Often our minds do keep us trapped in a hell of our own making. Dwelling on the things we know about ourselves that we can't forgive or can't seem to escape from. Shame certainly is a culprit, pointing out our flaws and paralyzing us against seeking help. Then those who of no fault of their own are trapped in a living hell of the mind, like severe cases of mental illness or cases of mental abuse. These persons are trapped in a hell-like state because what they are experiencing keeps them from a vibrant relationship with God. And this is exactly one aspect of Hell. Separation from God. But we are not temporal beings, while we do have a beginning as Christians we believe that we live on after our mortal body dies.
Our understanding of God and all spiritual things are based on temporal knowledge. Or you could say our understanding of the perfect is imperfect.
We hate the word judgment because of the flawed nature of our own judicial system. We have set it up the best we can, but if you are rich you may be able to purchase the best lawyer who is good at setting the guilty free or convicting the Innocent. If you don't have any money you may have to settle for a lawyer who is less than adequate. The judge may be senile or bias against your race or gender or religious beliefs. Not to mention that he has never met you, and doesn't know anything about you. Don't get me wrong, we must have the legal system, as flawed as it is we would be worse without it. But then we make a jump from the imperfect and flawed nature of our legal system to how God handles judgement. This is normal to do, but certainly not a complete comparison. In order to do this right we must see the attributes of God.
You see God is all-knowing, everywhere, just, merciful, loving, graceful. He knew us before we were born, created us, and can see through the tunnel of time and know all our actions and true motives before we arrive at any moment in the future. Scary huh, well not really, God loves us so much and wantsto spend time with us so much, that God became a man, lived a harder life than us and paid the ultimate price for us, suffering and dying on the cross.
How does that fit in? Well the bible calls Jesus our advocate, which could be translated as lawyer. He is not a low paid public defender, he actually paid to defend us. Not only did he already take our punishment but then he comes to our defense and stands before God on our behalf. But what about those who don't know Jesus. This is the flaw in my human eyes, what about the good who don't have Jesus as a lawyer, who's debt he didn't pay? Jesus paid the dept of all mankind, he paid for the sins for all eternity, it is not his will that any one should perish but all should have eternal life. And yet we see in Revelation at the White Throne Judgement that there are people who will not spend eternity with God, but be thrown into the Lake of fire. This seems inhumane to us humans who know that there is nothing we can do to make it into heaven on our own. We know that we have been freely forgiven for all of our mistakes, why is our merciful God not as merciful for others. The answer is simple to me. God is Merciful, God is Just, God is All-Knowing, God is the Perfect Judge, God is full of Grace. I have no right to judge who will be in heaven for God. That is Gods job. My understanding is so limited I couldn't even file the papers in the courtroom of God.
What about the babies, what about the person on a mountain who never had the chance to accept or reject Christ's love for them. God has the perfect answer. I don't know what it is but God does. God knows the innermost being of every person, and knows the true answers to the questions that God has for each person. God sees our motives. God will have mercy on who God chooses and it will not be based on my understanding of who should receive it. It will be based on what should be done. God will not allow some into heaven and it will not be based on words or deeds that I think they should speak or believe, or religious actions that I think should be followed. God is bigger than my understanding of God. Jesus speaks of Heaven and he speaks of Hell. His love is unconditional toward us his creations. God wants us with him so much that he perfectly paid for our imperfections. God wants us to help the hurting, feed them, clothe them, heal their wounds and share the news about Gods love for them. We are to tell them what Jesus did on the cross and why. What they do with that information and how God judges them is not for me to know. But I know this, God knows just the right thing to do.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Sin in the Church
Recently my pastor asked the staff and elders to chime in on his blog on some sensitive topics. He has been quite outspoken on the topic of how God loves gays prompting alot of email. One person wanting just to make sure that he viewed homosexuality as a sin. Here is my 2 cents.
What a hot topic, SIN. I think that you certainly can make the case biblically that homosexuality is not what God intended. And yes I think that you can certainly make the case that homosexuality is sin. It is true that of all the times it is mentioned in the bible that only 2 or 3 have to do with same gender sex, others have to do with prostitution and other forms of sexual activity outside of marriage, but certainly same gender sex is spoken against biblically. But let's start by putting some of the positions into perspective;
1.) To the extreme right would be let's say a pastor from Topeka who pickets funerals for the armed services, and feels justified in using hate speech like "God hates Fags." because, the fact that they are gay or in any sin, is proof that they are not part of Gods elect or chosen. If God has rejected them it is their obligation as Christians to do so also. If a gay person walked into that church they would say "God hates You!"
2.) Just a little less far to the right, would be those who believe that gays are evil and we shouldn't pray for them, help them, they should be shunned. If a gay person would walk into their church members would get up and walk out.
3.) Let's move to the opposite side, the extreme left. Embracing all things, believing that there is really no such thing a sin, or hell, as a matter of fact "Whatever you believe is good, whatever God you embrace is good for you." If a gay person walked into this church they would say; "Let's celebrate you finding your truth, you are gay and we are proud of your gay perfection."
4.) A little less to the left, the thought that God created Gays, to be gay so the bible must be culturally irrelevant now or was just written down wrong. If a gay person walked in this church, they would be asked to join some committees.
5.) Now let's go to the center. This is where I really think the minority of those who call themselves Christians live. The belief here is that God created us all, but through the fall of Adam ALL have fallen, from the time of the fall we were born imperfect, our lives are thick with struggle, disease and defect. Through the sacrifice of Christ ALL have the opportunity to accept the love of God freely given to ALL who would accept it. That there is nothing we can do of ourselves to earn Gods love and free gift. That none of us will achieve perfection on earth in our skin but, all who have accepted God's free gift, are perfected positionally in Christ. This church believes that we need to share the message of the Gospel to everyone, and that means the homosexual, the extreme right hateful preacher from Topeka, the extreme left preacher who believes that whatever you believe is good for you and you can write your own gospel. This church also believes that it is not necessary to clean up the sinner before loving them, and acknowledges that to try and do so would be hypocritical since each of us deal with sin on a daily basis. That loving others is not about the other person or their worthiness to be loved, but is based on the fact that God's love for us is unconditional and that is what we are called to do, love unconditionally. Jesus loved us while we were sinners, gave his life for us before we were born knowing that some of us would choose him and some would not. This church believes that we are to come to Christ as we are, but we are not to stay that way. That God begins his work on our lives even before we accept him, but after we accept him he begins to work on us in His perfect timing, he chooses things for us to work on and we start the process of God cleaning our life on the earth up. This church understands that the day we accept Christ's gift, all our sins do not just fall off, but with Gods help we can grow, and struggle through and as we do we are less dependent on our sins and more dependent on God and his mercy and his grace. When a homosexual comes to this church the church says; "Welcome fellow sinner, come join us in our journey, let us help you bear your burdens and accept Christ's free gift of love with us. Where you are hurting let us help you heal, and where you struggle let us pray for your struggle. Call us when you need a friend, come and eat with us, when you are are hungry. Let us hold you when you cry for our hearts have been broken too. And let us pray that the sins that entangle you and entangle us will be overcome on earth as they are in heaven. For God loves you and wants to make you whole.
This church speaks the truth in love, it lists all the sins and is not ashamed of saying them, for it is shame that keeps us from dealing with many of our sins, and shame often drives us to them. We are not ashamed of the Gospel, we are not ashamed of our imperfections and struggles, for that would only drive them deeper below the surface hiding them from view. We strive to be aware that our sins exist, and to be honest that our sins are real, our sins bind us and control us. Our sins need to be confessed our struggles need to be shared. Your sins do not shock us at this church for we are sinners too. We cannot treat people differently because of the type of sin that entangles them. A homosexual, should be treated no differently than the rest of us sinners. If you have been in church leadership you understand that at anytime a majority of your church is struggling with addictions, all manner of sexual indiscretions, gossip, hatred, unforgiveness, gluttony, self-loathing, lying to others and ourselves and on and on. So someone walks in, struggling with homosexuality, why should they get special treatment. Welcome sinner come on in let Gods love begin to heal you and make you whole.
Ross
Sinner,
Elder,
What a hot topic, SIN. I think that you certainly can make the case biblically that homosexuality is not what God intended. And yes I think that you can certainly make the case that homosexuality is sin. It is true that of all the times it is mentioned in the bible that only 2 or 3 have to do with same gender sex, others have to do with prostitution and other forms of sexual activity outside of marriage, but certainly same gender sex is spoken against biblically. But let's start by putting some of the positions into perspective;
1.) To the extreme right would be let's say a pastor from Topeka who pickets funerals for the armed services, and feels justified in using hate speech like "God hates Fags." because, the fact that they are gay or in any sin, is proof that they are not part of Gods elect or chosen. If God has rejected them it is their obligation as Christians to do so also. If a gay person walked into that church they would say "God hates You!"
2.) Just a little less far to the right, would be those who believe that gays are evil and we shouldn't pray for them, help them, they should be shunned. If a gay person would walk into their church members would get up and walk out.
3.) Let's move to the opposite side, the extreme left. Embracing all things, believing that there is really no such thing a sin, or hell, as a matter of fact "Whatever you believe is good, whatever God you embrace is good for you." If a gay person walked into this church they would say; "Let's celebrate you finding your truth, you are gay and we are proud of your gay perfection."
4.) A little less to the left, the thought that God created Gays, to be gay so the bible must be culturally irrelevant now or was just written down wrong. If a gay person walked in this church, they would be asked to join some committees.
5.) Now let's go to the center. This is where I really think the minority of those who call themselves Christians live. The belief here is that God created us all, but through the fall of Adam ALL have fallen, from the time of the fall we were born imperfect, our lives are thick with struggle, disease and defect. Through the sacrifice of Christ ALL have the opportunity to accept the love of God freely given to ALL who would accept it. That there is nothing we can do of ourselves to earn Gods love and free gift. That none of us will achieve perfection on earth in our skin but, all who have accepted God's free gift, are perfected positionally in Christ. This church believes that we need to share the message of the Gospel to everyone, and that means the homosexual, the extreme right hateful preacher from Topeka, the extreme left preacher who believes that whatever you believe is good for you and you can write your own gospel. This church also believes that it is not necessary to clean up the sinner before loving them, and acknowledges that to try and do so would be hypocritical since each of us deal with sin on a daily basis. That loving others is not about the other person or their worthiness to be loved, but is based on the fact that God's love for us is unconditional and that is what we are called to do, love unconditionally. Jesus loved us while we were sinners, gave his life for us before we were born knowing that some of us would choose him and some would not. This church believes that we are to come to Christ as we are, but we are not to stay that way. That God begins his work on our lives even before we accept him, but after we accept him he begins to work on us in His perfect timing, he chooses things for us to work on and we start the process of God cleaning our life on the earth up. This church understands that the day we accept Christ's gift, all our sins do not just fall off, but with Gods help we can grow, and struggle through and as we do we are less dependent on our sins and more dependent on God and his mercy and his grace. When a homosexual comes to this church the church says; "Welcome fellow sinner, come join us in our journey, let us help you bear your burdens and accept Christ's free gift of love with us. Where you are hurting let us help you heal, and where you struggle let us pray for your struggle. Call us when you need a friend, come and eat with us, when you are are hungry. Let us hold you when you cry for our hearts have been broken too. And let us pray that the sins that entangle you and entangle us will be overcome on earth as they are in heaven. For God loves you and wants to make you whole.
This church speaks the truth in love, it lists all the sins and is not ashamed of saying them, for it is shame that keeps us from dealing with many of our sins, and shame often drives us to them. We are not ashamed of the Gospel, we are not ashamed of our imperfections and struggles, for that would only drive them deeper below the surface hiding them from view. We strive to be aware that our sins exist, and to be honest that our sins are real, our sins bind us and control us. Our sins need to be confessed our struggles need to be shared. Your sins do not shock us at this church for we are sinners too. We cannot treat people differently because of the type of sin that entangles them. A homosexual, should be treated no differently than the rest of us sinners. If you have been in church leadership you understand that at anytime a majority of your church is struggling with addictions, all manner of sexual indiscretions, gossip, hatred, unforgiveness, gluttony, self-loathing, lying to others and ourselves and on and on. So someone walks in, struggling with homosexuality, why should they get special treatment. Welcome sinner come on in let Gods love begin to heal you and make you whole.
Ross
Sinner,
Elder,
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Perfect Moments
Perfect moments are falling stars.
Not contrived by or books or lectures or seminars.
Simple in all their grandeur,
existing as I move around them, unaware of their being.
Not opportunity.
Not ability.
Not dependent on me.
But gifts of comfort, and peace.
Slices of perfection to be savoured.
Proof of creations purpose.
The places where God meets me and gives me a wink.
I cannot create them, but I can allow them.
I cannot speak them but I can hear them.
I don't know when they are coming, but I know when they are here.
Unless my eyes are closed to their colors,
and my ears are closed to their song,
unless my heart is hardened to their touch.
Perfect moments are falling stars.
Not contrived by or books or lectures or seminars.
Simple in all their grandeur,
existing as I move around them, unaware of their being.
Not opportunity.
Not ability.
Not dependent on me.
But gifts of comfort, and peace.
Slices of perfection to be savoured.
Proof of creations purpose.
The places where God meets me and gives me a wink.
I cannot create them, but I can allow them.
I cannot speak them but I can hear them.
I don't know when they are coming, but I know when they are here.
Unless my eyes are closed to their colors,
and my ears are closed to their song,
unless my heart is hardened to their touch.
Perfect moments are falling stars.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Thoughts from John 4
The same as you
The same as me
Weary, and the place of rest
Parched, and the quencher of thirst
His hands held a hammer, built the earth,
and gave the hammer up to pound in spikes,
giving rythem to the song of wholeness,
written for you
written for me
The carpenter of universes,
Architect of the mind
Author of the Dream
Director of the Vision
Caller of the Calling
Creator of the Created
Flesh and blood and bone and spirit.
Babe, child, teen, adult.
Answer to the question
lawyer for the accused
the bail, the judge,
the vaccine and the cure
the painter of all color
the speaker of all words
Brother and Father
Seer of my soul
know er of my motive
north on my compass
words of eternity speak to my emptiness filling
my being with it's longing.
Birthing purpose in my days.
The same as me
Weary, and the place of rest
Parched, and the quencher of thirst
His hands held a hammer, built the earth,
and gave the hammer up to pound in spikes,
giving rythem to the song of wholeness,
written for you
written for me
The carpenter of universes,
Architect of the mind
Author of the Dream
Director of the Vision
Caller of the Calling
Creator of the Created
Flesh and blood and bone and spirit.
Babe, child, teen, adult.
Answer to the question
lawyer for the accused
the bail, the judge,
the vaccine and the cure
the painter of all color
the speaker of all words
Brother and Father
Seer of my soul
know er of my motive
north on my compass
words of eternity speak to my emptiness filling
my being with it's longing.
Birthing purpose in my days.
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