balancing ...

in light of our doing christian
   of what we say we believe
   of the climate that has evolved
      under the massively broad label of 'christian'
      in this the 21st century
   since the advent of that person
   the one who broke all the molds
   that person that upended large portions of the religion of his people
   that outLaw
   that guy
and how we relate to that
and how we relate to each other as family in Messiah
   how we treat each other
   when we don't stand in the same spot
      on this issue/that doctrine
   particularly all that basket of doctrine left over
      after we separate the core issues
      the must-haves
      that make 'c h r i s t i a n'
when we say that guy
is our lord
   as in Lord
   as in 'we follow him'
   as in 'i want to be like him'
      as in what he does i do
      what he thinks i think
      how he acts i act
      when he calls i respond ..

that guy
   

.............. .. .. .. . in light of that ..

   position 1 -
reveleation
inscripturated
is a done deed
the christian holy book
i live there
i move there

   position 2 -
that revelation
is progressive
in that it morphs itself
as society changes ...
that means
although it was written to a specific audience at the time
and should firstly be understood as such
it's applicability adjusts
as the world turns
as people change

   position 3 -
our understanding of scripture/revelation
grows
with time

if everything that was revealed
was to be understood instantly
we would all be fully knowledgeable
from the beginning

however
as we read and meditate
the meanings become more mature
as we mature in our faith
we 'see' things we hadn't noticed before
even if we've read the same passage numerous times

   position 4 -
if this is so ...

we tend to want to be 'sure'
of what we believe
but ...
if there are new understandings
developing
then how can we be fixed
at any particular point
concreted ...
   unless it is a 'core issue'

   position 5 -
if this is so ...

which is 'right' ??

calvinism/reformed theology
arminianism
some mix of the 2
open theology
christus victor theology
some other understanding
none of the above

is the rapture
pre-trib
post-trib
a non-thing

is the return of Messiah
pre-millennium
post-mil
or are we to position at amillennialism

when we take the Lord's Supper
do we subscribe to
the actual flesh and actual blood of Jesus
or to some special presence of his Spirit in the sacrament
or is it simply a memorial
or some combination thereof

....

these are all differing positions
held by christians
many of whom are solidly in pursuit of truth
according to the scriptures


selah ~ ..


so then ..
issue ..
where do i get off
cutting you off
because you don't live
where i live
eat my diet ...

just sayin' ...

are we going to
keep drawing lines in the sand
lockin' and loadin'
over questionable
discussionable
stuff
or are we going to talk about it
ongoing like
as in 'this is a process'
as in 'this is developing'
as in we're on this journey
and none of us
as in
   not
   one
has arrived
yet


selah ~ ..


i blogged before
that i am encouraged
by those who
in all seriousness
have challenged the religion status quo
in the face of 'status quo'/tradition/doctrines-of-men ............

whatever their label
they have in common
the desire
determination
and boldness
to question
re-look-at
requestion
discuss
argue
the Holy Scriptures
in the face of Jesus Messiah

i go with that
i can live there
i'm part
i'm in
for sure

because
i'm questioning and talking and reading and praying and living
the change

because
i covet truth
more than tradition
God's word
more than man's word
God's take on it
more than the doctrines of men

i realize and admit
that there are some issues that need addressing
   in this re-passioned movement
      away from the norm
i recognize the doctrinal cunundrums
and that these rebels go places i wouldn't go
i see the 'heresy' you talk about

but i see too
the need to breathe
a refreshed atmposphere
where the pure gospel
is in-process
of recovery
in-process
in love


selah ~ ..


i am not God
therefore i should not try to be God
to anyone
that's what got us into this in the first place ...

i should love first
in Jesus' name


selah ..~


whenever i take a spiritual position
i don't take that other position
there are divergences
but there should not be schism
   unless it is a core issue ...

.......................  .............  .................................  ...............

i guess what i'm trying to say is
let's not shoot the genuine motivation
that looks for truth in scripture
and is willing to challenge
the religious authorities

they may be delving into heresy on some point
but
let's pray they find their way
...

or would you rather not have known
kept believing what you believe
without testing it's veracity
today
in this life
in my life ..

someone said recently
they were scared to read a book
   dealing with a particularly touchy (to them) spiritual issue ...
i figure
that's just when i need to take it on
because if my God is not big enough
to help me through doubts
and questions
contradictions
and disagreements
then ..........

my friend
God is God
he is far more than we could ever dream or imagine
he's much more mature than we are
and he can handle the disagreements and discussions
among family
under the banner of 'truth'

it is His word
after all

i imagine he wants us in it
as much as possible
as deep as possible
as concerned as possible
as real as possible
as community as possible
as looking-to-honour-him as possible
...
and simply unafraid
to come to him for help
to look to him for illumination

and for peace right through the entire process

we
all of us
who are genuine about this
are looking for the same thing ...
truth
we are all headed Godward

so
we are
all
in
the same boat

same
boat

same Cap'n

... right?


shalom

duty ? ...

in a blog i read recently
a brother posits that faith 'demands'
grace 'demands'
discipleship 'demands'
the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus 'demands'

and he's right
... in a way

but ...
can we look at it another way  ? ?...

what God has done for us
is incredible
out of this world

his incarnation
his learning life as a man
his life example
his theology
his counter-religiosity
his submission to death
   even death on a cross
his resurrection from rhe grave
and his current ministry
   of encouragement by the Spirit
   of representing his disciples
      in the face of the opposers' accusations
...
these are wonderful
and we scarcely can fathom their wealth

but ...
does that mean we should see it all
as amounting to
making 'demands' of us ? ?

should it not be
that the cost of discipleship
should not be seen so much as
a cost
a required response
but as a
willing
offering

to that God
who
did
all
that
?

i know we are human
i am one
i understand suffering
   at least to some degree
and i know it hurts
sometimes it hurts like hell ...

i understand the contrast the author is attempting to make
to the love of God we treat so cheaply
living as if it all didn't really mean that much
because we don't live like
it means much

i got that
but ...

i also get that
more than 'demand'
that love
engenders
response
loving response
response out of love
= sacrifice
willingly
as in Romans 12

My 'reasonable response'
is to
offer
my self
to that God
in life
for life
for his life
in exchange
for my life
... all of it
wholeheaetedly
passionately
with all my heart
all my mind
all my soul
all my strength ...

sorta like as in the 'shema'

when that positivity
   that attitude
drives my lifestyle
   regardless of my repeated failures
then
am I
his disciple

there is the concept of 'demand'
but ...
methinks the lure of love
is so much more
magnetic

the comeback to that could well be
"utopian !"
"idealistic !"

my response ...
Jesus said
be perfect
even as your father in heaven is perfect

that's the goal

and Jesus respects goals
   attitudes
   vision
   desire
   ... love

...

shalom

kudos ...

i'm not much into braggin'
...

but i so often complain
and am so slow to be thankful
   appreciative ...

i have someone that looks out for me
   it doesn't always work out the way i think it should
   and i'm putout by that
      sadly

and then i'm wont to grumble
   pout

so ...
i'm trying to change

my god
is a wonderful person
all the time
all the time

recently he helped me
in a worrying situation
that opened the door for me
to newlife
newplace
newstuff allaround

and i am pumped !
absolutely enthralled
excited

not only did he grant me the request
but he went overboard
beyond my expectations

so i say
praise to you Master
thank you Lord
you are worthy
   of all praise
   honour
      kudos

i love you

shalom