Being A Christian...
This is the first of a series of posts on my faith.
I am a Christian. Yes, I was raised as a Christian, but my parents always said that I should follow where my faith lead me. Alot of it was rote till I hit college. I was sitting in a beginning theology class where we had to examine other faiths. Alot had really good things about them, but it struck me that true Christianity is different.
Christ calls on us to live; to love; to act. He doesnt say we should do X cause the law says so. Act out of love. Christ doesnt want us to do something cause he says we have to, but because we want to and will do it in an act of love. NOTE: I dont mean love the way people today mean, but back to the older concept of Agape. Love that gives of one's self. Love that means you care and accept people for who and what they are.
Too many Christians today are what I call Old Testament Christians. They want the God of Thunder and Retribution. They want a god of Vengence. Christ is not like that. Christ is about being an adult. He wants to act a certain way, but it is not about a carrot or stick. It is the way a person acts if they are an adult. We are responsible for each other and we are called to care for each other just like God cares for us.
So many Christians, dont keep the love of Christ at the forefront. Christ did all that he did for love. None of us are perfect, but we are still loved and can love. The person that cant love; cant know God.
I have a bunch of friends who dont believe. They have been driven away from knowing Christ by people who have perverted the message or just dont understand it. It really hits me sometimes cause I care for them and want them to understand how important Christ is and how important believing is. We have a co-worker who has told them that they are going to hell cause they dont believe. On one hand he is right, but he typifies what the problem is. Rather than showing them that Christians can be caring loving people...he hits them with the you are going to hell thing. He wants to put to put faith in a box. You cant do that. I love and care for my friends, but I dont know how to get my point across to them. Dont toss out Christ because of how Christians act.
God doesnt want us to fear him. He wants love. He did everything he has done because of love. That is what makes the difference from the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament is about talking to children..do this or else. The New is about I love you and want to help you live a happy and fulfilling life. Sometimes, I think that listening to people talk about Christianity it is as if they never opened the book and read it.
Anyway, this has rambled enough...
I am a Christian. Yes, I was raised as a Christian, but my parents always said that I should follow where my faith lead me. Alot of it was rote till I hit college. I was sitting in a beginning theology class where we had to examine other faiths. Alot had really good things about them, but it struck me that true Christianity is different.
Christ calls on us to live; to love; to act. He doesnt say we should do X cause the law says so. Act out of love. Christ doesnt want us to do something cause he says we have to, but because we want to and will do it in an act of love. NOTE: I dont mean love the way people today mean, but back to the older concept of Agape. Love that gives of one's self. Love that means you care and accept people for who and what they are.
Too many Christians today are what I call Old Testament Christians. They want the God of Thunder and Retribution. They want a god of Vengence. Christ is not like that. Christ is about being an adult. He wants to act a certain way, but it is not about a carrot or stick. It is the way a person acts if they are an adult. We are responsible for each other and we are called to care for each other just like God cares for us.
So many Christians, dont keep the love of Christ at the forefront. Christ did all that he did for love. None of us are perfect, but we are still loved and can love. The person that cant love; cant know God.
I have a bunch of friends who dont believe. They have been driven away from knowing Christ by people who have perverted the message or just dont understand it. It really hits me sometimes cause I care for them and want them to understand how important Christ is and how important believing is. We have a co-worker who has told them that they are going to hell cause they dont believe. On one hand he is right, but he typifies what the problem is. Rather than showing them that Christians can be caring loving people...he hits them with the you are going to hell thing. He wants to put to put faith in a box. You cant do that. I love and care for my friends, but I dont know how to get my point across to them. Dont toss out Christ because of how Christians act.
God doesnt want us to fear him. He wants love. He did everything he has done because of love. That is what makes the difference from the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament is about talking to children..do this or else. The New is about I love you and want to help you live a happy and fulfilling life. Sometimes, I think that listening to people talk about Christianity it is as if they never opened the book and read it.
Anyway, this has rambled enough...
posted by Sojourner at 9:20 AM
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