Mere Christianity Essay

Lewis' argument in the third book is most important to the point I want to discuss. He argues through this chapter the Christian behavior. Morality is what he considers to be the basics of good Christian behavior. Lewis states that morality is not simply, "something that prevents you from having a good time", but rather morals are the "directions for running the human machine". Every moral rule is there to prevent wear and tear on the way machine operates. He realizes that is why the rules seem to be constantly getting in the way of are natural behavior. Lewis sees that some people think in terms of moral ideals not rules and obedience. Ideals suggest preference to personal taste. Something that subjective would be meaningless in practice. Idealistic notions are meaningless unless we try to carry them out. Acting on ideals requires rules. Lewis uses the analogy of the ship to show how ideals without rules can go wrong. If the ships keep on having crashes they will not be able to sail. If their steering gears do not work they will not be able to avoid crashes.

One night at eight o’clock, Charles Colson visited a friend named Tom Phillipse. Before his acceptance of Christ, Tom lived much as Colson did; he was a ruthless businessman who ventured any measure upon which to win his way. Amidst witnessing Tom’s change briefly himself, Colson decided to make this additional visit. During this visit, Tom explained further to Colson his transformation and offered him a book called “Mere Christianity” by C. S. Lewis.

C.S. Lewis covers many topics in his fourth book contained in Mere Christianity titled BEYOND PERSONALITY: OR FIRST STEPS IN THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. He addresses such topics as theology, what it means to be the Son of God, the three personal God, the relationship of God and time, the cost of being a Christian, how God works to turn us into image of Christ, why Christian growth is both hard and easy, and also what he thinks about our old personalities before becoming Christians. These are all relative topics that apply to us and our daily lives. Learning and understanding this book can help a Christian tremendously in forming a deeper relationship with God.

The word “Christian” in Colorado Christian University is more than just a belief shared amongst the Faculty and Student Body. It is the foundation on which all aspects of the educational experience are built. Beginning with a strong Statement of Faith, which aligns with core beliefs of the National Association of Evangelicals, the University proclaims its belief “in the Bible as being the only authoritative Word of God, that God exists in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as well as belief in the salvation and resurrection that is only found in Christ Jesus” (Statement of Faith at Colorado Christian University, n.d.).

There is only one way to god and that is threw Jesus Christ. We have to go through Jesus because we are sinners and sin cannot be in God’s presence. Sin is falling short of Gods glory and since we all fall short we need Jesus to bring us back. To have Jesus we must accept him.

If people were to follow any one instinct all the time, the results would be disastrous. Any instincts that come from flesh and blood cannot always be trusted. The Moral Law can suppress or increase certain instincts, because it dictates what is morally correct. There are some instincts that need to be suppressed given the situation, so it would be foolish to blindly follow one instinct all the time. So, the Moral Law will direct our impulses, depending on the situation. The Moral Law is not to be confused with the Rules of Decent Behavior, which is more social convention and can be learned through education. The Moral Law cannot be taught, and was not invented by humans. The Rules of Decent Behavior can differ depending on circumstance, or where you live; whereas, the Law of Human Nature is an innate understanding, or something we are born with. It isn’t governed by social convention; it’s a law of right and wrong that is as much a real truth as mathematics. The minute you compare one set of moral ideals to another, you are comparing it to a higher standard. Something I think a lot of people get hung up on about the Moral Law is what it entails. People get caught up on “what is right and wrong?” What is actually right and wrong does not matter in this context, it is not the point C.S. Lewis is trying to make. He is not talking about that, he is talking about the fact that such an idea exists--that a “Real Morality” exists--and is the standard that all other moral ideals are being compared to. That is what points to the existence of a Creator. In the next chapter, Lewis brings up that if such a law exists, where did it come from? If there is such a thing as a Moral Law or Law of Human Nature, and if it is something humans could not have created, then who did? Man does not exist on his own apart from the Law, man lives under the Law. This means that there is someone

He also claims that this law is innate and universal. He further went on to say that for such objective moral law to exist, there must also exist a moral lawgiver to govern and uphold those laws. I disagree with moral argument and Lewis’s defenses. Lewis claimed that there have been “differences between [people’s] moralities, but these have never amounted to anything like a total difference” (137). He did not believe that different civilization had different views of moralities.

Mere Christianity by C.S Lewis was a series of radio talks, speaking about The Law of Human Nature. This isn't a scientific law this is simply a part of humans that some would call our moral code or ethics, but it is more then that. C.s uses logic to state that it’s not just a opinion, or something just in todays world, but that its all the way through history with the romans, theegyptions, every culture, in every part of the world, even there morals are diffrent at the basis levels of human nature are the same. For me an avid student of random things it makes sense, No matter what time or place you can compare the conducts and levels. This comes with the understanding of basic human psychollgy, though reality may be diffrent we hold are seveals to a standers, of conduct and we know this to be true because people break them all the time

“ You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great moral teacher. He has not left it open to us. He did not intend to.” (Lewis 78.) In Mere Christianity, Lewis talks about the silliness of accepting Jesus as another great moral teacher. According to Lewis, we must all make a choice to call Jesus liar, lunatic, or Lord.

Through Mere Christianity, much of the Catholic faith are shown. For example, God sent Jesus to save humanity because He is both God and man to perform the perfect suffering - perfect for He is God, and human because the Divine nature cannot suffer. Within the first half of the book, C.S. Lewis proves logical proof of God, intriguingly, by comparing to everyday life. In one small instance, he explains that reality and truth are not simple. A piece of paper may look simple, but it is made of thousands of atoms which light reflects to the eyes; then, interpreted by the brain in a more complex process. As a result, religion is not simple either. The book challenges one’s thinking of the world like the concept of evil. According to C.S. Lewis,

During this time of his life, Lewis’ disbelief became strengthened, and he began to pose questions attacking the faith and morals of Christianity (Downing 49). David C. Downing comments, “He concluded that all the world’s religions, including Christianity, could be explained not as claims to truth, but as expressions of psychological needs and cultural values” (50). Effectively, he was an atheist at this

To describe what Christians believe, according to C. S. Lewis, is through his concept in what he had experienced from being an atheist to a Christian. In his belief from his experience as an atheist, he believed that all religions of the whole world are all wrong. If you are a Christian “you are free to think that all these religions, even the queerest ones, contain at least some hint of the truth” (Lewis C. S., 2001, eBook). Lewis experienced as an atheist; he had to persuade himself to believe that most human beings were always wrong about the matter that concern them the most, the existence of God. Lewis experienced, and his expression as an atheist gave him a better output to the reality of the truth of Christian’s belief. When religion

C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, an influential composition of Biblical opinion, promotes the Gospel first through live broadcasts during World War II and now as a major premise in theological discussions. It was Friday, September 1st, 1939 when the course of the war changed drastically for Great Britain. James Welch, the Director of Religious Broadcasting at the British Broadcasting Company was interrupted during The Daily Service with a note that pensively stated, “Germany invaded Poland early this morning” (Phillips 1). As the months dragged eternally on, the radio waves carried with them increasingly tragic news, degrading what was left of Britain's morale. Welch stated, “In a time of uncertainty and questioning it is the responsibility

Life is merely a series of choices, some of which are morally right and others morally wrong.  The question is, what differentiates the two. How are we supposed to know if a choice is moral or immoral?  Lewis believes that there is a standard for morals, and he describes this standard as a law of nature created by God. This moral code is everywhere and doesn’t change with time or region (3.7.13). This moral law like other natural laws such as gravity cannot be altered but unlike gravity, the moral law can be broken as god has given us free will.  This free will is one of the things that makes being moral so difficult. Why do the virtuous things when one can indulge in vices that are stimulating and create short-term happiness?

Christianity is not an ideal, it’s a life style choice. You are not born into a religion, you are not a Christian, Jewish, Buddhist or any specific religion from birth, you are raised as to be that religion. C.S. Lewis is an example of someone who was brought up in a Protestant household, lost faith through his teen years and found Christianity in college. We develop our religion throughout our years, growing more knowledgeable from our experiences and realizing that each of God’s teachings can relate back to us on a day-to-day basis. Each book in the Bible is like stories with lessons. Mere Christianity, taught similar lessons to the Bible, but with a philosophical point of view. C.S. Lewis could take his experiences and relate them to