Because they don't see us all as Pilgrims at different stages on the journey, or people who are simply limited by nature and doing their best with what capabilities they have been giving.

They don't actually believe that faith is enough for eternal life, even if it is as small as a mustard seed. That's the part that they _literally_ skip over. 😏

> So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

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The faith can be tiny and still grant you superhuman strength because the strength comes from the Holy Spirit, not from you. Just as eternal salvation comes from Christ and not from what you think about some particular passage in the Bible. He doesn't need our help to save us.

We simply face the decision of whether we accept that salvation and join Him in the Light forever, or stay apart and alone, in the Dark, outside of communion with Him. We have to consciously choose, even if we don't really understand it or have questions.

Literally.

And I think they miss out on people's gifts and talents, by demanding too much perfection in one particular thing.

Like, churches that are highly charismatic and don't want you around because you're too introverted and spergy, or whatever. Dealt with that, once. Because it _literally_ says that we can speak in tongues and I'm like, sorry I got nothing. I don't even hear voices, when I pray. I'll just see myself out.

That is a definite problem. (If we go back to the Bible it does talk about God giving different people different gifts and to not just focus on one particular gift. With every disagreement, we need to go back to the Bible.).

God gave us each different gifts and talents. He leads us to sanctification along different paths (all through Jesus). We all tend to focus on the stuff we are good at and look down on people who aren't doing as well in that area. Frequently the person who isn't as strong in our area of strength, is much stronger than us in another area.

And, like, I don't think He necessarily meant a _literal_ mountain. I think it's a metaphor for a hard task. I'm open to it including literal mountains, tho. Maybe they are also needing some moving or something, so mountain moving happens.

Faith is all you need for salvation, but true faith should lead to action. Knowing and living God's word leads to fruitfulness. I don't want to slip by with the minimum. After all God did for me, I want to give Him my all. (Definitely not saying you aren't. I know your faith in God is a key point in your life.)

I agree.

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:14-26

(Looking forward to being able to put some 30041 notes here, instead of copy-paste. 😁)

Definitely.

You are 100% right that we are all at different stages of growth in Christ. That being said, you don't want the brand new Christian, who has very limited understanding of the Bible, Jesus, God, etc. to be teaching other believers.

Not allowing an immature Christian shouldn't be taken as putting them down. An immature Christian should spend their time learning, praying, and growing closer to Jesus not leading, teaching, or discipling. Later in life, they may be the one teaching or God may have another task for them like hospitality, and care giving of those who are physically, mentally, and spiritually hurting.

It all goes back to the passage about the body of Christ. We aren't all eyes or mouth, or feet, but all are important even if not all get the same attention and praise.

Here's the thing: I think Christians who have matured continue to have different talents and they live out their faith with different sets of works.

I have a talent for creating welcoming, inviting spaces, online and offline, so that's what I focus on, by being a sextant and running the parish website. I also have a talent for being a systems analyst, so that's also what I put my focus on. That's why I'm concentrating on digitizing and distributing the Bible on an uncensorable data storage system on Nostr, and making it readable over an open-source interface on git, so that everyone, everywhere can get hold of a copy, read it, and share it with their frens, and jump into the Bible study section and tell me everything I'm saying that is wrong. 😁

The Bible is not the project, but it was the impetus for the project and probably a big factor in the longevity of the project because building the first three minor releases of Alexandria and then spinning it off into #Biblestr is something that really motivates because it feels like building a digital cathedral.

I don't find it perturbing that people think my personal theological views are wrong. I've spent decades thinking them through and researching them, as have those defending the counter-argument. I find it perturbing that they think that they mean that I'm not a Christian. Because I think it's obvious that I'm Christian, otherwise my behavior makes no sense, at all.

I believe you are a Christian (even if we have some theological differences). I also think your spiritual gift is hospitality (as described above). I also think you can do a lot of good for the kingdom using that gift.