Monday, September 29, 2008

B.C. Before Christ

My last post was 'bout being a bond servant to Christ.... OK I guess you could have figure that out by looking down the page. Anyway... I got to thinking about why we as Christians choose to serve God. The most common answer from my three year old friends would be heaven. If I asked a bunch of middle schoolers they might say, "Cause like Jesus died for our sins... and stuff." Okay maybe I don't give middle schoolers enough credit (or maybe to much). But What reason did the founders of our faith have for being bond servants? Abraham, Jacob, Daniel, David, Elijah. None of these guys could give the answer that Jesus died for their sins and stuff. God hadn't even come to earth as The Son yet. I don't remember Abraham sighting Heaven as a reason when he set his son on the alter. Or Daniel saying, "Oh well if the lions get me I'll just go to Heaven. Sure they believed in God's promise to mankind of a savior, but their reason for doing what God was was that God had said it. So surely there was something more to it. I can't help but think there had to be more to their faith then the promise of eternal life. I can't help but wonder at these men who were so sold out, yet Christ hadn't come. How many times have we pointed to what Jesus did on the cross as a reason for our joy and hope? What Christ did on the cross was beautiful, and the ultimate expression of love. But if that's as deep as our faith goes... If that's the basis for our faith then the men and women of the old testament have us beaten and we truly deserve pity. God's love doesn't begin and end at the cross. The new testament isn't the only part of the Bible that's a love letter. I think God is far bigger and grander then we give him credit for. So what would it be like to be sold out for God instead of the cross?

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Slave or Bond Servant

Our society has a strong aversion to the idea of slavery due too the belief that people have rights. Ironicly many Christians treat their religion like either a job, or slavery. We sometimes act like God is a slave master with a whip who demands control of every aspect of our lives. But there is a type of slavery Paul talks about that is joyous. He talks about being a bond servant to Christ. A person who chooses slavery out of love for their master. God has givin us a choice, yet we believe we have none. We should become slaves to God purely out of love for him.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Vampires!!!!

I think my bike was attacked by vampires yesterday on my way to work. This morning was the first chance I had to change my tube, and when I did I found two puncture marks, each the same size and shape right next too each other. Sadly I forgot to take photographic evidence. Also I think the vampires are the ones responsible for the fact that my bike always comes back from the shop with no end caps on my valce stems. I think secretly they'd love it if the valve stems were damaged.

The Heart Condition

Just something God has put on my heart lately.

It seems to me that everyone that's a Christian either has a plan or is looking for one. We want to know how to overcome temptation, how to find "that special person", how to be a better Christian. We want to have someone tell us what it looks like to be "sold out". We have master plans on how to bring about revival, how to save the lost, and how to live a proper "Christian" life. The irony of this is we are constantly forgetting that God holds the cards. Romans 8:28 tells us "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." We spend so much time worrying and striving for an ideal and often times forget that God doesn't want us to be the ultimate Christian, what he wants is our hearts. God can do far greater things with a Christian who has a humble heart then he can with one who has a plan of his own.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The New Denominational Debate

I was raised neither a baptist nor an evangelical, yet as a young child I attended a baptist church, and for most of my life have attended an evangelical church. Strangely it seems I share this commonality with alot of kids my age (22 is still a kid right?) Many of us were raised up to believe that denominations didn't matter. We were told that all you had to do was love Christ and follow the bible. Of course there are some of us who are Armenian or Calvinist, but I have yet to hear any of my friends say either side isn't a "true Christian". So it seems strange to me that we are restarting this my faith is better and more real then yours bit. The only thing that's kept me away from the postmodernist movement is the fact that it aims to devide the church into right and wrong theology rather then unite the church under the banner of Christ. I've been told that this devision is good because it will cleanse the church of coruption just like the protestant reformation did. I'm not sure but last time I read up on my church history I remember reading about alot of bloodshed and revolt. Catholics killed Protestants, and Protestants killed Catholics. Do I believe Post Modernists and Traditionalists will kill each other? Of course not. I will say that there is much room for civility on both sides though. So without fail I'll get to what I want to say. Here are what I believe are the biggest lies of this movement from both sides.

1. The true message of Christ is to love and help one another and the traditional church has failed

I will fully agree that the church has fallen short of this goal, but is the fault in our theology? The people I know that favor post modernist views are all for helping the poor and downtrodden, yet they don't show up in droves to fill food boxes and sort clothing for the needy. Granted I fall short in this too. Maybe the answer isn't in advocating for change, but putting your head down and being the change, If someone older then you doesn't like what you're doing then instead of writing a book about how their wrong and your right just put your head down and do what God's called you to do. What's wrong with good old humility?

2. Post Modernist lack sound biblical knowledge and live life based on feeling.

I think this has to do with the more casual Christians that branch away from the traditional church to join the movement, but it also has to do with the fact that some of the beliefs put forth by some of the leaders in this movement aren't biblical. Truth is there are things that our my denomination believes that aren't biblical. Just because someone has erred doesn't make them stupid or uneducated, it just makes them human.

3. Solving humanitarian crises is more important than winning souls

Granted I worded this one in a funky way that favors my views, but this tends to be what I hear from alot of people. They believe that they have more of a responsibility to feeding starving children, curing diseases, and solving the worlds problems then winning souls. The reason I say this is because of this view that they need God more. I'm told that us wealthy Americans have it far to good and that the only way to truly minister to the poorer is by serving them. I agree! We need to be out there feeding the hungry and comforting the sick, but we need to not forget those who aren't hungry or sick also. God gave his son so that none should parish. So instead of being hostile towards people for what they have, let's reach out to anyone, and everyone without Christ

Okay I've typed long enough and it's late.

Adios