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Archive for the ‘Jesus follower’ Category

So Many Divisions within the church

Posted in Acceptance, christian living, institutional church, Jesus follower, religion, The church, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 3, 2024|

by Jim Gordon

It is sad that Christianity is divided into so many different groups. We all have a little different interpretation of the Bible and a little different understanding of doctrine. Obviously, we are not going to agree on everything, but we certainly should be able to love one another and accept each other even when we differ on these things.

It is hard to understand why there are so many divisions when God tells us we are to be one, as Jesus and God are one. Yet, we understand that we are human and it is easy to lose sight of our first love. If we could only stay focused on Christ, listening for his voice and the guidance of the Spirit, loving God and loving others as God intended, then we could begin to look past our differences.

The problem seems to be that we are unwilling to see any other viewpoint other than our own. There are those such as my wife and I that do not attend an organized church. There are those who attend a church every time the doors are open. Some attend a house church, some meet with fellow believers at cafe’s, parks or restaurants, and others meet in their homes over dinner. We should accept these differences and love one another rather than argue over who is right and who is wrong.

There really is not a right or wrong way to assemble together and we need to stop expecting everyone to do things exactly the same way. We should respect the viewpoints of others and focus on loving them rather than expecting them to see things our way.

Things will not change until we start focusing on what is common in our lives rather than the differences. The common focus should be on Christ, the head of the body. After that, we should focus on loving others rather than arguing about the differences in interpretation.

We should also keep in mind that we are all constantly changing as God brings new truth to us. We are all learning and changing as we are ready to accept new truths. The interpretations I had five years ago are completely different from some of the interpretations I have now. I am sure in another five years they will change again as God leads me into more truth.

Sometimes we are afraid to accept the opinions and interpretations of those who are outside of our belief system because we feel if we do not hold to our way of thinking, we are compromising and not standing up for what we believe. We do not have to give up how we interpret the Bible, but neither should we think everyone else is wrong. Besides, we really are not responsible for leading others into our truth, or convicting them of sin, or even saving them. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. We are told to love God and love others.

When we realize we are each equally important functioning parts of the body, and Christ is the head, we can start to change how we feel about those who do not see things exactly the way we do. We can begin to accept our brothers and sisters in Christ as they are, as we realize we are walking as one with the purpose of sharing the love of God.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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What One Belief Only Matters To God?

Posted in christian living, Jesus follower, Lifestyles, Love of God, tagged , , , , , on March 30, 2024|

By Mike Edwards

Acceptance of certain creeds or doctrines is often expected to join a church. They may concern whether the Bible is inspired by God, how one obtains salvation, afterlife beliefs, etc. This is why thousands of denominations exist in the Christian faith. Certain beliefs are declared important according to their interpretation of the Bible. I am convinced God would encourage only one doctrine. 

Jesus’ message was simply to love one another

Many agree to understand Jesus is to understand God. Jesus in his interactions didn’t seem to demand a certain prayer to repeat for salvation. Jesus in choosing disciples simply asked to follow him. They didn’t believe many of Jesus’ claims until after his resurrection. I am convinced Jesus came to advise how to start living here on earth, not what awaited in the afterlife, when asked how to have eternal life. He simply said to love God and your neighbor (Lk10:25-37). Jesus understood loving God leads to loving your neighbor. One, if so inclined, can ask for God’s help in living a meaningful life here on earth. See here for more of Jesus’ interactions with others.  

What about women, gays, and Hell? 

It is assumed biblical scholars agree what the Bible says about gays, women, hell, and other moral issues. They don’t! See here. See here. See here.  Ancient literature subject to interpretation cannot be the definitive word on truth. Gays are often condemned and women’s leadership roles are limited, despite their gifts, in God’s name. How would God love gays, women, or those of other religions? A Creator surely loves the way creatures intuitively think they ought to love. How to love others is the discussion, not one’s interpretation which may be wrong. 

Self-evident rights may be found in a Book or natural law, as we all have an inborn sense of good and evil. All rational being believe sexual abuse is evil. We can though have healthy debates what climate policies are for the greater good. We can share our personal beliefs in God and other matters in the public arena without implying we all agree what the most loving values are. Love is complicated sometimes. Freedom of beliefs is critical for such discussions.

Does one have to believe Jesus resurrected or was the Son of God?

I imagine most seek to convene together in a church building because of their belief in God and Jesus’ main message. Many may not be sure if Jesus was God in human form or God’s representative here on earth. I am convinced Jesus’ resurrection isn’t legend and has historical verification, but others may not. Jesus’ disciples didn’t believe Jesus when told he was coming back from the dead, despite witnessing Jesus’ miracles beforehand, until witnessing with their own eyes. I would like to think many of us witnessing a man or woman coming back from the grave, after killed on a cross, would be convinced.  I have a hunch God cares the most that you believe in the possibility of a loving God to begin a faith journey.

How Christians can unite

Christians often hope others entertain the difference a personal relationship with God can make in one’s life. The way Christians act in loving others can be a distraction to this hope. Christians must forget any requirements of beliefs other than a desire to love others as they wish to be love. God can hold Their own in influencing others to consider God’s help in this journey. Let the discussions how to love begin without assuming you are right and others are wrong!

What One Belief Only Matters To God?

MikeEdwardsprofilepic125

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

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How Do Christians Give God A Bad Rap?

Posted in Bible, christian living, Jesus follower, religion, tagged , , , , , on March 24, 2024|

By Mike Edwards

Many want to believe in a God but not the God often claimed by Christians. I wrote here  why some don’t pursue God more or leave the institutional church but not God. I recently read Brian McLaren’s A New Kind Of Christianity who has extensive interactions and travels to opine on what is wrong with Christianity. Though written several years ago, his observations are still relevant and match some concerns I laid out. I believe there are three main concerns that are turning many away from God or the church. How the Bible or “Gospel” is explained leads to condemnation in God’s name against women, gays, other religions, etc.

How Should We View The Bible? 

Many Christians view the Bible as inspired by God, thus assuming everything claim about God by the writers is true. You may notice God isn’t always portrayed as loving. See here. Even if the writers always understood God perfectly, the truth is biblical scholars who have a deep respect for Scriptures don’t interpret/agree what the Bible says about gays, women, hell, and other moral issues. Those differences concern billions of lives and turns many away from God. A Creator surely loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. Biblical understandings should match how you and most know you ought to love your neighbor. A supposed inspired Book must not replace our relationship with God and common moral sense. See here.

What really Is The Gospel According To Jesus?

Christians are quick to quote the Apostle Paul, a main writer of the New Testament, on what the Gospel is: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:23). Is the death referred to physical or spiritual? Was eternal life referring to a heaven and hell or a meaningful life beginning on earth. Jesus’ Gospel/words couldn’t be to save you from a fiery afterlife, as such a Hell is a myth according to the Bible. See here.

But what did Jesus say? Jesus didn’t speak of a certain prayer to get “in” with God. Turns out God is only dying to help if you want help. Don’t believe me! See some of Jesus’ interactions here. For example, when Jesus was asked by a religious expert how to have eternal life, He simply said to love God and your neighbor (Lk.10:25-37). Good luck if that was a requirement for salvation rather than loving guidance how to live with fewer regrets. Loving God leads to loving others. Christians are often too busy trying to save others from a non-existing fiery afterlife rather than discussing how God’s presence in our life now helps us become more the person we desire to become deep down. Godly living in this world leads to a meaningful life with less regrets.

What does God really think of other Religions?

Related to our understanding of the Gospel if how we treat those of other Religions. We must have a new attitude of other religions to best represent God. The truth is the majority of people already born in this world died without any knowledge of the Bible or who Jesus was. The majority of people born adhere or reject the religion they were born into. Even the Bible suggests you aren’t judged on lack of knowledge but what you know and whether seeking evil or truth (Rom 2 – see verses 6-8). A God of love can’t be a God of chance!

How can we stop turning others away from God? 

The Bible is not a rules book but a book about God to be questioned. The Gospel is not about escaping from Hell because of a torturous God but whether to seek God’s help in loving others like you want to be loved. I think the only belief God cares about is loving others as you best know how, not different interpretations of the Bible or one’s sexual behaviors. The enemy isn’t other religions but those who are evil and seek to destroy themselves and others. Please consider the loving God I understand!

How Do Christians Give God A Bad Rap?

MikeEdwardsprofilepic125

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

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God Is Exactly Like Who You Think!

Posted in christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , on March 10, 2024|

By Mike Edwards

If you read my weekly Posts, you know I write on this topic a lot. It’s just that I believe many have a misinformed view of what God is like which drives them away from God though they wish they had a closer relationship. This misinformation often come from Christians or their institutions. Since God doesn’t speak audibly to most of us, we are free to speculate what God must truly be like. Let me try to convince you that God is what your moral conscience tells you, unless you don’t believe in treating others like you want to be treated.  

It’s not presumptuous to imagine what a loving God is like through our moral inclinations 

A Book cannot be the sole determinate of what God is like since scholars interpret the same passages differently. Also, the majority of people born in this world did not have a copy of the Bible. We are left to wonder how a Perfect God, the only God worth believing in, truly loves. If a Creator exists, it is only intuitive that a Creator loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. We all seem to know the question we ought to ask ourselves – am I loving others perfectly? Or am I loving others like I want to be loved.

Women, gays, and Hell 

A major reason many believe women can’t be leaders of men in the religion institutions or marriage is because their inspired Book says so. Many believe God condemns gays, though many of us have gay friends who feel no choice in being attracted to the same gender any more than straights can explain why attracted to the opposite gender. Many believe God orders the death of infidels, often by torture, in this life or the life to come after death. Most of us would not even do that to our worst enemies. I am convinced one of the main reasons rational folks have these beliefs is because they believe they owe their God allegiance because of a Book their God supposedly inspired. See here.

What about views we disagree on 

One main reason rational people don’t agree on many moral issues is because of their interpretation of their Holy Book. We must find ways to have conversations with one another, though we don’t have the same interpretations. There can be differences in views about God concerning women, gays, and Hell. We all must admit uncertainty in our views about what a loving God is like, unless it concerns universal morals such as sexual abuse, murder, etc. Concerning challenges such as immigration or climate actions, democratic societies have the advantage of the majority vote and who is chosen to make such decisions for us as a nation. Dictatorships of course only result in the powerful enforcing their views on the powerless.

What about those who don’t believe in a God? 

I’m convinced we all have internal “shoulds” how to treat others, whether by natural or spiritual influence. It doesn’t matter whether you believe in a Creator or not. You still expect me to treat you like I want to be treated. We all are accountable to the golden rule, whether you believe in a God or not. Extremists often believe others should be killed for being infidels, but they don’t want their loved one to be treated as such if others of different religion feel differently. 

What to believe about God?

Don’t determine your view of God according to what others believe or claim but how you think you ought to treat others unless you are an extremist. Please stop being so certain if it doesn’t involve an almost universal belief. Have open discussions, share what you have in common, and try to discover the best action for the good of most.

God Is Exactly Like Who You Think!

MikeEdwardsprofilepic125

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

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Why Do Many Deconstruct Or Deconvert From God?

Posted in Bible, christian living, deconstruction, Jesus follower, religion, tagged , , , , , , on February 18, 2024|

By Mike Edwards

Christians are more familiar with the term “deconstructing” from the Christian faith. I am not writing about those who aren’t done with God just religion. I have in mind those who stop believing in God, or God becomes much less a part of one’s life despite belief in God. Such people may have attended church or a religious institute regularly at some time, while others may have rarely or never entered a church door but are inclined to believe in God. Why are many moving away from God though desiring a relationship?

Why are some inclined to pursue God or not? 

Christians especially are guilty of implying those who don’t believe in or stop pursuing God are suppressing what they know to be true. I disagree. I suppose some deny there is a God to justify their evil ways, but those I know not into God as much as me are just as moral if not more than I am.  Let’s not accuse those who believe in a God as needing a crutch or accuse those who question the reality of an invisible God as being wicked and ignorant of their feelings.

Many people do or don’t pursue God, or rebel against God, because of the family they are born in. I am not sure I would be pursuing God if my parents hadn’t encouraged it. Some by personality are more skeptical or accepting. I am sure many don’t pursue God for obvious emotional reasons. A child abused by their father may struggle to accept a God betrayed as our Father in Heaven. Many are turned away from God because of the hypocrisy of God-following friends or leaders.

What may be the main intellectual reasons leaving a belief in God?   

One’s view of God is critical in their journey. See here. I am convinced a major factor in deconverting or moving away from God is because of views claimed about God. It is claimed the Bible supposedly says that God condemns gays, God burns unbelievers in the afterlife, and God doesn’t think women can fulfill the same roles as men though just as gifted. The truth is biblical scholars who have a deep respect for Scriptures don’t agree what the Bible says about gays, women, hell, and other moral issues. See here.  See here.  See here.

Another major intellectual reason is due to certain explanations given for the presence of evil and suffering in our world despite there being a God. It is understandable why many can’t believe in a supposedly, all-powerful God who standbys while one is being raped, tortured, murdered, abused, etc. What kind of parent or God doesn’t intervene when they could prevent such suffering? Maybe a perfect, loving God can’t be controlling just as they can’t be manipulative. Maybe God can’t intervene single-handedly without human help. See Thomas Oord. The alternative is that God can always stop your suffering and doesn’t, or that God arbitrarily stops other’s sufferings sometimes but not yours. I am convinced there are better explanations.

Why we must stop claiming the Bible is inspired!

Inspiration suggests God’s approval. Keep in mind we can’t prove God controlled every thought or word written by the biblical author. God didn’t dictate the Bible to others. Stating as proof that the writers claimed such inspiration is circular reasoning. The truth is that even if our interpretations were infallible, we can’t be sure the biblical writers always knew or portrayed God accurately. It is only intuitive that a Creator loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. Biblical interpretations, or a biblical writer’s understanding about God, that doesn’t match how you and most know you ought to love your neighbor may be amiss. A supposed inspired Book must not replace our relationship with God and common moral sense. See here.

Pursing God is about following God, not adhering to certain beliefs 

We are often told the main message of the Bible is Jesus coming to give you salvation to save you from Hell so you could enter Heaven. Common understandings of Hell aren’t necessarily biblical, thus how could this be Jesus’ central message? See here. When Jesus was asked by a religious expert how to have eternal life, which surely implies salvation, Jesus spoke of how to start living here on earth not what awaited in the afterlife. He simply said to love God and your neighbor (Lk.10:25-37). Jesus spoke of loving God not to get into heaven but to receive help in loving others as you love yourself. You don’t have to drop to your knees and say a prayer to get “in” with God. You only have to want God’s help. Jesus’ salvation was about living a meaningful life here on earth with God’s help. Personally, I am convinced there is a God and my relationship with God has inspired and encouraged me to be the person I desire to be.

Why Do Many Deconstruct Or Deconvert From God?

MikeEdwardsprofilepic125

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

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We are No Longer Sinners Saved by Grace —–We are the Righteousness of God 

Posted in Acceptance, christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , on January 24, 2024|

by Jim Gordon

Can you even imagine it? We, you and me, saved by grace and now considered to be the righteousness of God. 

Funny, it almost feels sinful to think that way, but God said it and it is true. Because of Jesus, we are now God’s righteousness. 

A lot of pastors want to tell us that we are poor sinners saved by Grace. True, we are saved by Grace, but we are no longer considered poor sinners. Stop letting religion tell you that you are not good enough. Through Jesus, we have been restored to fellowship with God. Through the grace of God, we are now the righteousness of God. We are now the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Stop condemning yourself. ‘There is now therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4 NASV). 

Stop trying to do things to earn God’s love and grace. We are now the righteousness of God because of Jesus. No matter what we do, or do not do, God has provided us with salvation, forgiveness of sins (past, present and future), and has restored us as perfect sons and daughters because of Jesus. 

The Law was given to point out our sin and prove to us that we could not live a perfect life. Thanks be to God who provided Jesus who fulfilled the Law and restored our fellowship with God. We no longer must live by the Law of the Old Covenant. We are now free from sin, and no longer need the Law. 

Let’s start enjoying the freedom we have in Christ, and start living through love for God and love for others. Do not let someone tell you that you are anything less than the righteousness of God. 

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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God is Like Jesus, Loving and Kind

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , on December 19, 2023|

by Jim Gordon

I grew up in the traditional church environment and followed the religious teachings and doctrines over the years. I have seen a lot of things that I now question and wonder why things were done that way.

Over the years many of us have come to see God as a big super human person sitting on a big throne up in heaven just waiting to punish us for our mistakes. We see God as being impersonal, judgmental and many times as someone to fear.

Yet when we think about the life of Christ and know he was sent from God to show us what God is really like we come to see God in a different way. When we read about how Jesus lived and treated people, we see him as loving, compassionate, kind and accepting. Jesus came to show us that God is the same way.

After Jesus left this life on earth God sent the Holy Spirit to live within us. Think about it, God in Spirit form lives within us and among us right now. God is not a super human person way up there somewhere but is Spirit and is right here within us.

God is not out to get us and punish us every time we mess up. I think God gets a bad reputation from some of the writings in the bible. I believe men, although they were inspired by God threw in some of their personal views. Obviously if you were inspired by someone to write a book you would still write it from your perspective. Anything man has a hand in is going to be flawed. The bible is inspired by God and when combined with the leading of the Holy Spirit is purposeful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, and in guiding us to the living Word of God who is Jesus.

Rather than running around being afraid of God and waiting for the judgment of God to fall, look at Jesus and see that God is love. Whenever correction is needed it is only for our good and it is done in love. Just as a loving parent sometimes corrects their child it is done in love and for the child’s own good. We are not waiting to be destroyed by a God who loves judgment and condemnation. We are living with a God who is love, who created us and who wants the best for us during our time on earth.

Stop being afraid of God and seek fellowship. If you hear a pastor telling you that God is out to get you and that you had better shape up or else, get away from there and find brothers and sisters in Christ who will be encouragers and who will help build you up rather than condemn and scare you. Fear of judgment will not lead you into a loving relationship with God. Only true, godly love will be what draws us into fellowship with God. God is love. For those of us who are followers of Jesus we should also be known for our love. As Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39, And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Live a godly life by loving people. Rather than being known for judgment, condemnation, hatred and what you are against, show the love of God. Be kind to all people and be known for your love of your fellow human beings.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Can We Prove Spiritual Things?

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 24, 2023|

by Jim Gordon

Have you noticed how often people get offended and feel they need to prove their point on so many topics and online posts: It usually does not go well once that starts, especially when it comes to spiritual and biblical topics.

We fail to realize that not everyone has the same interpretation as another. We also fail to realize the fact that we cannot prove most of what we believe.

We can fight and argue between christian and atheist, one christian denomination and another, among Jewish, Christian, Islam and a host of other religions. We can argue about whether there is or there is not a God, is there a hell or not, what this verse means or what that verse means. We get mad and defensive when someone goes against what we believe and do our best to prove our view is right.

Thing is, we cannot prove our point. We cannot prove God exists, we cannot prove there is a heaven or a hell, we cannot prove any other aspect of the spiritual existence. This life is a life of faith and belief. As christians, we have faith that God is there and he loves us. We have faith in the guidance of the Spirit within us.

On the other hand, no one can prove there is not a God, there is not a heaven, or there is not a hell. Yet we will fight and argue until we almost hate each other trying to prove our way of thinking.

We do not have to fight and argue to defend God. Rather than making ourselves look like mean, hateful people who have to be right, we should be showing the love of God to everyone. Show that love to those who agree with us and also to those who are a hundred percent sure in their minds that we are wrong.

To be sure, we cannot have this kind of love and acceptance in our own strength. God says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it is God’s love that flows out of us. Only through the strength of the Spirit can love those who live differently, who think differently, those who want nothing to do with God and those who may be our enemies.

We can have our own way of thinking, our own beliefs and interpretations, knowing that God created each of us differently. Yet we need to remember we are not right on everything, and for sure we are not always going to agree with one another. We can all learn something by listening and communicating with others.

We all have a right to believe what and how we want to believe. People can put their faith in God or not. We can have completely different lifestyles. We can have a completely different interpretation on bible verses or we can completely reject the bible and not believe anything about it, and it is OK. Jesus did not tell us to judge and condemn others for what they believe. He did not say to force our views and beliefs on others, but He did say to love one another.

We are not called to make people believe like us, or believe in God at all. We are called to go into the world and live the gospel message that God loves and accepts us. Jesus came to restore fellowship between humanity and God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to love and accept others just as they are.

We can have our individual beliefs and interpretations, and we do not have to agree with everyone. Love and acceptance do not mean agreement. We can love and accept others just because they are loved by God. We were all created in His image. We can have our differences and still accept and care for those God brings into our lives each day.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Christ is Our Focus

Posted in christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, The church, tagged , , , , , , on November 17, 2023|

by Jim Gordon

A good friend of mine wrote the following paragraph: ‘There is an old hymn that says On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. As important as the church is in our lives, we have to be careful not to put our hope in it. I have received a lot of help thru the church and a lot of good basic teachings. I was also saved in church but my hope is not in the church. My hope is in “Christ the solid rock”. There are times when we are alone with no Christian fellowship and maybe we cannot make it to church for some reason. We have to be able to stand as mature Christians and rely on our relationship with Christ. The church is no substitute for Christ. It is only where we learn about Him. I guess what I am saying is that we have a relationship with Christ and not the church, and He is our source of strength if we call upon Him in truth. I personally am going thru the desert in life and I have to depend on Him. He has proved His love and care for me and in reality, He is the “Son of the Living God”. Bottom line, let’s be careful to put our dependence on Him. All other ground is sinking sand’.

This goes along with some of my previous posts about modern-day church. The organized church today is a place for believers to get together, but it is not the goal. Going to church does not make us Christians, it is not God’s house, it does not make us better people or more dedicated believers. It is a place to get encouragement from other believers, a place to learn from other’s interpretations, a place to reach out and help others. Basically, it is a Christian social organization.

We need to stop putting the focus and emphasis on church, stop putting our eyes on pastors and realize that they are not God’s mouthpiece. We need to put all focus and attention on Christ. He is who we follow and worship. He is the Shepherd, the rest of us are the sheep. There are no co-shepherds, no intermediates between Christ and us. We are to follow Christ and Him alone. We are to learn from Him and love others equally.

There is nothing wrong with going to church, but do not put your eyes on a building, an organization or the leaders therein. Keep your focus on Christ. Whether you go to church or do not go to church, Christ is the one we look to and serve. Do not worry so much about going to church, but rather being the Church. It is not a building, but the people who love and follow Christ.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Was Jesus a Christian?

Posted in christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , on November 10, 2023|

by Jim Gordon

So often, when we think of Jesus we think of Christianity. Many seem to think that Jesus actually started Christianity. The fact is, Jesus did not start Christianity and he does not belong to any particular religion. He loves and accepts people no matter what they believe. He came to show the love of God to the human race, not start a new religion for people to fall in line with and follow.

The word Christian originated to describe those who were spreading the good news of Jesus. People in the city of Antioch started calling those who followed Jesus Christians because they were doing the works of Jesus and sharing the love of Jesus so much, they thought of them as little Christs.

When we use the term Christian as described above, there is certainly nothing wrong with it. Being Christ-like, loving God and loving others. Doing the works of Jesus is the true meaning of the word. Yet, if we use Christian in a sense of belonging to a particular church, following a particular doctrine or specific pastor, if it relates to a specific country or political party, then it becomes just a religion and for me, I would rather not define myself by this term.

Jesus came to show us what God was really like, a God that loves all people. God does not see Muslims, Jews, Christians or any religion. God loves all people of the world. The only way people are going to come to true fellowship with God is through Christ…not Christianity.

It is time we stop looking to the organized world of religion as our way of becoming acceptable and pleasing to God. We need to look to Christ and allow the Spirit to live through us and love those we meet each day. Stop demanding that people follow your doctrine, your rules, your beliefs. Accept people as they are, the way Jesus accepted them. Show the love of Christ to them and let God work in them through the Holy Spirit.

We are never going to completely agree with each other on doctrine and religion. Only through Christ and the love of God will we be able to share that love with others. Let us be known by the true sense of the meaning of Christian, someone who is doing the works of Jesus and who loves God and one another.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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