Galatians 2: 20 NKJV
I ran into a conversation this week with a young man who was absolutely adamant that he was a Christian believer despite being pretty picky about which situations he imposed Jesus upon. Now, I've run into these "not my Jesus" types before, so I wasn't surprised that he might feel the way he did. But, I had to ask. It seems that this young man had been through a pretty difficult childhood all while being raised in the church. I'd seen it before, the masses being taught to obey the spoken words of the pastor, priest or arch bishop without question. I know a man who values the words of his arch bishop because it makes him "feel good." Well, not every word Jesus spoke made people feel good. In fact, there were times when He so angered those around Him that He had to retreat from the area He was teaching in. Some people don't want to hear the truth at times it seems. So, what does this all have to do with the man I was talking to? Well, it seems that He was upset at God for somehow accepting Donald trump as a Christian. Now, I'm not privy to the fact that God has accepted Donald Trump into His fold, but I assume that He would. We're told that He accepts all who call on Him {Romans 10:13}. If my heavenly Father has indeed included Donald Trump among His children, what is that to me? I know that when I called upon Him that He kept His promise to me. What kind of God would He be if He picked and chose just who He would accept? What of salvation? Mercy and grace? The God which I have come to know would be tossed out the window, replaced by one who accepts us based upon our accomplishments. Does that sound like a God you want to follow? Like I said, I can see where this young man got the idea of a performance based God in his head. The institutional church has been preaching this concept for generations. We can be like Christ...if we do things just right. We can be closer to God, if we behave. Whenever I hear someone talk this way about God, I imagine a excited kid running downstairs on Christmas morning hoping and praying that he will be rewarded for his good deeds. Well, thankfully God doesn't work that way. For if He did, I'd never be saved from myself. That's not the Jesus I know.
Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 8 - 11 NKJV
We really cannot get too deep into this conversation without realizing that it is the church which has perpetrated a theology of a separation between God and His children. I believe that this is why most people find the truth of Christ in us to be so hard to accept. How can Jesus be in the presence of sinners such as we? Folks, every day Jesus walked the earth He was in the presence of sinners. He made no secret of the fact that His very purpose was not to condemn those guilty of sin, but to accept them {Mark 2:17}. The apostle Paul made it clear that sin should no longer be an issue for us {Romans 6:11}. In fact, we are indeed dead to sin. That's right, that part of our history is gone, that old man is dead. However, I can understand why people get confused, as the church continues to preach a different Jesus than I know. I get it. The Jesus that I know is loving and accepting of who I am. Not only that, of those around me as well. Yes, even Donald Trump. I would not like to be among those left behind were it not so. Realizing the love and grace of God takes salvation out of our hands and places it right where it belongs...in His hands. I am not too proud to admit that were it not for my heavenly Father that I would be lost. This is true for all who fail to accept Him. For without God, what hope is there? If you find yourself telling others that "my Jesus" would never accept one who does wrong, you best be asking yourself why He chose to accept you. For if you believe that Jesus only accepts those who do right...that's not my Jesus.
~Scott~
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