an overly intellectual, and less than authentic practice, enabled the devil to arrange opportunity for his fall.
These considerations, in view of the Deity's bee-line for the Mount, are noteworthy. And significant was Moses's contradiction of his Lord, and the evidence that his mind and heart had been divided by his Lord for the perfection of his form, and for a testament.
Let us also therefore seek that which the world may not see, but that by Faith and Rigor we may know.
qed/sel
What is the music
“It doesn’t violate the rules, but it violates the spirit of the rules”.mp4
I believe most people are preoccupied with being good❤
Scrupulosity is born out of a preoccupation with being good!
When he says “it is not sufficient to believe in Jesus”, he is not talking about the true form of belief. No, rather, it’s the shallow form that’s centered on propositional statements, the kinds that we say as if they are well known scientific equations. Oh, how easy it is to be hypocritical. I understand Dennis, I do. Isn’t it wild how we can both be more religious yet less like Jesus in the process? Isn’t it wild how He rewards the most unexpected things, the childlike faith that we overlook?
Well said!
In the eyes of God with Jesus you are covered in HIS righteousness so No you aren't despicable in Gods eyes. Thank you Jesus for washing us clean and making us pure in your sight.
It is not a law but a relationship.
The law , The Ten Commandments,( not the human interpretation of the law ) shows me that I am a sinner and I need to repent.
It is in this relationship . that I see myself as a sinner. And I need a redeemer .So God sent a Savior to reconcile the world through him.
The thing Dennis is missing is that when you truly believe in Jesus and ask him to be the center of your life, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and the Spirit guides you. You need to listen and follow that guide, so he's still correct that you can call yourself Christian but do despicable things.
Well said Sir🏆🏆🏆
Abraham trusted God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
This reminded me of the movie "Time changer", it's the same argument but the other way around.
It is not sufficient to be a good person because you can't make your own way to heaven. If you could you would boast about it. Glory only belongs to God. It's because of his gift that we are able to go to heaven.
"most people are not preoccupied with being good"
is prager doing okay?
The definition of good changes from person to person, the only definition that matters is what makes you right before God. That is to be Holy.
What is sad is that there is no religion that can give you the power to be or do good. It is only by being united with the Son of God through His death that you are able to be holy. He must live in you and you must die, in order to walk a holy life.
Want to be a good person? Or…something like committed to listening and obeying the divine good within you?
Let's put it this way:
If you are the "perfect" christian, you do only good for your fellow humans.
If you're the "perfect" muslim, you hold heads in your hand a lot.
I am amazed at how many people get confused about that matter.
God calls us to have a relationship with him and to follow him. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through him. He is telling us that to follow him and be true in our thoughts, words, and actions is the way to the father.
He also said, " A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them." Anyone can believe in God or Jesus. But do their actions and words bear this out to be true! Does how they live their lives and how they treat other people show by example that people live by the words and example of Jesus?
In simpler terms if they talk the talk, do they walk the walk? Is what they did, what Jesus would have done?
@@johnnastrom9400well said and I was brought up Catholic. I see so many so called Christians talking the talk but not walking the walk.
I was always was told that it is not enough to be a good person, you have to believe in Jesus. If you truly believe in Jesus and you truly look for Him, there is no way for you to generally be a bad person.
Mankind's definition of good and God's definition of good are worlds apart.
Sanctification is the process of becoming Holy and that takes effort
Born again! When Christians some suddenly so over time realise they are born again we have the Holy Spirit that speak in that small gentle voice in our consciousness long for holiness and righteousness. All works of the flesh are but filthy rags.
So my question as agnostic fella myself is, can a person be holy without following the rules of the Bible or going to church simply because you are a good person and have a desire to be a good person? How is that worse in the eyes of God? A person who goes you church and reads the Bible is better even they gossip and scheme and do not wish to be a good person? Ive always wondered what the differenciating factor was.
Belief in Jesus IS sufficient but belief is proven through both actions and words not just words.
Thanks for making the point for Catholicism faith AND works 🙌🙌
Holy simply means “set apart”
Be set apart from the world as I am set apart.
He has my applause. I wish all religious people thought like that.
Just trying to be good doesn't work and is why we need the sacrifice of Christ and the Holy Spirit to guide us but if you aren't trying to obey the Holy Spirit, who will cause you to do good, then you don't really believe in Jesus.
It is repeated in the New Testament", be holy for I am holy..."
“All called to holiness” as would say St Josemaria
❤❤❤🙏🙌✨️
Dwell, stay with and be shut up with God, in His presence, through the blood of the lamb and you will walk and want to walk a holy life.
An intelligent question...incredibly no less. You must want to be a good person requires that we define what constitutes good behavior.
And the MOST IMPORTANT THING, Dennis, is that it is insufficient to be "good!" The ONLY way to actually be Holy is to "Take up your cross and follow Me!" This ENTIRE exercise of existence is ONLY about joining with the LORD Hashem in Father, Son and Holy Spirit in a walk of Harmonious Beauty!
Pharisees, false prophets, hypocrites, play actors, Goody two shoes, we have all met "religious" people who think they're better than everyone else, look down on others, and think their stuff don't stink. This my brothers and sisters, is not the way. We are here to help save the sinners, it doesn't mean partake in their sins, but it also doesn't mean judge them and separate yourself entirely. Jesus didn't eat with the priests, pharisees and high muckity ducks of the church, he ate with the sinners and the common people.
In which case is religion required at all?
Let's actually think this through, based on a real example:
A young boy is assaulted by a man of the cloth.
As a direct result, the boy turns his back on religion. The criminal still believes.
According to this interpretation, the criminal is rewarded with an eternity of bliss, the victim suffers an eternity of torment.
It's absurd in its face.
So, we are forced to ask a series of questions, including:
• Is God fundamentally evil?
• Can an evil doer be rewarded in spite of their actions?
• Is the victim of a believer destined to eternal punishment as a direct result of a crime completely beyond his/her control?
It is not possible to be a thoughtful believer without wrestling with these sorts of quandaries.
What constitutes a good person? The law is a mirror that shows us we are dirty. When you look in the mirror at home and it reveals dirt, do you begin scrubbing yourself with the mirror, or do you get in the shower? Only God can clean the filth we create. The idea that we can do it ourselves if we stick to the law, is the moral relativism that Jesus came and showed that practice only makes others suffer under a tyrannical law.
Amen to that
Real faith = real faith in Yeshua.
What is so complicated about Christianity? The main idea is that people should be nice to each other. You can’t be despicable if you just follow that part, being nice to other people.
BINGO !! That is correct good sir !!!
Well said and the truth
I believe it would be a much better world if everyone just chose to be the best person they can be every day. Why do people think that in order to receive some type of devine reward they need to pretend to be a good person on Sundays or when they think others are watching and they will get some credit for pretending to be nice. Just be a good person when no one is watching, and at the end of the day, you will honestly feel your own sense of reward. I have no use for a made-up set of rules from a book that has been changed to suit peoples thoughts and ideas at the time to best meet some end goal they have. Choose to want to be a good person on your own and then just go and do that.
You can keep the laws of the Torah, you can believe in Jesus, and you can want to be good too. But it all means NOTHING without deliberately putting yourself in the hands of Christ and completely capitulating to His will. The reward, of course, is salvation for eternity. And there is no other way to get that reward.
So, faith alone, is no longer an easy way out.
He's starting to figure it out. I mean, we were given the answer 2000 yrs ago, but some people need to work the solution out for themselves, I suppose. So, good job!
Good and bad are always comparative terms. They can only be defined when compared to another outcome.
What is a good person?
Why specifically do thoughs actions or in actions make u good or bad?
Good for who?
Good for what?
There is no such thing as a good person or a bad person. A bad thing for u might be the best thing for them. A person's perspective and understanding will influence there will. Amd only when 1 persons will conflicts with another can a comparative listing of outcomes can be measured to detect a "good or bad"
If u were the only person on an island or the planet there would be no counter opinions and anything u did would be good. Because it was what u wanted at that time.
Preoccupation with being and doing good is essentially good but it's not The Way, Jesus is.
Totally agree 👍
Wow, saying that just because you apply the words themselves, you can still do bad... This is actually hard
Only God is Good. Faith is enough. The great thing about Christianity is that we drop the Torah for Jesus. Hence why i am holy because Jesus God was Holy.