So, given the places that I have lived, ad the people that I have met, it seems to me that some of the most divisive, ungraceful, and unhappy people that I have met are *gulp* "christians". Yep, I said it. I am not in any way implying that with anger or hate or bitterness, I'm just being brutally honest. before you freak out and click the little x, you might want to finish the blog first ;).
It's like we first start out in Christ with this precious gift of salvation knowing that we are redeemed, forgiven, loved, and accepted, just like that. We are not the same yet we are still growing in grace, but along the way in our walk we pick up burdens instead of letting Christ carry them for us. We get stuck on petty and ridiculous things that halt our fellowship, growth, and outreach (among other things). For example; One family sends their children to public school, while another family homeschools, one woman wears makeup and short hair, while another decides that long hair, and no makeup is the way to go, one person uses a guitar and djembe in the worship while another chooses hymns. One family eats processed food while another eats only raw and organic. These things are NOT the gospel and are subject to change. By the way do you think that either form of worship is less pleasing to God?? Well, it can be if it is done with a prideful spirit. Somewhere along the way, these personal preferences become doctorine , and salvation is lost among mans mindset. People in the body of Christ start looking at each other with disgust and pride in their hearts and do not like being around each other. Suddenly everything in the world is an enemy. The government is the enemy, immigrants are the enemy, homosexuals are the enemy, large corporations are the enemy, and the list goes on and on and on (nothing new here for thousands of years). Unfortunatey WE are the enemy. Our hearts and thoughts and sin is the enemy! We are stinking up the church and the world by placing the focus on everything but our own rotting sin. We are singlehandedly tainting the purity of the church. The worst part of this is that the world can see a liar a mile away, especially with a big fake smile and a nice suit and tie, a hearty handshake while we act ultra holy and superior as we pick each other apart one bloody piece at a time. The whole time that we think we are doing God a favor by being his beacon of awesomeness to the world, there are still people lost, hurting, and dying waiting for someone who has a something that they have never seen before, someone who has a joy, a peace, and a hope, when the world is falling down around them. They need that person to tell them why they have joy, and peace, and hope..Hopeless people need HOPE, not an unacheivable set of rules. Poor people need to know that our God came to this earth in a body yet desired no fame, or money, or things or fancy ministry, he came to serve not to be served. Sick people need to know that they are not sick because they did not have enough faith. The world always tells us that our worth is found in who we are, what we become, and what we can acheive (well if that's true, most of the world is crap outta luck). The focus ends up being continually on the outside, not the inside out. This "self" sickness has quietly creeped into churches all over and is insideuosly ruining God's plan for us. We need salvation. We are all sinners and there is no way around that. If you think you are a "good" person, that's great but there are over 631 laws in the bible so I think you may have broken at least one...If you haven't, I'm sure that there is someone out there that thinks you are a royal jackass (welcome to my world). You need forgiveness and restoration to your creator. I don't have a ton of time but I have provided a link that explains the process quite thoroughly.http://carm.org/what-is-salvation Please comment with any questions, I will do my darndest and best to answer or Im sure that one of my amazing frinds can chime in with a scriptural answer as well.
Lots of Love from Chile,
Sarai
