Searching for Inner Redemption: A Christian's Journey - Essay Sample

Introduction

Living through our daily lives as Christians requires that we continuously engage in soul-searching to enhance our relationship with God. This means that Christians are expected to search for the truth on what Christianity means to the human race and how such understanding is critical to salvation and redemption of humankind. Many scholars have dealt with the issue of searching for a personal inner connection with God and the need to uphold fundamental Christian principles to activate their innermost hunger for a closer relationship with God. The classic Confessions by St. Augustine, The Mystery of Faith by Michael J Himes and The Heart of Christianity by Michael J Borg are some of the foremost books that explore how Christians can find their true selves and realize the true connection with God. Augustine, Himes, and Borg reveal that continuous searching for one's true self and adherence to the fundamental teachings of the Christian tradition can be instrumental in helping rediscover their genuine connection with God through Jesus Christ.

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Confessions by St. Augustine

St. Augustine delves into the road people travel as they seek answers to the many questions they encounter regarding their existence in the world. The case of Augustine is a typical example of how one seeks the presence of God and the various phases that people undergo before they indeed find meaning in Jesus and the essence of faith as the springboard between believers and God. The book is autobiographical documentation of the life of St. Augustine, tracing the journey of his youth and how God's ministers enabled him to see the light of the word of God. As a young person, Augustine depicts himself as a person who lacks the Holy Spirit to lead a Christian life. He overindulges as a youth by engaging in sexual morality, which goes against the fundamental principles of Christianity and Jesus's teachings. It specifically features the life of Augustine as a boy, teenager, and as a young adult through to the time he finds solace in Jesus Christ. The autobiography is a clear manifestation of the various ways God works to appoint people purposefully for His work.

A critical revelation that Augustine addresses in his autobiography is the power of confessions. The author refers to the events of his life to reveal the various transgressions that he committed before finding the true meaning of his life and the consequence of such encounter in establishing the relationship between God and humankind. One notable aspect of his life that Augustine counts as transgression is sexual immorality and theft. As a boy, he documents an incident where, among other boys, they stole a pear from an orchard of a neighbor, yet he had better pears within his reach in the family. He also notes that he had a romantic relationship with a woman whom he was not lawfully married and sired a son with her. The informative aspect of the revelations about his boyhood and adulthood transgressions is that Augustine only realized the sinful acts of his youth after acknowledging Christ as the cleanser of all the sins. Like Apostle Paul who committed all sorts of atrocities on the early disciples in Jerusalem before receiving a calling from God, Augustine managed to see his transgressions after accepting the Scripture as the vessel through which people developed faith in God. As a consequence, he gained the Holy Spirit, which enabled him to see wrong in what he had done as a youth. As such, Augustine delves into the all-important experience of transformation is critical for one to establish the actual connection with God.

The Mystery of Faith by Michael J Himes

Michael Himes offers insightful information into what it means to be a Christian as anchored on the Catholic faith. The author mainly focuses on the role of church doctrines in enabling the faithful to establish a true relationship with God. Himes underscores the need for Christians to embrace the tenets of the church as a means of renewing their relationship with God. According to the author, observance of the church doctrines is the most authentic way of discovering the purpose of leading the life of Christian. Like St. Augustine, Himes delivers his insights in the form of reflections as a cleric with immense knowledge about church tenets and their contribution to building the relationships of the faithful with God. He writes as though he is giving admonitions to the Christians but delivers one of the most insightful texts regarding the fundamental truths upon which the church was founded. He touches on ten doctrines, which include the Trinity, incarnation, grace, church, salvation, and baptism. It also covers the Eucharist, sacraments of vocation, reconciliation, and tradition.

A fundamental aspect of Himes' text is the connection between the doctrines and one's ability to receive the motivation to search for the true relationship with Christ. The author emphasizes the role of Scripture in instilling faith required for Christians to find the right way to communion with God through Jesus Christ. Unlike St Augustine, who gives his reflections to those who need to search for true meaning in Christ, Himes directly addresses the faithful who he considers as knowledgeable about the Scriptures. Reading the book is tied to the acquisition of the Holy Spirit necessary for one to realize the truest meaning of the intimate connection that exists between God and His people. To a large extent, Himes underscores the need for renewable of Christian life and the significance of such experience in partaking in eternal salvation.

The Heart of Christianity by Michael J Borg

Michael J Borg splits his book into two major camps: He examines the group of Christians that who stick to the early Christian paradigm that emphasizes depicts faith as the practice of believing, requirements and rewards and the afterlife. Using the Bible, God, and Jesus, Borg explores the differences between this camp of Christians and the camp which holds the view that faith entails a transformational process. That is to say, searching for a meaning in life should take into account the realities of the daily experiences in which the faithful undergo. Like St. Augustine, Borg underlines the need to be born again to be able to draw conservative brothers and sisters who are distant from God. Without the experience of transformation, it is not possible for Christians to see the value of seeking an intimate connection with God.

At the heart of Borg's thesis is the value of the practice. Practice can be used to find meaning about life and establish a close connection with God. He cites assisting the poor, underprivileged, and promoting justice as some of the practices. This should be done in recognition of the various changes that society has undergone since the foundation of Christian Doctrines. How we treat others, create love, and goes in line with Biblical teachings to love others as we love ourselves because that is what God expects of humankind. This should be unto people who are not Christians.

Reflections About the Readings

After going through the provided readings, I can add that being born again is a process that requires individuals to undergo various experiences that make one desire for comfort in Christ. From a personal perspective, becoming a born again Christian has been instrumental in helping me realize the significance of searching for true meaning in my life. In my spiritual journey so far, I can attest that my quest for a close relationship with God has been fulfilling and I feel that I have experienced a significant change in my life. One of the areas that I am feeling challenged pertains to the value of Scripture in instilling faith. Although I cannot for sure estimate the level of my faith, I think that each day spent reading the Scriptures makes me ask more questions about the most real meaning in life entails as it relates to the doctrines of the church.

One of the areas that the readings have really benefitted me is the realization that developing a close connection with God and finding the true meaning of life requires the help of some people who know more about the Scriptures and its role in building faith. In the case of St Augustine, he met with God when he left the Manichean teachings and other literature that dealt with rhetoric. It is after meeting Bishop Ambrose that he encounters God and gets baptized. Therefore, God has a unique way of enabling His people to see the light through those that have known what the Scripture says concerning salvation and eternal life. Having a close connection with God means total peace. Throughout the life of Augustine, it can be seen he took a long journey to find happiness because he was looking for it in the wrong place. It is when he found solace in God that he found peace of mind.

Perhaps the most impactful of the three readings is The Heart of Christianity by Michael J Borg. The author observes that observing the doctrine is critical for our, but it is crucial to recognize transitions that happen in the societies in which we live and how such changes affect faith. The book has expanded my meaning of faith in the sense that I recognize that showing compassion and love to the less privileged members of the society is an important practice in fostering the real connection between humankind and God. This has improved my perspective on the need to participate in missionary activities as part of the higher calling of expressing love to humanity and connecting more people with God.