What Kind of Christianity?
Someone asked me recently, what kind of Christianity I prefer. Mmmm I thought, what kind? When you think about it, there are a lot of different kinds…….
My “kind” is totally based on Jesus as in Jesus Christ, the Christ in Christianity. Without Him there isn’t any Christianity. Cover to cover, the Bible tells me everything I need to know about Jesus.
So what do I know about Him? He’s the Son of God, God who visited the world in the flesh. He was perfectly sinless but He was crucified for our sins, mine, theirs, and yours. He was buried in a tomb and after 3 days He rose and He sits at the Father’s right hand. He’s the one and only Savior. Jesus saved me when I asked Him to forgive me. He is righteousness and the only righteousness that I have is because of Him, because He lives in me. And my goal, every day is to become more like Him. (I have a long way to go)
I don’t have any need to prove this to anyone. I believe it and for me that’s really the end of the argument. Faith just isn’t something that can be easily explained but this is OK for me because the Bible tells me that God chose to reveal these things to the foolish, instead of the wise. That describes me pretty well.
The only real way to describe the kind of Christianity I prefer is by stating what I believe (and don’t believe) and what I like (and don’t like).
I believe that Jesus created the world just like it is written in Genesis. I’m not entirely sure about the length of time, after all the Bible tells us that with God a day is like a thousand years. I don’t think I need to know how long. I just believe that He did it. I also believe that Jonah was actually in the belly of the fish for 3 days… no dream…no allegory, but then remember, God revealed these things to the foolish instead of the wise. I am content to take Him at His word. And yes I believe Adam and Eve were real people and that Satan is real and his whole purpose on earth is to keep people from turning to Jesus and to ruin those who do. He creates a continuous battle for followers of Jesus, more so as time marches on, because he knows he’s going into the pit of fire. He’s a loser.
I believe that Jesus is coming back to claim His Church (His Bride) and like most Believers, I’d love to be raptured …but I guess that’s pretty selfish. I believe Jesus is coming soon. The signs are all around us and many of the prophecies have already been fulfilled. I don’t mess with trying to figure out “when”. That’s not my job. My job is to be ready to go.
Knowing that Jesus is returning soon presents some difficulties for me in my daily life because there is a huge temptation to just want to pack it all in and wait for the Lord to return. But I’m not supposed to do that either. I’m supposed to be ready to go but working on my daily life. Prepare to stay, be ready to go. I’ve gotten rather used to doing that. It takes balance.
Another difficulty that I have in my day to day life is trying to make sure that I’m working in the things I believe that God intends for me to do. Sometimes my jobs don’t appear to have much significance but I believe if Jesus wants me to do differently, He’ll let me know. I tell Him regularly that I want to do what He wants me to do. I believe the real purpose for our lives is to worship God and have a relationship with Him. I also believe He has another “working” purpose for each of us, a calling.
I believe in a big God. I don’t trust people who need to cram God into a little cubicle or inside certain rules. I believe that God is all powerful, all knowing, and all seeing and we are very limited in what we see and know. Who are we to try to figure God out? None of us has all the answers. We are all mistaken someplace in doctrine or practice. I really prefer it that way because I believe God is in control of everything all the time. I’m so glad He’s in control because any of us would make a huge mess of everything. Look at what we’ve already done. Our best efforts to get anything right on our own are pitifull.
I believe in miracles. That I’m saved is a miracle. God delivered me from smoking. I believe in Divine Intervention as well as Divine Appointment, meaning I believe God intervenes and also that He sends certain people to us for very specific reasons and seasons. I also believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I have heard God’s voice. It was probably through the Holy Spirit, but non the less it was Him and I cherish those times. God speaks to us in a lot of ways, but hearing His voice is really amazing.
I believe there are signs and wonders and healings. They are all discussed in the Bible and I believe they are all just as much for today as they were for Biblical times. After all the Bible says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus answers prayer. I also know that the answers are not always yes and even if they are yes, we don’t always have the answers when we want them. I believe God has a special timing that frequently has nothing to do with our own timing. I believe our job is to be obedient and wait on the Lord.
I believe that some folk are instantly and dramatically changed when they are saved and others change more slowly, but all of us spend our whole lives, after salvation, changing and becoming more like Christ. We can’t make real changes without the help of the Lord but we work out our salvation daily. I also believe that when you are saved you should look for a way to be baptized ASAP, even if you were baptized as a child. I don’t believe you need a pastor to be baptized. All you need is another believer and water. Baptism is a picture and testament of new birth.
I’ve told you a lot about my kind of Christianity, so here are a few things that are not included in my kind. I don’t believe that the organized church is the Bride of Christ. In my humble opinion, any “religion” is corrupt and full of stupid rules and traditions that Jesus didn’t intend for us. In many churches salvation through Jesus is not taught, pastors and teachers are not saved and the church is a scam. Religion keeps many people from having a personal relationship with Jesus because the church becomes a barrier between the person and the Lord. Most pastors are not called to shepherd the sheep. I believe the religions are full of the same types that Jesus called “whitewashed tombs”. Churches frequently hurt their parishioners, don’t take care of the need in their own congregation, and usually think they have the answer and the other religions do not.
The Bride of Christ is His Church and Jesus’ Church consists of His children, those who are saved by grace and washed in His blood. And while “assembling together” is a directive from the Bible, no where are we told that we must meet in a building. And the only rules for believers are explained in the Bible.
Something else that isn’t part of my kind are preachers who yell, shout, and fall into that sing song type of preaching, brother. I won’t listen if a person can’t speak like a normal person. It’s just creepy. And I have no use for most of the televangelists……snake oil salesmen.
I will share Jesus’ love for you with you but I won’t cram my “kind” down your throat. Just as God is the one who softens peoples hearts to receive Jesus, He is also the one who will lead each of us to the correct beliefs after salvation. I read my Bible and I pray in my room with my door closed and the Holy Spirit teaches me. And I assemble with my believing sisters and brothers when I am able. My kind is pretty simple.
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AMEN!!
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