Abrahamic Religions Paper
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Kirkwood Community College *
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101
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Religion
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
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3
Uploaded by CommodoreSeaLion3956
Alexa Mumma
Survey of World Religions
Peter Juahiainen 21 November 2023 Christianity
Jesus, the Son and the exact image of God is presented as a self-sacrificial, forgiving, and
loving individual. Jesus displays his character to the world by being a friend to sinners and outcasts, but ultimately by his death on the cross, which was the punishment for the worst criminal offenses. He emphasizes to his disciples that they must show the same self-sacrificial, forgiving, and loving character he did before he was crucified on the cross. The Gospel of Mark 8:34 reads, “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” To this day, Christians reflect on this verse and hold themselves to this standard, but what does denying themselves and “taking up their cross” mean? For followers to deny themselves and pick up their cross is both a sacrifice and a commitment to God. The cross symbolizes the sacrifice Jesus made to bring atonement for sins. When Jesus asks his followers to deny themselves and take up their cross, he is ultimately asking them to make a sacrifice. He is asking his followers to give up their lives, as he did for them on the cross.
For followers to deny themselves they must die a death of self, meaning they give up their hopes,
dreams, and desires. When individuals die a death of self they become God-focused rather than self-focused. Their perspective shifts from enhancing their own life to advancing the kingdom of God. For followers to deny themselves and pick up their cross requires obedience and humility; they must humble themselves and recognize they need a savior, who is Jesus.
The cross symbolizes the suffering Jesus experienced because of the love he held for the people of the world. Jesus emphasizes to his followers that they must show the same self-
sacrificial love that he showed the world. Above all, followers must love and honor God throughout their daily lives. When picking up their cross, followers must be willing to go through pain and humiliation if it means they are obedient to God’s calling on their lives. Individuals must be willing to risk their whole lives to see the end goal of achieving eternal life with God. Followers should not see picking up their cross as a burden from God but as an opportunity to grow deeper in their connection with God. For followers to take up their cross daily looks like continuously making an effort to connect with God. As followers’ relationship with the Creator is strengthened, they become more committed to him. As their commitment grows, as well does their desire to look more like Jesus: a loving, forgiving, and self-sacrificial individual. I believe the character of society would be completely changed if the values of this central Christian message were presented in individuals. If these values were held, the society we
are a part of would be more accepting, understanding, forgiving, and loving. When holding these values there would be an end to division between individuals, such as by political parties. As the division between individuals comes to an end, society can experience unity with one another which will bring overall cohesion to the community. Cohesion is especially important for a society to properly function and be successful. By holding these values presented through Jesus, a society can dissolve division, embrace unity and cohesion, and succeed. For the Christian faith, the cross is a symbol of sacrifice which brings atonement for sins. The cross serves as a reminder for Christians of the suffering Jesus experienced for their welfare.
Individuals holding the values of this central Christian message would bring society to be more
accepting, understanding, forgiving, and loving toward one another. In Christianity, the Gospel of
Mark 8:34 which reads “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me,” may hold a unique meaning to each follower. All in all, when Jesus asks his disciples to deny themselves and pick up their cross, he is asking them to make a sacrifice and commitment to the kingdom of God.
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