Statement of Faith for Skeptics
(Keeping it Real):
I have
read more statements of faith than I care to even recall. It has gotten
to be where "you read one... you've read them all." We believe
____________ (insert religious speak or copy and paste from the
Apostles Creed). I find most of them incredibly boring and truth be
told... most say very little, especially to the one that has a hard
time believing all this stuff anyway. I have decided to simply be me
and instead of giving you the classic statement of faith that you have
already read a million times at a million different Christian
Websites... I am going to just keep it real.
1. God: Creator of everything. Don't mess with Him because you aren't big enough. Don't argue with Him because you will lose. Don't run from Him because He will find you and He has an endless supply of "big fish" which come in many forms... I know because I have been in the belly of a few. Don't disobey Him because that really does make Him angry. He is the most incredibly loving Father and we love so poorly that it is something that most of us just can't seem to understand. His mercy is insane. His grace is even more insane. Yet... He is wrath like no man can yet understand. He is jealous and vengeful. As Paul said... God is both kind and severe. We'd do well to understand and remember that duality of His nature. We tend to forget and that isn't a smart thing to do. He is God.
2. Jesus Christ: What can anyone say really? I can tell you about His love and His life. There is a book called the Bible that speaks a lot about Him. He was radical in His time and the mercy that He lived was out of this world. He came to see sinners saved. You... me... the guy next to you and the guy next to him... the world. He was ridiculed but kept His mouth shut. They beat Him and He took it. They mocked Him and He didn't even give them one simple retort. They whipped Him and He did not beg for mercy. He was without sin yet bristled when called "good" because His humility only allowed such a title to His Father. He was innocent and yet they killed Him anyway. He rose again. He's now at the right hand of God. He will return and I believe that time to be very soon. His first trip was the greatest act of love that the world has ever known. His next trip... He will be King and He will rule with an iron rod. Get ready... He is coming! He is God.
3. Holy Spirit: He is our comforter. He is who empowers us. He is our teacher. He convicts us of sin. Without Him we would understand nothing. He is our Helper. He too is God.
4. Trinity: Minus all the religious speak which most folks don't really understand although they argue a lot about it... see the above 3.
5. Bible: It is a book with a bunch of writings by a bunch of very old and very dead men. It is archaic and uses ancient idioms and expressions to make points. It comes in many different versions. It is a very huge book. It has been used for good and for bad.... etc. etc. etc. All of that is true. Yet let me tell you more truth. This book can help get you through every issue that you might face in this life. There are lessons in that book that are absolutely invaluable. The words in that book cannot give you eternal life but the words in that book will point you to eternal life. Without this book I dare not even ponder what this world would be like because I know it would be a most horrible place. Without this book I would be wandering aimlessly about life like a fish out of water. Without this book... I really wouldn't know God. I can't imagine what the day would be like without seeing it in front of my eyes while the words travel from sight to understanding. Inspired by the Spirit of God while written by men, some say it contradicts itself. If you believe that then let me talk to you about it. I will be the first that tell you... there are things that contradict. One demoniac in the tombs or two? 10 talents or 5? In every POINT the Bible never contradicts. In trivial points... there are differences. There is beauty in that if you think on it. It is how I can show you that Matthew and Mark didn't sit down together and come up with some elaborate hoax. It is a light to your feet if you allow it to shine.
6. Church: It is a place where hypocrites hang out. People there are mean. All they want is your money. They are to loud. It is to boring. The preacher dresses funny and at the end of the service the preacher didn't shake my hand.... etc. etc. excuses, excuses. Sadly... there is some truth to that in a lot of churches. It happens. Get over it. Hypocrites hang out at church... hence them being hypocrites. If they hung out at the Club... they wouldn't be hypocrites. Sort of a no-brainer. People are mean. Some surely are. Shoot... I can give you names of some of the meanest people I have ever known and you will find them in their church every time the doors are open. It happens. Get over it. Ignore them. Find those that aren't that way. They are there too... you just have to look and find them or come a time or two and they will find you. There are some that preach for gain. Again... it happens. Just like there are restaurants that offer you fine dining for a premium price and when you finish eating you learn you'd of enjoyed the Waffle House more than that place. Listen... go to church. You need it. Ignore the junk and just worship the Lord with others in there who are doing the same thing. God will deal with the hypocrites so we can rest comfortable knowing that fact.
7. Gifts of the Spirit: Yes! All of them are still active. None of ended nor will they end until the Spirit of God leaves because the Savior of the World is back and doing what He is going to do. If you believe otherwise then okay... but you're wrong. It has been taught wrongly and often misused by a bunch of ignorant (some innocently and some just choosing to be) folk . Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater though... could be a grave mistake.
8. Christians: Most are bad examples... I know. Most wouldn't know Christ if Christ came down and flicked their ears... yes, agreed. Most are horrible examples and should be ashamed of themselves. Most live lies and would be better describes as six-day-a-week atheist. All of this is a fact. The path to destruction is wide and there are a boat-load of folks on that path and many of them have a Jesus Fish attached to them somewhere and usually on their backside which in some way seems very applicable. The fish don't make it so though. Thing is... you can't see the real Christian because they are on a different path. That difficult one heading towards that really narrow gate that few folks will find. Ponder that and then find that path.
9. God's Sovereignty: He is God. I am not. Enough said.
10. Heaven and Hell: Very real places. One day you will die. You will be judged for everything you have done. When you are judged, you will be sentenced. You will either spend eternity (never, ever, ever, ever ending) in heaven or you will spend eternity (same never, ever, ever, ever, ending time) in hell. Your call. Choose life or choose death. For crying out loud... choose life!
Just want to make it all make sense to someone that didn't have a degree in religiosity or didn't understand the religious speak that often accompanies such statements of faith or even someone that just didn't really care any longer. Hope this helps even if it torqued a few folks who think it a bit over-the-top.
1. God: Creator of everything. Don't mess with Him because you aren't big enough. Don't argue with Him because you will lose. Don't run from Him because He will find you and He has an endless supply of "big fish" which come in many forms... I know because I have been in the belly of a few. Don't disobey Him because that really does make Him angry. He is the most incredibly loving Father and we love so poorly that it is something that most of us just can't seem to understand. His mercy is insane. His grace is even more insane. Yet... He is wrath like no man can yet understand. He is jealous and vengeful. As Paul said... God is both kind and severe. We'd do well to understand and remember that duality of His nature. We tend to forget and that isn't a smart thing to do. He is God.
2. Jesus Christ: What can anyone say really? I can tell you about His love and His life. There is a book called the Bible that speaks a lot about Him. He was radical in His time and the mercy that He lived was out of this world. He came to see sinners saved. You... me... the guy next to you and the guy next to him... the world. He was ridiculed but kept His mouth shut. They beat Him and He took it. They mocked Him and He didn't even give them one simple retort. They whipped Him and He did not beg for mercy. He was without sin yet bristled when called "good" because His humility only allowed such a title to His Father. He was innocent and yet they killed Him anyway. He rose again. He's now at the right hand of God. He will return and I believe that time to be very soon. His first trip was the greatest act of love that the world has ever known. His next trip... He will be King and He will rule with an iron rod. Get ready... He is coming! He is God.
3. Holy Spirit: He is our comforter. He is who empowers us. He is our teacher. He convicts us of sin. Without Him we would understand nothing. He is our Helper. He too is God.
4. Trinity: Minus all the religious speak which most folks don't really understand although they argue a lot about it... see the above 3.
5. Bible: It is a book with a bunch of writings by a bunch of very old and very dead men. It is archaic and uses ancient idioms and expressions to make points. It comes in many different versions. It is a very huge book. It has been used for good and for bad.... etc. etc. etc. All of that is true. Yet let me tell you more truth. This book can help get you through every issue that you might face in this life. There are lessons in that book that are absolutely invaluable. The words in that book cannot give you eternal life but the words in that book will point you to eternal life. Without this book I dare not even ponder what this world would be like because I know it would be a most horrible place. Without this book I would be wandering aimlessly about life like a fish out of water. Without this book... I really wouldn't know God. I can't imagine what the day would be like without seeing it in front of my eyes while the words travel from sight to understanding. Inspired by the Spirit of God while written by men, some say it contradicts itself. If you believe that then let me talk to you about it. I will be the first that tell you... there are things that contradict. One demoniac in the tombs or two? 10 talents or 5? In every POINT the Bible never contradicts. In trivial points... there are differences. There is beauty in that if you think on it. It is how I can show you that Matthew and Mark didn't sit down together and come up with some elaborate hoax. It is a light to your feet if you allow it to shine.
6. Church: It is a place where hypocrites hang out. People there are mean. All they want is your money. They are to loud. It is to boring. The preacher dresses funny and at the end of the service the preacher didn't shake my hand.... etc. etc. excuses, excuses. Sadly... there is some truth to that in a lot of churches. It happens. Get over it. Hypocrites hang out at church... hence them being hypocrites. If they hung out at the Club... they wouldn't be hypocrites. Sort of a no-brainer. People are mean. Some surely are. Shoot... I can give you names of some of the meanest people I have ever known and you will find them in their church every time the doors are open. It happens. Get over it. Ignore them. Find those that aren't that way. They are there too... you just have to look and find them or come a time or two and they will find you. There are some that preach for gain. Again... it happens. Just like there are restaurants that offer you fine dining for a premium price and when you finish eating you learn you'd of enjoyed the Waffle House more than that place. Listen... go to church. You need it. Ignore the junk and just worship the Lord with others in there who are doing the same thing. God will deal with the hypocrites so we can rest comfortable knowing that fact.
7. Gifts of the Spirit: Yes! All of them are still active. None of ended nor will they end until the Spirit of God leaves because the Savior of the World is back and doing what He is going to do. If you believe otherwise then okay... but you're wrong. It has been taught wrongly and often misused by a bunch of ignorant (some innocently and some just choosing to be) folk . Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater though... could be a grave mistake.
8. Christians: Most are bad examples... I know. Most wouldn't know Christ if Christ came down and flicked their ears... yes, agreed. Most are horrible examples and should be ashamed of themselves. Most live lies and would be better describes as six-day-a-week atheist. All of this is a fact. The path to destruction is wide and there are a boat-load of folks on that path and many of them have a Jesus Fish attached to them somewhere and usually on their backside which in some way seems very applicable. The fish don't make it so though. Thing is... you can't see the real Christian because they are on a different path. That difficult one heading towards that really narrow gate that few folks will find. Ponder that and then find that path.
9. God's Sovereignty: He is God. I am not. Enough said.
10. Heaven and Hell: Very real places. One day you will die. You will be judged for everything you have done. When you are judged, you will be sentenced. You will either spend eternity (never, ever, ever, ever ending) in heaven or you will spend eternity (same never, ever, ever, ever, ending time) in hell. Your call. Choose life or choose death. For crying out loud... choose life!
Just want to make it all make sense to someone that didn't have a degree in religiosity or didn't understand the religious speak that often accompanies such statements of faith or even someone that just didn't really care any longer. Hope this helps even if it torqued a few folks who think it a bit over-the-top.
No comments:
Post a Comment