We are, not there yet.
As of yesterday, it is entirely possible that my best friend is the best person I know. Which just furthers my point, God does not use perfect people to do good things. To do great things. He uses the misfits, the fuckups for Christ ((I say that in the most loving way possible, she is my best friend, afterall)). My best friend has been through, experienced some of the worst this world has to offer. She has struggled and collapsed and gotten up again. Sometimes worse for the wear, but this time better for it. And now? I'm jealous of what a good person she is. Jealous of her opportunities and the love she is sharing with the rest of the world. Way to call me out, bessfrienn. I won't give you all the details, it's her story to share and I wouldn't do it justice. But it has decided to make me do featurettes. I'm going to feature friends and family writing in this little blog of mine. And my best friend, is up first.
Before I begin my next paragraph, I realize I must make a distinction. I can't call myself a Christian. Not because I don't believe Christ was the Son of God ((that is a debate for another time, my loves)). But rather due to the fact that I'm not a "little Christ." Original, and arguably the best, followers of Jesus never called themselves Christians but Followers of The Way. I would love to be a little Christ, an imitation of the Son of God, but I'm not. I am a mere Follower of His Way, I cannot attest to being anything more than that. That would make me a liar and, as we all know, liars go straight to Hell ((but, of course, so do those who judge others. So if you just condemned me for being a liar? You're screwed too)). Moving along...
A very popular Christian belief is that we must spread salvation to the rest of the world. That we must cleanse it of it's paganistic ways and hand life jackets out to all those on the sinking ship we call Humanity. That life vest appears, obviously, in the form of a Bible with a rather guilting Jesus nailed to the cross pictured in detail on the cover. You know, railway nails through his wrists, blood dripping, and a cry of anguish on his lips? Now, don't get me wrong. Jesus definitely died for your sins and you definitely didn't deserve it, you little heathen. But, uhm, isn't that jumping to conclusions a little fast? What was this "Good News" Jesus wanted us to spread anyway? Was it truthfully that he died on a cross for all of us delinquents? Because I seem to recall Jesus spreading the Gospel, the Good News... wait for it... BEFORE he was dead.
I know, scandalous.
So, Good News... something about the poor and the broken, something about the sick and disabled, something about the depraved and the hurting? It's about love, not life vests. We were saved by grace, but commissioned to go out into the world and spread love.
"Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup - where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?"
James also goes on to affirm that works without faith is also hot air, but the point is that they go hand in hand. You cannot throw people a life vest of words and salvation without first showing them the love that you have already and undeservingly recieved. I am tired of "saving people" being the main goal, when it was never one of the goals at all. Jesus saves - you? Do not. That is too big of a responsibility for you or me or any of us to handle. We cannot be each others saviors, we will drown that way. What we can do is love one another. We can show grace and love to all those whose paths cross ours and perhaps have the opportunity to share our beliefs, but the actual saving will never come from us. So you, little Christs, live better. Because Jesus didn't walk around demanding people claim His God as theirs, he just healed them and sent them on their way. He loved them and left them to decide on their own what was real for them. Do not claim to be capable of anything more, because you would be wrong and most certainly not an imitator of Christ.
I lecture not to those who do not believe as I do, because my God does not lecture to those who do not believe. For you, I can only hope and pray that you find the same love and peace that I have found in an unconditional and unchanging God. I can tell you what I believe and why, I can argue logistics, I can disagree with you and you with me. But I lecture to those who claim to walk the path of Christ, because Jesus lectured to them. It is upsetting to me that the whole "Turn or Burn" has become so very popular in our Nation of bubblegum belief when in reality? The only people Jesus ever said that to, were religious scholars. Ouch...
This is a lot of ((incomplete)) theology, sorry about that. Feel free to bounce it off me in email or cellphone or person. ESPECIALLY IF YOU DISAGREE. Because, damnit, I need some good challenges. I joke you not, Kidds, I am going to school to become some kind of pastor. You're all terrified, I know ((who wants to make bets that I will say "douchebag" the first time I'm in front of a crowd?)). And truthfully, I am not really sure about this path. But I do know that I am tired of uptight douchebags getting all the say on Sunday mornings without a real rebuttal in the rest of the world. If you delve into the "Christian world," you see a lot of arguments on both side, but not in the everyday world. It's kind of like how you only ever hear about Muslim terrorists and so you assume all Muslims are terrorists ((ps, they aren't. And if you legitimately thought/think that, you need a serious reality check)), most people only ever hear about Christian assholes and so they assume all Christians are assholes. Well, I'm refutting the name Christian and I am claiming El Bible as Truth and seeing what the world does with me. We'll see, I suppose...
Peace be, kidds.
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