• Welcome! We are an on-line community of Christians who believe that compassion and love should drive every aspect of our lives.

    Our tenets:

    A. The universe and everything in it was created by a single entity, God.

    B. God so loved us that he assumed human form, Jesus, and lived among us for more than thirty years to demonstrate his love while feeling joy, pain, and fear. He was both human and God. His ultimate demonstration of love was to permit us to kill him. Then he rose from the grave to show us that we shouldn’t be afraid of death, if we love him and follow his teaching.

    John, Chapter 1, Verse 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … 14  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

    John, Chapter 3, Verse 16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

    C. We use the New International Version of the New Testament, and we focus on the books attributed to Jesus’s original disciples: Matthew; John; 1st Peter; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John; and Revelations. After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river, then spent forty days praying in the wilderness, he immediately went to Galilee and started recruiting disciples. Why? We believe he wanted his disciples to hear his teaching and witness his miracles firsthand as he moved from place to place, so that they could accurately convey Jesus’ message after he had departed.

    D. Our rules for living are twofold:

    Matthew, Chapter 22, Verse 37: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

    E. We each have a requirement to actively communicate our faith to others.

    Matthew Chapter 5, Verse 14: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

    Christian Behavior

    We believe our behavior as Christians is important because it effects the perception that people have of us. If we are to convince others to believe as we do, then we must always act consistent with Jesus’s teachings.

    Matthew, Chapter 5, verses 3 – 10 paraphrased: “Be poor in spirit, mourn, be meek, thirst for righteousness, be merciful, be sincere, be a peacemaker, and don’t worry about persecution because of your beliefs.”

    Not only should we abide by the original ten commandments, but we must eliminate the thoughts and urges that lead to sin:

    Verse 21: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry … will be subject to judgment.

    Verse 27: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

    Verse 38: “You have heard that it was said, Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”

    Verse 43: “…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

    Matthew Chapter 6, Verse 25: “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body…Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? …do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”

    Matthew Chapter 7, Verse 1: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

    Verse 12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the Prophets.”

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • Why do we ignore the books written by Mark, Luke, and Paul?

At best, books written by people who were not present at Jesus’ sermons are hearsay and prone to generalization and adaption based on the writer’s bias. That is the primary reason we focus on books written by the Galileans.

Secondly, the other books are not necessary for understanding Jesus’s message and intent. All of the principal tenets are conveyed by the Galileans.

Mark was the son of Peter and may have witnessed first-hand Jesus’s sermons, and most likely heard the gospel from his father. It is also believed that Mark was the second book of the New Testament written (after Galatians), and the first gospel. In each of the other books attributed to Peter, there is an early statement of amanuensis, i.e., use of a literary assistant. It is believed by some experts that Peter was illiterate and had to dictated his books. There is no such statement in Mark.

There is no indication that Paul ever witnessed a sermon by Jesus. Paul states that he was inspired to become an apostle by his miracle on the road to Damascus.

Luke was a follower of Paul. In Luke, Chapter 1 he acknowledges that he learned the gospel secondhand: “Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you…”

  • Is baptism important?

1 Peter 3:20 “20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…”

Belief in one God and his human manifestation, Jesus, is most important. One must confess their sins and pledge to live a Christian life consistent with Jesus’s teachings. Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist, and Jesus baptized his twelve disciples. Baptism is also symbolic of transition from a worldly life, into a new heavenly-focused one.

John 3:5 “…Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.”

  • I understand what you’re saying about baptism, but faith alone should be sufficient, in my opinion.
    • Belief and faith are the most important aspects of Christianity, but actions that demonstrate our faith are also critically important.
    • In John 2, a pharisee named Nicodemus asks Jesus how an old man can be born again. Jesus replies that a spiritual rebirth is required to enter heaven, that is, a personal transformation which enables a person to enter a new world and adapt to its conditions. The following paraphrase from the Old Testament, Ezekial 36, seems appropriate: I will sprinkle clean water on you; I will cleanse you from all your impurities; I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.
  • Why doesn’t the website look more religious? There are no religious symbols.
    • The are no icons or crosses on the website. We do include natural photos of fruits, flowers, and nature indicative of the beautiful world that God has made for us.
  • Why don’t we follow the Old Testament, i.e., the 10 Commandments?
    • Matthew 22 vs. 34-40: “34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
    • We believe all of the commandments are represented by these two.
  • The Old Testament focuses on God, the history of Israel, law, judgment, and retribution. Its emphasis on judgment and retribution creates a dichotomy between the old and new testament, e.g.:
    • Exodus 21, verse 22: “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
  • Whereas, in the New Testament:
    • Matthew 5, verse 38: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 
    • Matthew 5, verse 43: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…
    • Matthew 7, verse 1: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.“
    • John 8, verse 3: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
  • Although God, Israel, and the law are still part of the new testament; judgment and retribution are replaced by love, compassion, and forgiveness.

To ask a question, submit an email to: TheGalileans@yahoo.com

Discussion:

  • The Beatitudes: Define the standard of Christian behavior we must pursue for entrance into God’s kingdom.

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

To be poor in spirit is not to lack courage but to acknowledge spiritual bankruptcy: one’s unworthiness before God and utter dependence on him. We must begin by confessing that by ourselves we can achieve nothing.

4: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

We mourn for the sins we have committed and continue doing so. The blessings depend on a Messiah who comes to save his people from their sins.

5: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Meek generally suggests gentleness and self-control. To be meek towards others implies freedom from malice and a vengeful spirit. The earth mentioned is the consummation of the messianic kingdom.

6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

We must hunger and thirst, not only that we be righteous (perform God’s will), but that justice may be done everywhere.

7: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Mercy embraces both forgiveness of the guilty and compassion for the suffering and needy. The reward is not mercy shown by others but by God.

8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Consistent with an important theme in Matthew, inner moral purity as opposed to merely external piety is required – sincerity.

9: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Our peacemaking should include the peace between God and ourselves, and between ourselves and others. We should seek reconciliation, instead of delighting in division, bitterness, or strife.

10: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus passed from peacemaking to persecution, for the world enjoys its cherished hates and prejudices so much that a peacemaker is not always welcome.

11-12: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

These verses neither encourage seeking persecution nor permit retreating from it, sulking, or retaliation. Live a life in imitation of Christ and ignore persecutions.

Fear

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

—

Fear is an innate response to perceived danger. It has been critical for human survival throughout history in order to effectively respond to danger. That will never change. However, fear, whether rational or irrational, can sometimes cause us to behave in a manner not consistent with christianity.

In recent decades there has emerged a widely-voiced public theme that christians should be separate from the rest of society, from people that have beliefs not consistent with ours, even to the extent that we should avoid secular society altogether.

How can we proselytize non-believers if we are not among them? If we fear an ideology or concept just because it is not consistent with christianity, what does that say about our individual faith? … That it isn’t very strong. We should know why we believe what we believe and be prepared to tell anyone of any faith about our religious tenets. If they counter with arguments for their’s, then a lively, non-judgmental discussion should commence.

It’s okay that they don’t agree with us. We still have a responsibility to joyfully tell them about the beauty of our beliefs. Throughout history, societal segregation/isolation along religious boundaries has led to horrific acts in the name of one religion or another, including chrisitanity.

Also, be aware of demagogues who want to exploit societal differences as a means of exerting control for their political purposes. They can appear as champions of one belief or another, but usually devolve into invective that encourages fear, hate and denunication of the ‘other’ group. That was largely what led to the religious persecutions during the Middle Ages in Europe.

Fear is necessary for all species survival, but we should be alert for negative thoughts and behaviours that encourage us to act in a manner inconsistent with Christ’s teaching.

Fear is also a means for Satan to insidiously urge us down paths we should not go.

Matthew 10:28

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.