The Gospel of Thomas

[mutzrein]

My faith is in Christ, the son of the living God who has given me His Spirit.

What specific steps do you take to have faith in God? I.e. how specifically do you have faith in Christ?

If you mean what did I do to get faith. Nothing. By God's grace I received it as a gift.

 

[PDoug]

If you mean what did I do to get faith. Nothing. By God's grace I received it as a gift.

What actions or steps do you understand comprise having faith?

 

[PDoug]

The Gospel of Thomas containts little of what traits mark second century Gnosticism. Thomas is devoid of the complex mythology, the archons, the pleroma, the demiurgos, and other ideas that are central to Gnostic philosophy, which suggests a much earlier date.

Based on the work of scholars, the Early Christian Writings web site estimate that the Gospel of Thomas was written between 50 and 140 C.E.

The thing is that there are many scriptures that are surfacing on the web that support many of the things written in Gnostic scriptures, and show that early Gnostic scriptures are just more deeply inspired works of God, than even those presented in the Bible. I’m not saying that Gnostic scriptures trump the scriptures in the Bible (as I regard scriptures in the Bible as fundamental): what I’m saying rather is that early Gnostic scriptures are simply more deeply inspired works of God. The Catholic Church systematically eliminated all early Gnostic works, and independent works that corroborated things written about in Gnostic scriptures, because it found it in its political interest to do so.

 

[thessalonian]

You people crack me up some days with your anti-catholicsm. Everything is a Catholic conspiracy. Then again some days it saddens me greatly. You are so closed to the truth. Looking for it in the writings of heretics. : Doesn't it seem odd to any of you that the Catholic Church is what you all use to excuse having completely different and contradictory versions of the truth?

 

[mutzrein]

If you mean what did I do to get faith. Nothing. By God's grace I received it as a gift.

What actions or steps do you understand comprise having faith?

One day a child of mine asked me, “Dad, why are we so poor?†I said, “What makes you think we are poor?†And he told me of all the things others he knew, did and had. So I said to him, “Son, when you go bed at night you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll be warm and safe in your bed. It’s already provided for you. When you wake up in the morning, you don’t have to worry about whether there will be breakfast for you. It’s already provided. The clothes you wear, your food, your schooling, the home you live in and the security of a father that loves you. They are all yours. You have everything you need. “And,†I said, “this is the same relationship I have with my heavenly father. As I walk in the provision of his love every day I know that all of my needs have already been met. And yours are too.â€Â

And this is what faith is. We don’t have to worry about anything because we know that while we walk in the provision of a loving heavenly Father, whatever the circumstance, He cares and will provide for His own. And so our lives become a walk of faith. We don’t have to strive. We don’t have to worry. We just need to dwell in Him. And this is the righteousness that we have in Christ. To those who are His son’s and daughters, His provision has already been made.

By Gods grace, through Christ alone, we have been born into His family as sons and heirs of the living God. And by reason of our relationship to Him, the gift of faith enables us to dwell in His provision day by day. We don’t have to strive. We don’t have to be anxious for anything because we know God will, rather, has already provided. And this is the inheritance we have through Christ. It is our confidence that even as the gospel was preached in advance to Abraham, the man of faith - to whom God credited righteousness because he believed God and trusted in His provision. This is the same righteousness imputed to us by faith that is inherent in any child who trusts in the provision of all things from his father.

So, faith is not an act of the will or even a state of mind. It is position of implicit trust. And when this is so, we walk as Jesus walked – doing the will of our Father in heaven.

 

[PDoug]

So, faith is not an act of the will or even a state of mind. It is position of implicit trust. And when this is so, we walk as Jesus walked – doing the will of our Father in heaven.

Please cite me the scripture that backs up what you say. Also please explain to me Mark 11:22-24 in which Christ indicated that faith is in fact an act of will consisting of someone specifically asking God for things, and believing that he will receive them.

 

[mutzrein]

So, faith is not an act of the will or even a state of mind. It is position of implicit trust. And when this is so, we walk as Jesus walked – doing the will of our Father in heaven.

Please cite me the scripture that backs up what you say. Also please explain to me Mark 11:22-24 in which Christ indicated that faith is in fact an act of will consisting of someone specifically asking God for things, and believing that he will receive them.

PDoug. May I send you a document to read? It has been written by a friend of mine with my collaboration. I thought it might be helpful to you in understanding my premise.

 

[PDoug]

PDoug. May I send you a document to read? It has been written by a friend of mine with my collaboration. I thought it might be helpful to you in understanding my premise.

Sure. However can you post your document in a message, and do you think it would be helpful if you did so?

 

[mutzrein]

PDoug. May I send you a document to read? It has been written by a friend of mine with my collaboration. I thought it might be helpful to you in understanding my premise.

Sure. However can you post your document in a message, and do you think it would be helpful if you did so?

It's many pages and in PDF format. I will email it to you if that's OK. BTW if anyone else viewing this wishes to read it, please ask. Thanks.