All In (Pt. 2) It is in the Bible, not to wrestle your neighbor...
by Roberto Esponja on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 2:52am ·
Anonymous responses can be made at my blog: http://phreshwater01.blogspot.com/2011/06/all-in-pt-2.html
I really recommend reading All In (Pt. 1) A little background before we dig in... first. I think it will help, and that's why I did it this way.
Hang in there as you read this, there is a point. If you don't get it, let me know. I'll help you out.
_______________________________________________________
Pt. 2: All roads do not lead to God. In fact, to the contrary, God is the point at which they diverge.
Keep in mind...I NEVER plan any of this stuff. Every time I finish a note I honestly feel I have no more to say and that trite rambling will end my writings, but God has a funny way of working things out, and it looks like we're not done yet.
Over the course of the past week or so, a few unrelated, but as I see very related, subjects have come up. So here we go...As you read, keep in mind what I have already said in Pt. 1 of this.
Know this, that Jesus stated very clearly, he did not to bring peace, but a sword. (I know this runs contrary to the popular ever loving "Buddy Jesus" image we seem to prefer in our culture.)
To that end, and very simply stated he did not want to leave us the option to make him anything other than who he claimed. He speaks clearly to the intention that we should be hot, or cold, but not lukewarm. My personal take on that, is that he is saying, have the heart to accept me or the guts to reject me, but don't pretend that there is a third option. Jesus can not be alright with you, as the Doobie Brothers famously claimed in the 70's.
He was not simply a prophet, or a nice guy, or even free medical care. He was, by intention, either who he claimed to be, or quite the opposite, but that, if we are honest, is the actual decision we are left with.
This extreme divisiveness is not exclusive to Jesus, but is to be found in all of the major religions. So, to say those that desire to believe that "all truth is relative"well...the very nature of that statement is a contradiction of its message, because in that it too is an absolute. The truth is divisive, that's just what it is, regardless of how we may feel about it.
Even those who would like to believe that they can be accepting and inclusive of all (if they are honest) will have to admit non-acceptance and exclusiveness to those having such a claim as Jesus, when he says that no one comes to the Father but by him. That's pretty much, about as cut and dry as it comes.
Christ came for one major purpose, to take on the cost of our sins, and conquer the resulting death of doing so. This is a price which we could never pay, and again I restate, so that we could be saved from ourselves and the wrath we incur by our offenses to God through our rebellion against him. We do not earn it, we can not earn it, or surely this would nullify his very mission making it pointless.
This is the second, and less obvious, major point at which Christianity differs from all other religions, is that NOTHING, in regard to salvation, is required of us except faith. "Salvation" in every other religion requires an effort (works) from us, and by us before it is attainable. This, by Biblical standards, is a lie! The God of the Bible clearly and repeatedly states any attempts at such are exercises in futility and are done in vain. On a personal level, I might go so far as to say they are insulting, not unlike trying to repay someone for a gift they have freely and lovingly bestowed upon you.
Now, please, don't hear what I'm not saying. I believe that CS Lewis was correct in saying,"We do not have souls, we are souls. We have a body." When we develop our vision of people as such, we will begin to develop a greater tolerance for them and their differences from us. We will extend to them the graces and tolerance we too udeservingly received in our sorry state, from God. We often forget about that, and for that I must apologize to those who have experienced such "ungrace". Know that it is not God, but we who are at fault in this.
The Bible says that God loved us long before we loved him. We who claim to be followers, should do no less. That said, however, we can still love somebody and not agree with them. The grace bestowed on us was extended unconditionally and as agents of such we should extend the same.
It is, again, very possible to love others with the same level of inherent value, as God's creations, that we view ourselves as having, without actually having the same belief system.Who would have thought it? Who would have thought It's OK to stand for something and that it's OK if not everyone believes what you do. To believe otherwise to to serve a very small god in deed!
Changing hearts and minds is what God does, not us. Not being able to save ourselves, we would be guilty of pride and arrogance to think that we might actually be able to save someone else. That is our implication when we love others that conditionally, and we risk being guilty of being one more obstacle in their path. Please, forgive us this as well, if this has been your experience. Solo Cristo Salva! (Only Christ Saves!)
Some really cool guy, once said to preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words. I love that...
I say this to those who already profess to believe in Jesus, or to take the claim of Christian. Take the time and effort to know what it is you are professing to believe, and then simply live it. God will do his job. He is not looking for salesmen. Salvation is done through direct marketing, not some pyramid scheme.
What God desires, what he has always desired, is for people to be in right relation to Him, and others. Admit that you may be wrong sometimes (For God's sake show your humanity!) God is bigger than you and will use that too. Then be willing to listen to, and understand others, before you bludgeon them with your own piousness. After all if you don't, aren't you are asking from others what you are not willing to give. It's just called being human, relax.
To those who do not claim to believe in Jesus, I admire you in being honest enough to say so. I think you're wrong in doing so, but I would never ask anyone to confess belief something they they don't actually believe. I certainly don't think Jesus would either. No one believes in something they think is wrong do they? And if you believe you're right, why wouldn't you share that?
Of course, now knowing what you know of me, I would ask you to consider Jesus. That's where my hope lies. I would be willing to share with you the little I do know, if you ask. But where you are with God, is between you and God, and I am more prone to letting God to for you what has done for me, and He has been amazingly patient with me.
As it was so eloquently stated in the movie "Junebug", God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you too much to let you stay that way. And as I am so fond of saying lately, if you can't be honest, you can't really be anything that's worth being.
I don't dole out salvation, that's not mine to administer, and neither is judgment. I'm not called to do either. I am simply to bear witness to the grace I have, and currently am experiencing. The rest is in God's hands, and that is where I will leave it.
I hope this answers the many questions that have been posed to me this week. If not, ask and you shall receive, but you've got to ask.
d(-_-)b
Third beer gone, cigar finished quite a while ago, good night.
I really recommend reading All In (Pt. 1) A little background before we dig in... first. I think it will help, and that's why I did it this way.
Hang in there as you read this, there is a point. If you don't get it, let me know. I'll help you out.
_______________________________________________________
Pt. 2: All roads do not lead to God. In fact, to the contrary, God is the point at which they diverge.
Keep in mind...I NEVER plan any of this stuff. Every time I finish a note I honestly feel I have no more to say and that trite rambling will end my writings, but God has a funny way of working things out, and it looks like we're not done yet.
Over the course of the past week or so, a few unrelated, but as I see very related, subjects have come up. So here we go...As you read, keep in mind what I have already said in Pt. 1 of this.
Know this, that Jesus stated very clearly, he did not to bring peace, but a sword. (I know this runs contrary to the popular ever loving "Buddy Jesus" image we seem to prefer in our culture.)
To that end, and very simply stated he did not want to leave us the option to make him anything other than who he claimed. He speaks clearly to the intention that we should be hot, or cold, but not lukewarm. My personal take on that, is that he is saying, have the heart to accept me or the guts to reject me, but don't pretend that there is a third option. Jesus can not be alright with you, as the Doobie Brothers famously claimed in the 70's.
He was not simply a prophet, or a nice guy, or even free medical care. He was, by intention, either who he claimed to be, or quite the opposite, but that, if we are honest, is the actual decision we are left with.
This extreme divisiveness is not exclusive to Jesus, but is to be found in all of the major religions. So, to say those that desire to believe that "all truth is relative"well...the very nature of that statement is a contradiction of its message, because in that it too is an absolute. The truth is divisive, that's just what it is, regardless of how we may feel about it.
Even those who would like to believe that they can be accepting and inclusive of all (if they are honest) will have to admit non-acceptance and exclusiveness to those having such a claim as Jesus, when he says that no one comes to the Father but by him. That's pretty much, about as cut and dry as it comes.
Christ came for one major purpose, to take on the cost of our sins, and conquer the resulting death of doing so. This is a price which we could never pay, and again I restate, so that we could be saved from ourselves and the wrath we incur by our offenses to God through our rebellion against him. We do not earn it, we can not earn it, or surely this would nullify his very mission making it pointless.
This is the second, and less obvious, major point at which Christianity differs from all other religions, is that NOTHING, in regard to salvation, is required of us except faith. "Salvation" in every other religion requires an effort (works) from us, and by us before it is attainable. This, by Biblical standards, is a lie! The God of the Bible clearly and repeatedly states any attempts at such are exercises in futility and are done in vain. On a personal level, I might go so far as to say they are insulting, not unlike trying to repay someone for a gift they have freely and lovingly bestowed upon you.
Now, please, don't hear what I'm not saying. I believe that CS Lewis was correct in saying,"We do not have souls, we are souls. We have a body." When we develop our vision of people as such, we will begin to develop a greater tolerance for them and their differences from us. We will extend to them the graces and tolerance we too udeservingly received in our sorry state, from God. We often forget about that, and for that I must apologize to those who have experienced such "ungrace". Know that it is not God, but we who are at fault in this.
The Bible says that God loved us long before we loved him. We who claim to be followers, should do no less. That said, however, we can still love somebody and not agree with them. The grace bestowed on us was extended unconditionally and as agents of such we should extend the same.
It is, again, very possible to love others with the same level of inherent value, as God's creations, that we view ourselves as having, without actually having the same belief system.Who would have thought it? Who would have thought It's OK to stand for something and that it's OK if not everyone believes what you do. To believe otherwise to to serve a very small god in deed!
Changing hearts and minds is what God does, not us. Not being able to save ourselves, we would be guilty of pride and arrogance to think that we might actually be able to save someone else. That is our implication when we love others that conditionally, and we risk being guilty of being one more obstacle in their path. Please, forgive us this as well, if this has been your experience. Solo Cristo Salva! (Only Christ Saves!)
Some really cool guy, once said to preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words. I love that...
I say this to those who already profess to believe in Jesus, or to take the claim of Christian. Take the time and effort to know what it is you are professing to believe, and then simply live it. God will do his job. He is not looking for salesmen. Salvation is done through direct marketing, not some pyramid scheme.
What God desires, what he has always desired, is for people to be in right relation to Him, and others. Admit that you may be wrong sometimes (For God's sake show your humanity!) God is bigger than you and will use that too. Then be willing to listen to, and understand others, before you bludgeon them with your own piousness. After all if you don't, aren't you are asking from others what you are not willing to give. It's just called being human, relax.
To those who do not claim to believe in Jesus, I admire you in being honest enough to say so. I think you're wrong in doing so, but I would never ask anyone to confess belief something they they don't actually believe. I certainly don't think Jesus would either. No one believes in something they think is wrong do they? And if you believe you're right, why wouldn't you share that?
Of course, now knowing what you know of me, I would ask you to consider Jesus. That's where my hope lies. I would be willing to share with you the little I do know, if you ask. But where you are with God, is between you and God, and I am more prone to letting God to for you what has done for me, and He has been amazingly patient with me.
As it was so eloquently stated in the movie "Junebug", God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you too much to let you stay that way. And as I am so fond of saying lately, if you can't be honest, you can't really be anything that's worth being.
I don't dole out salvation, that's not mine to administer, and neither is judgment. I'm not called to do either. I am simply to bear witness to the grace I have, and currently am experiencing. The rest is in God's hands, and that is where I will leave it.
I hope this answers the many questions that have been posed to me this week. If not, ask and you shall receive, but you've got to ask.
d(-_-)b
Third beer gone, cigar finished quite a while ago, good night.
Thomas Scott thats why I love ya , hope the cigar & beer where most enjoyable and satisfyingJune 25, 2011 at 9:17am · · 1
Roberto Esponja Thomas Wouldn't have indulged were they not. But not nearly as good as wings and beer with you!
