Nice People or New Men by C.S. Lewis Doodle (BBC Talk 24B, Mere Christianity, Bk 4, Chapter 10)

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Notes below: (2:35) "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." ( https://biblehub.com/romans/2-24.htm ). (3:59) When someone from another religion comes to accept Christ, they quite often recognise that God has been leading them for some time, leading them toward truth. Probably Cornelius in Acts 10 is a good guide here, He was a Roman who had a deep reverence for God...and God saw it & helped him to find Christ. (14:04) "Brothers & sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were noble. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world & the despised things—& the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him" ( https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/1-26.htm ). (14:32) The blessing for the poor is directed to those who follow Christ. 'Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. *His disciples came to him,* & He began to teach them' (Matthew 5:1). '*Looking at His disciples,* He said: Blessed are the poor...' (Luke 6.20). (14:33) The Luke 6 account of the Sermon on the Mt. has the same take, except more of an emphasis on the immediate, on the 'now' – those hungering 'now', those weeping 'now', rejoice 'in that day' of reproach, those laughing 'now'. (14:35) The words 'in spirit' is specifically mentioned in the gospel of Matthew, and therefore implied in Luke. The Greek word 'poor' means someone bowed down with poverty, i.e. beggars in spirit. Note you can be poor in wealth and yet not poor in spirit. Christ blessed the poor in spirit, that is, those who choose humility BECAUSE OF CHRIST, for they shall be made to exalt in spirit by God Himself. These particular verses were directed to Christ's disciples (see above), & don't promise an inheritance to the poor or bread to fill the hungry resulting from greed or drunkenness or foolishness, nor even bread to the fill the poor resulting from war or famine or plague where many starve. As Christ said, 'There were MANY widows in Israel when there was a severe famine for 3-and-a-half years' ( https://biblehub.com/luke/4-25.htm ), but the prophet of God was only sent to help that one, believing, foreign widow who trusted and obeyed the word of God. It was she who was filled (1 Kings 17:7-16). And it was the faithful woman of Shunammite who inherited (2 Kings 8.6). 'These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble & contrite in spirit, & who tremble at My word' (Isa 66.2). These are those who He came to fill both naturally and spiritually, those who look to God & believe. See Psalm 37.25 'I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread'. It is humility FOR CHRIST'S SAKE and for HIS WILL for you that will not go unrewarded in the end, nor left without provision. (14:33) But Jesus said again [to His disciples], 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!" Lewis adds to this, 'How hard for those who trust in natural strengths'. ( https://biblehub.com/mark/10-24.htm ). Ps. 62.10, Prov. 11.28, & 18.11. Then Peter said in reply, 'See, we have left everything & followed You...' https://biblehub.com/matthew/19-27.htm ). (15:45) dipsomania (a term no longer in use): an irresistible, periodic, craving for alcohol. (16:30) "Thin-blooded" is often used to describe someone lacking robustness and passion, someone restrained and dispassionate, lacking vitality, energy or courage. (18:38) The narrow and constricted road, which is the will of God, is one that includes shame and humiliation - which is why so few choose it rather than personal glory. (19:11) 'Listen, my beloved brethren: has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?' ( https://biblehub.com/james/2-5.htm ). (20:30) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" ( https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/5-17.htm ) The original broadcast had the following words italicised which add to understanding (shown in CAPS): 'Christians & non-Christians IN THE MASS', 'WHAT IS BEING MANAGED' (x2), 'Give me ALL', 'I'll explain WHAT sense in a moment ', 'He CANNOT produce it by a mere act of power', "this is a needle that can CHOOSE. It CAN point to its true North", "to CREATE NICE THINGS: but to CONVERT REBELLIOUS WILLS cost Him the crucifixion', 'the only things we can KEEP are the things we freely give to God', 'YOU'RE not one of those wretched creatures', 'they learn, in double quick time, that THEY need help!', 'if you WANT an argument against Christianity' & 'you are, in a sense, ALONE with Him.' Subtitles in article: 'No Half-Measures' & 'The Whole of Christianity'.