Arche and Meathead arguing about religion
John 1: 2 - 5 NKJV
I find it interesting how our own perspectives can, and often do, influence our beliefs. Our experiences can, and will, dictate how we see often see things. Our own view of christianity is no different. Some may see the scriptures one way while others will take that very same writing and spin it into something completely different. Now, it took me awhile to see it, but I finally began to realize that the same scriptures we have memorized over time were but a message of...Christ. In the old testament we see His coming revealed in prophesies. In the new testament we see Him revealed in life. Yet I've run across more than a few christians who hold tight to their own belief that the bible they read is but a rule book for our christian life. Well, if that's true then I've already failed in more than a few things. I suppose that's why was in need of the forgiveness of Jesus, right? I've often wondered just how Jesus would see scripture today. Would He see it as a loving message to Gods children or as a revelation of Him? There are times where it seems as if we are arguing our faith in a court of law. There it is, folks, Jesus versus the scriptures. Who will win? I learned a long time ago that God has never needed me to defend Him, yet many a well meaning christian takes each and every opportunity to do just that. So, you're telling me that the creator of universe needs you to defend Him? You're telling me that He who breathed into me the breath of life needs me to somehow argue His case to others? I get it, I've been there. In my infant christian years I was all about standing up for a God who I felt needed me to defend him. Was I wrong in this assumption? Well, wrong is a strong word. I would say...misguided. Each sunday I would sit in the pew while one pulpit pounder after another called on me to be a good christian and "speak" God to others. Well, to me that meant only one thing, God wanted me to recruit and defend the faith. Believe me, it didn't work out too well. See, I couldn't defend something I didn't really understand at all. To me, God was a belief, a story I had been told in sunday school. It never occured to me that I could have a relationship with Him. I think this is a big issue with the christian faith today.
10And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8: 10 - 11 NKJV
The issue that have these days is that I've given up one sunday morning rally call for another. Our sunday morning group all too often has morphed into a who's who in the defender of the faith. On one side we have a brother who will swear up and down that the scriptures are the be all and end all for our beliefs. I'm on the other side. I see the value of knowing my heavenly Father in a close, personal relationship. Oh, yeah, that's in scripture. It was Paul who spoke of Christ Jesus living within us {Galations 2:20}. So, are we to toss out this scripture simply because it doesn't fit into our own experiences? Well, I've seen that too. Our brother will all too often steadfastly proclaim that there are "dozens" of scriptures to support his view. Well, that might be so, but there are also just as many scriptures to support my beleif of our own relationsip with Christ. So, who's right? The way things are going, we may never know. For the more we keep arguing God, the more people we will turn away. If there is one thing I've learned it's that God is big enough to transcend my experiences. It's not that He needs me to defend Him...I need Him! I would say that the more time we spend in relationship with God and less time arguing about who He is or isn't the better off we'll all be. This is the difference between unity and division. As the scripture you hold so close tells us, a divided house will not stand.
~Scott~
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