Where is the line between Faith and Religion? How does a Christian understand the difference of trusting in their salvation regardless of their works, and faith without works is dead? How does the Body of Christ, His Bride remain the Body or the Bride, if the Church is walking away from what is truly Christ-like?
Man, these are some great questions, and honestly it seems that everyone is talking about these topics this week and rightly so, because they are very, very relevant. We as people (not just Christians) always have the need to justify things, to earn what we have and to always wait for the other shoe to drop. We also prefer to be around people who are like us, we like to be told happy fortunes instead of dire warnings. We like peaceful, loving, feel good messages and sunshine, rainbows and flowers rather than getting dirty with hard to handle discussions that hit home and are extremely hard to swallow. We like watered down, Buddy Jesus, as opposed to the Jesus who actually went into the ghetto's and talked with the deaf, touched the leppers and accosted the rich.
We like our Jesus to be just like us.
But we are wrong!! Jesus ISNT just like us, that is the ENTIRE POINT! In the entirety of history, Jesus Christ was the only person (I was going to say man, but then all the women would think I wasnt meaning them too) who truly understood what God is really about!
God is about passion; not rote ritualism.
Dont mistake religious or ritualistic things in Christianity to have no meaning, or heart (Communion for example is a ritualistic device, however for many it is often a moving and meaningful experience for those who partake), but rather doing a ritual for the sole purpose of gaining favor with God is simply a waste of your time. God does not take pleasure in men performing rituals, if they are not at the same time worshipping with their heart. (raising your hands during a worship song, does not get you brownie points in heaven...sorry, it just doesnt).
God wants your heart; not your money.
God would much rather have you worship Him with a glad heart and spend your time lost in prayer and loving him, than he does when you just write a check for the offering. Now, God will use your money and commands us to give of ourselves in this way, but it doesnt garauntee our salvation. No amount of giving, working, good deeds or charity will "earn you heaven". But Jesus demands more of us than a blank check, he commands us to Love God with our hearts, mind and soul and to Love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus doesnt tell us to tithe 10% and the kindom of heaven is yours...he tells us to visit the imprisoned and feed and shelter the poor and homeless. He tells us to do heartfelt things because that is where he lives, and you dont need to be rich to do it. He will spend your money, and you're not getting it back, but tithing isnt the heart of God, Love is.
Your political views demonstrate your religious understanding.
WRONG!! There are too many diverse ideas and political agendas to clearly deliniate that a Christian can only be Democrat or only be Republican. Political views are just that, political...and God doesnt play in politics. He is the supreme ruler of the entire universe. The social action of a Democrat mixed with the
evangelism of a Republican would be somewhere around where Jesus was...he would be both Democrat, Republican AND Independant....of course if Jesus were here, He would be reigning on His throne and this topic would be moot. Keep your religion and politics seperate, they are not the same.
I LOVE Jesus, but I HATE the Church
Quite simply, then you dont love Jesus...you cant love Jesus and hate his Bride. Jesus established the church, we are the body of Christ. We are made up of people who are flawed, who dont always get it, but keep showing up anyway.
Your church has lost its way and is more concerned about status and money and the proper worship style? Believe it or not that happened in 1st Century Rome as well...it just takes reminding the leadership of what is truly important.
Your pastor doesnt preach out of the bible? find one who does.
There is this really nice lady, who is always sewing in the pew in front of me...doesnt she know we are in church? (I have seen this, literally)...get over yourself, if you took the time to find out, she works 2 jobs, volunteers at a homeless shelter and makes blankets for orphan babies...what do you do (puts check in offering plate).
Your church doesnt have an outreach (at all, or one that interests you). Start one
There are quite literally a million different ways to make the church an effective body of Christ, but it takes someone stepping up and being a leader. It takes someone that really does have a love of God to move, not complain about something, but to make something happen. If you Love Jesus, you will love His Church and you will work to make it effective.
Saving Grace is nice and all, but I still feel like I have to earn it, everyday
I read a story of a college professor who was trying to make this point (yes it was a bible college, dont lose your minds). He knew that the test his Micro-biology students were studying for was going to be a killer. And out of a sense of compassion, and to bring home the point of Grace that found the way into a class discussion a few classes prior, decided to do a social experiment of sorts.
At the top of every test he wrote: All you have to do to get an A is write your name at the top of this paper and turn it in....or, you can take the whole test and accept the grade you receive.
Guess who the only students were that received A's? Yep, everyone else missed that A standard, because they refused the grace of their teacher and were prideful of their knowledge and study habbits and the effort they have already put in to that test. That is what we do when we ignore the grace of God and decide that we can seek salvation on our own, through our works. It is pointless, fruitless, a waste of time, energy, often money....and gets us no closer to God.
What I am trying to say, to wrap this up neatly, is God wants a heartfelt relationship with you. If your heart isnt in it, dont bother doing it. Taking the "fake it till you make it" approach isnt going to get you closer to God, and will infact pull you further away as you run around chasing your tail. Love God, Love Jesus, because he first loved us. That's it. When we love God, when we love Jesus, we will find that we start to love what He loves and are willing to do the things that He did. It doesnt matter what radio station you listen to, who your pastor is, what big church you go to or all the great Christiany things you do...it does matter if you truly love God.
Beautifully written, and undeniably true.
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