Christianity: Attitude or Religion?

No, this isn’t a controversial article in which I try to tell you something like “as long as you believe and sorta try most of the time, God will forgive you and you’re saved.” 

Christianity is definitely a religion. 

It is the religion. 

            On Dictionary.com, the first definition listed for “religion” defines the word as ”a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.” That describes Christianity. 

I know of people, even a few of my close friends, who preach “Christianity is not a religion, it’s not about what you do, it’s about who you are, and anyone who believes is saved - end of discussion.” etc. 

If you are one of those people, I don't mean to offend you. 

On the other end of the spectrum, I know of people (also some of my close friends) who believe that if you’re sinless your whole life, but you lie right before you die, and you don’t ask for forgiveness and repent right before you die, you’ll probably fall short of Heaven. For them, it’s more of a religion than anything; it’s not about who you are as much as it is about what you do. 

If you are one of those people, I don’t mean to offend you either. 

Regardless of your position on the religiosity of Christianity, I pray that by the time you finish reading this post, you will all be able to say that you enjoyed reading what I have to say. I also hope and pray that what I am about to tell you is the truth, and that you will agree with me when I'm done and take what you have learned out into the world to change the world as we know it. Please study the things I present to you for yourself.

            What governs our religious practices? With so many different people wearing the name “Christian” yet believing so many different things, so many different buildings with different names on them that preach different doctrines yet claim to be united under the banner of “Christianity,” and so on, what exactly determines where we each worship? 

Some would say it’s a matter of interpretation and everyone who at least tries to worship God is still a Christian in God’s eyes.

Others might say it’s a matter of choosing to be right vs. choosing to be wrong, and those who don’t follow their specific religious practices will be condemned in the end. 

I see logic in both arguments. 

However, I don’t think that our personal beliefs are governed by either of these. 

I think that people choose to see Christianity filtered through the ideals behind “denominationalism” or through the thought process of “be like me or go to Hell” as a result of something else. 

We interpret the Bible differently based on something other than just a mere difference in interpretation.

It goes deeper than that. 

Some would say “it depends on which church you were raised in.” Others might say “well, I go to this church because they’re more welcoming.” Still, others might say “I just feel more uplifted at this particular kind of church." I've also heard people say "this kind of church is scripturally correct and the others are not."

However, I feel that ultimately,

It is possible for the entire body of people who claim to be “Christian” to unite in truthful doctrine as long as we are united first and foremost on one thing:

Attitude. 

Think about some common attitudes we can see today in the world among those who wear the name Christian. Think of the attitudes which make you feel good inside and cause you to think “Now that’s a real Christian.” Think of the attitudes which just drive you crazy because they’re so “wrong.” Think of all the different ways that people look at Christianity. Think of the way your parents, your friends, and the people you look up to look at Christianity.

Now, think of the way you look at Christianity.

During this study, let’s focus on how we each look at Christianity. 

This study isn’t about pointing fingers at someone else and telling them they need to change. My own attitude is the only one I can change, and the same applies to you. With an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to be the best we can be, let’s see what the Bible says about our attitudes. 

In Philippians 2:2, Paul writes that the church be of the same mind. 1 Corinthians 1:10 says that there should “be no divisions” among us, but that we be “united in the same mind and in the same judgment.” In Ephesians 1:4-6, it is written that Christians are to walk in Christ “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

The list goes on and on.

Paul was really focusing on being united under Christ, as we will see in the verses at the end of this article. Search the internet for Bible verses based on unity; there are so many more (as well as many opinions on what it means). 1 Pet. 3:8 says that we are to “have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” We must be united under the banner of the truth of Christ; that is, we must be united in mind, judgment, and doctrine.

Is the “church” united today?

If you say “yes,” why do so many “churches” have different names, different doctrines, different views on salvation, different views on worship, and different views on scriptures?

Why are so many “churches” so different?

“He’s a Methodist. She’s a Baptist. He’s a Catholic. She’s a Church of Christer. He’s a Jehovah’s Witness. He's non-denom. She's Pentecostal. ” Etc.

Unity? 
Really?

If you believe that a “difference in interpretation” accounts for all of these divisions, does a “difference in interpretation” really bring Godly unity? If your beliefs regarding the Bible are different from someone else's, what about “beating people with the Bible”? That doesn't sound like a particularly efficient way to find Godly unity either.

The way we attempt to follow the Bible and the way we view others who attempt to follow the Bible is a key part of achieving unity. 

            Sometime this week, right now if you can, read 1 Corinthians 9 and 10, 1 Pet. 3:15, Romans 14, and 1 Corinthians 8. It’s a lot of reading I know, but it will be very important for our discussion in the upcoming weeks. 

What does Christianity mean? 

What is unity? 

What is truth? 

How can we pull together and change the world?

Spiritual Logic: The Wisdom of God

In my previous post (last Saturday), we discussed some of the reasons why God created His plan from Paul’s writings in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. We discussed some of the reasoning behind His plan, but I feel that the topic needs more discussion. There is another way of looking at this all. 

What are some more reasons “why” God chose His plan?

Romans 12:1 is a verse many of us have heard since we were young. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service/spiritual worship.” Sounds great right?
The thing is, this verse contains a much deeper, more psychological meaning than we often stop to consider.
Allow me to explain.

Humans have long been known to sacrifice ourselves if we feel our cause is justified. For example, many Americans gave their lives in pursuit of freedom from an oppressive government in the revolutionary war. Even now, people say “I would take a bullet for _____.” A degree of sacrificial behavior is natural to all of us. I believe that most people would sacrifice their lives for a “greater good” or for someone they love. These types of sacrifices are reasonable to most people.

However, consider this: it doesn’t come naturally to sacrifice for a goal one can’t physically see. 

It’s not human nature to die for something you didn’t do. We absolutely must have a "just cause" or we can’t justify our own death. Yet, Christ died for something He didn’t do. He died for our sins. He was charged with being a sinner and a blasphemer, but He had no sin. Jesus loved everyone so much that He was willing to preach His message of salvation from sin until they killed Him, without fighting back. Even from the beginning, He knew that He would eventually be killed (John 2:18-25).

Man, on the other hand,  either fights for a selfish reason (i.e. fighting against a perceived personal injustice created by someone else) or for someone he loves (i.e. fighting against job discrimination due to age because your grandpa needs that job to survive).

Even so, one rarely gives his or her actual life for a cause. (Rom. 5:6-10)

My point is this: the few who have willingly died for a cause over the years were killed for 1. Fighting against some form of physical oppression they felt themselves, 2. For fighting for people they cared about, or 3. For fighting for some unseen ideal, such as fighting for “fairness” or “equality.” Even in our modern day, those individuals who fight for groups of people as a whole fall into one of those three categories.

Christ didn’t fight against physical oppression, but He did fight against spiritual oppression by sin. He fought through non-violence. The war He fought was not one of physical weapons, but a spiritual war (Lk. 22:49-51; Mt. 26:51-54; Jn. 18:36).

He was sinless, but He died for the sins of others, fighting for freedom for humankind from sin even though He was already free from sin. Christ was fighting for freedom for all of mankind, even for those who choose not to accept that freedom, against a force that can’t be experienced with our physical senses (you can’t “see,” “smell,” or “hear,” sin as a black smelly aura radiating from something).

He was doing it for everyone in the world because 1. He felt the temptation the same as we do; He experienced it. 2. He truly loved us so much that He was willing to freely give his life to free us without fighting back, knowing we would kill him in the end. 3. He fought for an unseen ideal, that of spiritual perfection.

So, how does this apply to the “why” behind God’s plan? One of the reasons Christ’s death on the cross was chosen is to show us how different we have to be from the rest of mankind. It is not human nature to “do no wrong” but still be punished, especially if we’re punished by losing our lives.

It’s hard for man to remove all self-interests from making a sacrifice unless he trains his mind over time to do so or sacrifices for someone he loves. It takes all three of these at the same time to be a Christian: we must spread the word of God because it benefits us and those we teach, we must train ourselves over time to give ourselves freely for God, and we must learn to love everyone in the world enough that we would “turn the other cheek” even if it means being killed.

We must have a love that encompasses everyone.

I can honestly say that my love doesn’t encompass everyone. I find it hard to care for people as much as I should. Ask yourself the same question I ask myself as I am writing this: when was the last time you went out of your way to actively look for someone to help and then helped him or her? I have no problem helping people if they ask, or if they appear to need it, but I don’t often go out of my way to find people to help.

Christ did, however. He healed them and taught them the truth.

Even though we cannot heal as Christ did, we can spread the truth and look for people to share the good news with. Is that not what it means to be “Christ-like”?

God’s plan shows us what He expects out of us. By looking at His plan for a reference, we not only have written commands from the inspired authors of the Bible, but we also see Jesus fulfilling every single one of them; none can be disregarded. 

            This plan demonstrates our inferiority to God (1 Cor. 1:25). We are not wise enough to understand Him. We are not strong enough to rebel against Him or change His plan and get away with it. We can’t do anything without Him already knowing about it. And you can’t naturally love the entire world enough to sit back and let them kill your only child. Even Jesus, when He was here on Earth “who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” Phil 2:6.

In other words, God’s plan shows our raw humanity – we have no chance of ever comparing to God – but we can live an Earthly life similar to Christ’s Earthly life if we dedicate our lives to that purpose. 

God’s plan shows you that you must be more than just another man or woman. We all do. We can never hope to be as perfect as Christ, but we should aspire to be as spiritually complete as we can. Because we wear the name of Christ (Christian), we should love more than other people love, we should sacrifice more than other people sacrifice, and we should care more for others (even those we don’t know) than anyone else in the world.

After all, that is part of our sacrifice, our “reasonable service.”

Human Logic: The Wisdom of Man

Good afternoon! Over the next couple of Saturdays, we will discuss wisdom and logic. Today, we will talk about human wisdom, and then next Saturday, we will talk about the wisdom of God.  

Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. 

           When I’ve read this scripture in the past, I never really grasped what Paul was writing about. Sure, I understood verses 19-20 and verse 25, so I just assumed that those verses basically explained this whole section of scripture and continued reading without giving this section much thought. However, in lieu of the modern cries of “Christianity doesn’t make sense,” “Christianity is outdated,” “The Bible is correct, but we have to take into account the time and place it was written,” “It’s time to modernize the church,” and so on, I think we need to revisit this section of scripture.

            In verse 18, Paul writes “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing.” In other words, those who think that the Bible isn’t the complete and inspired word of God are the perishing. Interestingly though, this part of the verse sets the stage for the whole rest of the chapter. In verse 19, Paul quotes a section of Isaiah 29 which basically states that God went out of his way to defy plain human logic in creating his plan. In verse 20, one can almost hear Paul saying (with a hint of sarcasm); “Where is the one who is wise? (he can’t logically explain this.) Where is the scribe? (he can’t logically explain this.) Where is the debater of this age? (even he can’t logically explain this) Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Cor. 1:20 ESV)
 

God literally went out of his way to come up with a plan that doesn’t make any sense by our limited sense of logic. 

“Okay,” says the skeptic “isn’t that what Paul wants people to think? If people think that the plan was meant to be illogical, they won’t question it as much.” And I feel that Paul would emphatically answer with a “Yes! That’s definitely one of the reasons why God created such an illogical and unexpected plan.”

God created such a plan because it relies on faith as its foundation. 

             We can logically determine that yes, the Bible helps us live the most fulfilling life possible with the least amount of negative consequences, and we can logically determine that yes, Christ was the ultimate sacrifice to end all sacrifices, and so on, but we can’t logically determine why God chose that particular plan. I’ve often wondered myself “Okay, I understand how God executed his plan and I understand that Christ died out of love, but why did God choose His plan?” I believe that the reasoning behind God’s plan (the Garden of Eden, the Old Testament, Christ’s lineage and ultimately Christ, Christ’s death, and the end of revelation) is revealed to us via the Holy Spirit, working through Paul. I believe that the Bible tells us at least part of the reason why God chose his plan, but I’ve just always overlooked it. Read 1 Corinthians 1:21-24, then read verses 26-30. From these verses, I believe that we can deduce that God created His plan for 3 reasons, and I hope that by the end of this post, even if you don’t agree, you will at least understand why I think so.

The first reason that God chose His plan, according to 1 Corinthians 1:21, is to bring true faith in as an absolute necessity for salvation. 

            In verse 21, Paul states that “since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.” Some in the world believe that there is no God. Some believe that the Bible is incorrect, outdated, or uninspired. They believe they know truth better than God’s word. I’ve even heard those who profess to be Christians claim that “Well, you see, the Bible was written by men, so it is going to be based on each of their interpretations,” just so they could reconcile the Bible with their own human logic. It is only human nature to bend reality to fit what we want reality to be, for reality truly is a matter of perception…in some ways. If someone wants to do something that is not in the Bible, or wants to avoid doing something that is in the Bible, it’s so easy to say “well, the Bible was written by men after all, so I can interpret it however I want.” However, the reality is, the Bible is written by men inspired of the Holy Spirit. 

It is infallible, incorruptible, and everlasting perfection; the written word of God is the only true perfection that exists in the physical realm. 

Sometimes the things in the Bible may not make sense by our own logic, but we see it that way because God meant for us to see it that way. How’s that for logic? God designed his plan to be unexpected and somewhat illogical because in doing so, He gave us no choice but to trust Him and have faith that His plan is true. It pleases God to save those who believe in that which others who use our limited, physical sense of logic to (incorrectly) deem to be “folly,” as we see in verse 21-24. 

The second reason God chose His plan is seen in verse 27. 

            One reason he chose that which is rejected by the majority is so that no-one can say, or even think that we are saved by our own special methods. If one could (or believed he/she could) accurately determine the reasoning behind God’s plan, and someone truly did (or believed he/she did) have all the answers, that person could reasonably claim to personally know how to please God better than the rest of us. That individual could take credit for the new “revelation” (even though God granted all of us equal access to His teachings), then have a group of followers based on the new teachings, much like Jesus did. 

In other words, someone might claim to understand God better than the rest of us and create a new, modified doctrine, and they could even claim it was supported by the Bible. The craziest thing is, that individual would have a seemingly logical reason for doing so. I can’t even imagine. 

The second and the third reasons go together; the third reason God chose His plan is ultimately so that “no human being might boast in the presence of God…”Let one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:29,31 ESV). 

God chose His plan because none of us can logically reason out why He did what he did, none of us can claim to know the reasoning behind God’s plan, and none of us can claim that God’s plan is a man-made invention because the design and structure of God’s unexpected and physically illogical plan simply will not allow it. We have no choice but to trust that God created man, that He prepared man to receive Jesus through the Old Testament, that He sent His only Son down from Heaven to die in the ultimate sacrifice, and that we must follow the Bible (and only the Bible) without doubt in order to enter into his spiritual kingdom, his church. 

By designing His plan in such an unexpected way, God ensured that faith, with a belief based solely in the Bible and in undeniable truth, is truly the only way to ever be a pleasing child of God. 

In Christian love,
Bro. Ethan 

Thunder

It rained today here in my hometown. It was a pretty big storm too.

Ever since I was a kid, I've always felt that the thunder represented something bigger than just the noise that follows lightning. When I was very young, I thought it was a miracle; I thought it was the way that God spoke. As I grew older, however, I learned that the sound thunder makes has a perfectly logical explanation. It's not God speaking a language we can't understand or anything else like that, it's just a simple sound wave created when the air, after being split by the bolt of electricity, collapses in on itself.

When I first discovered the nature of thunder, I was pretty disappointed, because the naive mysticism of the whole situation was lost. I no longer listened in awe to the crashes of thunder, wondering what God was saying.

It made me sad; this whole time I had believed something that simply wasn't true. I continued to think about the thunder in this simple, physical way for quite some time, but one day, it changed.

I realized that the thunder IS God speaking to us.

You see, the thunder isn't a Godly language or an unexplainable phenomenon, but it definitely says something. God does speak to us through the thunder.

First of all, God created the thunder. God specifically designed it to create the massive sound that thunder is known for. He did it for a reason.

Second, thunder points to His glory. There is a reason that thunder will cause anyone, even the most anti-Christian scientists, to marvel in awe at its incredible power. The reason is that God wanted it to be that way. He wants us to marvel at the power and beauty of His creation.

So, in a way, the thunder really is God speaking.

Why is this important? Look around you. If you ever have doubts or you ever feel the urge to "see" God, all you have to do is stop and notice his creation. From the sense of awe that thunder brings, to the good feelings that come with bright sunlight on a beautiful day, the entire world speaks of his creation. God proves Himself by the very fact that we exist.

Everything works together in a logical way because He wanted it to. Seemingly plain and logical things, such as the sound waves produced by thunder, create such illogical and unique feelings because He wanted it to.

So, the next time you feel alone; the next time you think that God doesn't speak to you; the next time you need to see God with your own eyes, just look at Him. Take a few minutes to absorb and admire the art and music he has provided for us in nature. If you want to know the creator, look at the creation. If you want to know how powerful His hands are, look at his handprints.

Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth.
Amen.

Giving

This weekend, before I left for home, I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some quick supplies - specifically, a snack and some soap. As I was leaving, I noticed a man - presumably homeless - who was holding a cardboard sign. His sign said something to the effect of "Out of work, laid off, need help please." I pulled over into that turning lane and handed him a little money to help him out.

That part of the story is irrelevant - I don't mean to brag. The only reason I mention my own action is to contrast that action to what I observed immediately prior to it. There was a silver car in front of me with a "Jesus fish" on the back, or at least that's what I call them. I don't know if the driver had already given something to him or if he would give something later; I don't know if he even gave the man anything at all. Quite honestly, it's none of my business what he did or didn't do. 

The only thing about this whole situation that matters is this - the driver of the car had his windows rolled down, but as he approached the man, he rolled the windows up and turned the opposite direction. He literally just blatantly ignored the man. 

Coincidence? Maybe. Like I said before, it's none of my business what that person in the car did and it doesn't matter what I did. What matters is what I perceived from the driver of that car. 

I perceived that the driver chose not to give to the man. 

In Matthew 25:31-46, we are told a story. I encourage you to read it now. 

In this story, we are told of a group of people who saw others that were "hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison." We are also told that they "did not minister" to them. The fact of the matter is, how we treat others - specifically, in this case, those who are in need - is a reflection of how we see Jesus. 

Another example of this type of situation is seen in the parable of the good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37

I wonder what that man holding the sign thought about the ministry of the driver in that car with the Jesus fish when he rolled the windows up and took off without even saying hi.

As I said, what the driver actually did prior to my observation or after it does not matter; what does matter is the lesson we can gain from my experience: pay attention. It's entirely possible that the driver honestly did not see the man. We, as Christians, should look for every opportunity we have to share our God-given blessings with others who might not have been blessed with as much. Even if all we do is roll the window down and remind the person in need that Jesus loves him or her, that is still better than doing nothing. Our actions could go a long way to encouraging that person to accept Jesus and follow His plan if the individual hasn't done it yet. 

All this post is designed to do is to remind us to always be wary. There are people in need around us all the time; it's up to us to find them and help them by allowing them to partake in the blessings that Jesus has given us. 

This coming week: 
Take someone who isn't as financially blessed as you out to eat. 
Bring your friends to worship with you. 
Invite someone who doesn't try to live by the Bible to have a Bible study with you. 
We can find a way to help at least one more person this week than we did last week; anything is better than nothing.

- Bro. Ethan