Religion Christianity Essay

In relation to Mark 8:34, the teachings of Martin Luther, combined with the Sacrament of Baptism and the ethical application of Church teachings on bioethics, all represent the above sentiment. Significantly, Martin Luther, a fifteenth century German monk, set to right the path the church was leading its’ adherents – to help the members of the Church â€Å"take up [their] Cross† to â€Å"follow [Jesus]†. One of the major sacraments he fervently believed was necessary to â€Å"come after† Jesus is the Sacrament of Baptism, which is still applicable in the lives of Christians today. This sacrament, which invites the adherent into the ethical guidelines of the Church, is essential for the adherent as it enables them to â€Å"come after† Jesus through the practical application of his teachings through their lives. Thus, a combination of significant people, sacraments and ethics of Christianity all link to represent the sentiment in Mark 8:34. In the 15th Century, Martin Luther, a German Christian monk at the time, visited Rome and saw the corruption of the Church, denying adherents to â€Å"take up [their] cross†. Revolted, Luther wrote his first significant doctrine, the Disputation of the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences (1517), nailed to the Church door, was revolutionary in righting Church doctrine to allow adherents to â€Å"come after† Jesus. In the document, Luther preached that indulgences were a way by the corrupt Church to steal money of already poor people, for the already wealthy Papacy. Stating that the Church was manipulating the population by putting themselves between an individual of God, he preached against the corruptness, â€Å"In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery? (St Augustine). Instead, he preached his new theology, one which stuck a chord with many people as the writings spread due to the printing press. The teaching of, â€Å"The upright man finds life through faith† was the start of core teachings that would usurp Church doctrine by enabling the adherent to â€Å"deny himself, take up his cross and follow [Jesus]†. However, perhaps Luther’s most important document of all was conceived in 1522 – The German Translation of the Bible. This single document enabled the ordinary Christian adherent to follow Jesus as laid out in Mark 8:34. Through this, people could achieve â€Å"justification by faith alone† and was the medium through which an individual’s relationship with God could be achieved. The clergy and Church doctrine were no longer needed to guarantee the individuals advancement into heaven. The corrupt influence of the Church could be ceased as common people could now read teachings for themselves, instead of the illegible Latin text. By giving people the tool to follow Jesus into everlasting life, personal relationships with God could grow. This final text was the catalyst for the now known Protestant Reformation, inciting a rift against Protestants and Catholics that would shape the church doctrine and development up until the present day. One sacrament that Luther encouraged the Church to keep was the Sacrament of Baptism. This Sacrament essentially gives encouragement for the adherent to follow Jesus – to â€Å"take up his Cross† – through the promise of Salvation. This tool to heaven for adherents positively impacts upon adherents as it encourages them to live a life and â€Å"follow† the way Jesus preached it and develop a positive relationship with God and the community ad embrace the Grace they will receive. Significantly as well, the statement in the Bible by Mark, â€Å"he who believes and is baptised will be saved† (Mark 16:16), gives evidence to this sacred link between the sacrament of Baptism and salvation. This link, then, provides reason for adherents to live a good, fulfilling life in the eyes of Jesus and to â€Å"follow [Jesus]† teachings. Baptism is furthermore representative of Mark 8:34 as it initiates adherent rebirth into the Church to become part of the Body of Christ. The Christian community is the living Christ whose job is to spread the ‘good news’ – thus to â€Å"come after† Jesus and what he preached in his Ministry. The baptismal vows ask the candidate to ‘ever remain faithful to His Church’ and in doing so, one takes on the responsibility of being an active member of the community and to nurture the faith of others. Similarly, the community is sked to help foster the faith of those baptised and to reflect on their own beliefs and the way they â€Å"follow† Jesus. Candidates must live according to the laws and practices of the community in which they have been baptised into. In baptism, one affirms their faith in the principle beliefs of Christianity – essential in allowing the adherent to â€Å"deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow [Jesus]. † This ideal of following Jesus, as communicated in Mark 8:34, is practiced in many ways by adherents; importantly through taking a Christian ethical stance on bioethical issues. The ethical teachings of Jesus not only guide the adherent to make the right decision about bioethical issues, but they also allow the adherent to choose the right path and â€Å"come after† Jesus. Agape, the love for friends as well as enemies, is one of the most influential ethical teachings. Exhibited in the Scripture in Matthew 5:43-44, â€Å"Love your enemies and pray for those whom persecute you† is a huge deciding factor in ethical decision making, taking into account this love for all humans – the application of which allows the adherent to â€Å"and take up his Cross, and follow [Jesus]. This application is evident through the Christian ethical stance on euthanasia. Very simply, the stance taken by Catholic, Orthodox and Uniting is influenced by a single Commandment, â€Å"Thou shalt not kill† (Exodus). There is a unified belief that euthanasia is wrong, as it breaches the guidelines of agape, and violates the other major ethical teachings of human dignity and humans made in the image of God. By applying this teaching of Jesus onto these bioethical issues, such as euthanasia, the adherent is allowed to â€Å"come after† Jesus and to follow him. Thus, the practices, teachings and significant idols of Christianity definitely represent the Mark 8:34 sentiment. From Luther’s righting of Church doctrine to allow adherents to â€Å"come after† and â€Å"follow† Jesus, to the encouragement to follow Jesus through the Baptism sacrament and the application of Jesus’ ministry through bioethics, the practices and teachings of Christianity fervently represent the above sentiment.