To Reign In Hell
If I had to rely on the example and testimony of some of the 'christians' at my church I'd probably be an atheist. I can't say I blame my atheist friends if all they see is the poor example that I see: christians that worry more about material things than trying to help others, who want to shout 'look how wonderful I am' to the world, who despise everything and everyone that either isn't up to their so-called standards or doesn't agree with them, who won't have anything to do with a person if they can't get something from them. I believe christians do more harm to their cause and to the spread of the Good News than anything anyone can dream up from any other source. It's not because of these kinds of christians that I believe in God and that Jesus is my savior, it's because of stuff I've experienced in my life and because I've seen the love of true humble servants.
What's the deal? You go to church and you're told by 'christians' that how you look, how you dress, what you drive and where you live matters? You're led to believe that what you do for a living and how much you make matters to God? You're beaten over the head to shape up, stand out, and give so you can be one of the 'chosen'?
EEEEHHH!!! WRONG!!! Sorry, brothers, but from here on out I'm putting you on notice: I'm declaring WAR on you! The devil does more through ONE OF YOU than through ten thousand of what you call the 'non believers'. I don't know what pisses me off more: the fact that you let yourselves be used by the enemy or the fact that you think you're so damn righteous and better than everyone else and don't see what you're shoveling. You know, that's probably what does the most harm...that 'holier than though' attitude. The real world is bad enough...we don't need you being as bad or worse than the world.
I talk to 15 or so people a month that are searching...looking for something...looking for the truth. They know there's more to life than just living, working, and dying and they want to find out about it. The only problem is they run into some dumb christian that feeds them a line of bull saying they have to dress-act-look-talk-behave a certain way, have to do-this-and-don't-do-that in order to get into heaven. DON'T BUY INTO IT!!
I'm telling you [and DARING the 'christians' to disagree with me] that that's not the case. I've been going to church since I was born. I've been a christian for most of my life. The main focus of christianity has nothing to do with what you think someone else is supposed to be doing and everything to do with a very private and personal relationship with God through Jesus that's really no one else in the whole world's business.
Too many christians want to judge the world and the people in it. STOP! DON"T DO IT! You are only judging yourselves! Remember, scripture says you will be judged by the standards you hold others to. [Matthew 7:1-2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."] I don't want that. I have too hard of a time trying to get my own life right to be worrying about how other people are living theirs. If I want God's mercy and forgiveness I had better be willing to give the same to others!
It's time christians got off their high horses and started looking at the world the right way: go into most of the churches today and I would suspect the pastor is on the right page of the playbook but a fair part of the congregation isn't. Find a place where you know the pastor is preaching the word as God has given it to him and you've found a place you can learn and grow. How can you tell? If the word is exactly what you needed to hear and you think 'wow...has he been reading my mind?' you've found someone preaching God's word and not his.
If you see allot of the congregation turning their nose up at you because you: don't dress like them - don't come every time the door is open - didn't grow up in this church or are a relative new comer - ask too many probing, hard hitting questions that they can't answer - do me a favor and stay there...be a thorn in their side...make them sweat. Nothing makes me happier than to see a christian sweat because someone's made them take ownership of their faith.
What's the deal? You go to church and you're told by 'christians' that how you look, how you dress, what you drive and where you live matters? You're led to believe that what you do for a living and how much you make matters to God? You're beaten over the head to shape up, stand out, and give so you can be one of the 'chosen'?
EEEEHHH!!! WRONG!!! Sorry, brothers, but from here on out I'm putting you on notice: I'm declaring WAR on you! The devil does more through ONE OF YOU than through ten thousand of what you call the 'non believers'. I don't know what pisses me off more: the fact that you let yourselves be used by the enemy or the fact that you think you're so damn righteous and better than everyone else and don't see what you're shoveling. You know, that's probably what does the most harm...that 'holier than though' attitude. The real world is bad enough...we don't need you being as bad or worse than the world.
I talk to 15 or so people a month that are searching...looking for something...looking for the truth. They know there's more to life than just living, working, and dying and they want to find out about it. The only problem is they run into some dumb christian that feeds them a line of bull saying they have to dress-act-look-talk-behave a certain way, have to do-this-and-don't-do-that in order to get into heaven. DON'T BUY INTO IT!!
I'm telling you [and DARING the 'christians' to disagree with me] that that's not the case. I've been going to church since I was born. I've been a christian for most of my life. The main focus of christianity has nothing to do with what you think someone else is supposed to be doing and everything to do with a very private and personal relationship with God through Jesus that's really no one else in the whole world's business.
Too many christians want to judge the world and the people in it. STOP! DON"T DO IT! You are only judging yourselves! Remember, scripture says you will be judged by the standards you hold others to. [Matthew 7:1-2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."] I don't want that. I have too hard of a time trying to get my own life right to be worrying about how other people are living theirs. If I want God's mercy and forgiveness I had better be willing to give the same to others!
It's time christians got off their high horses and started looking at the world the right way: go into most of the churches today and I would suspect the pastor is on the right page of the playbook but a fair part of the congregation isn't. Find a place where you know the pastor is preaching the word as God has given it to him and you've found a place you can learn and grow. How can you tell? If the word is exactly what you needed to hear and you think 'wow...has he been reading my mind?' you've found someone preaching God's word and not his.
If you see allot of the congregation turning their nose up at you because you: don't dress like them - don't come every time the door is open - didn't grow up in this church or are a relative new comer - ask too many probing, hard hitting questions that they can't answer - do me a favor and stay there...be a thorn in their side...make them sweat. Nothing makes me happier than to see a christian sweat because someone's made them take ownership of their faith.
Labels: Broken World
posted by Beast1624 at 1:26 AM
2 Comments:
It seems to me that there are tons of people that just go to church to complete the jigsaw puzzle of an all-American life, as though church is a country club. You're a white man with a white wife, drive an SUV, conservatively colored and done up, own a ranch home in an upper-mid neighborhood, have two kids and a dog, and the kids are both athletes (the guy football, the girl soccer or field hockey)...blah blah blah, fill in the blanks as you see to. Church, and God, to some is a matter of keeping up with the Joneses.
I think there is a fine line between Unity and Individuality. Many churches struggle with it.
Individuality is a Godly principle, as God is infinitely creative, his creation is infinitely diverse.
Unity is also a Godly Principle, as we, as Christians, are commanded to all be like Christ, and be in union with the Church in doing so.
So where is the line drawn?
Some churches, as you point out go to far in defining what "living like Christ" means.
Others don't define it at all, and leave the individual to dictate doctrine.
Its always a legalism versus liscence argument.
Personally, I tend to fall to the legalistic side (its safer, but still wrong.)
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