Christianity is not irrelevant...it is too relevant!

God Is Available To Regular People

Some people want to make their job seem more complicated to others because they assume it will make them come off as valuable and necessary.

Believe it or not, this happens in the world of church work, as well. There are ministers and other church workers who want to make Christianity seem complicated because they believe it makes them appear to be more important and more essential to the spiritual journey of others.

It is true that theology is a deep and significant area of study. God and the truths of God have been examined, analyzed, thought-about and written-about in ways that are intellectually profound and deeply challenging. In fact, I am impressed and thankful for the rich intellectual heritage of the Christian faith.

However, based on the Bible—and particularly on the life of Jesus—I do not believe God’s intention is to make knowing Him and walking with Him so intellectually difficult that only extremely brilliant and learned people will be able do so.

Don’t be intimidated by people who want to be gatekeepers and control your access to God. God is available to regular people like you and me.

I’m glad He is available to regular people, aren’t you?

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  Matthew 19:14

We Can Trust God In The Small Details

I had a very minor situation which occurred recently in which it would have been perfectly reasonable for me to clarify a matter which would then make a case beneficial to myself about a particular issue. I’m not talking about something over which there would have been great disagreement or arguing, frankly, in the big scheme of things this is very small. However a calm, simple clarification of things would have been understandable and would have been to my benefit.

But I had a sense I should just leave it alone and if the minor clarification to my benefit was recognized that would be fine. On the other hand, if the minor clarification to my benefit was not recognized that would be okay, too.

I felt impressed to approach the situation in this way: I will trust God to bring the clarification, or not.

Please understand I’m not trying to present myself as a wonderful marvel of the Christian faith—I’m definitely not a wonderful marvel of the Christian faith. (Although at one time, I came in 2^nd place in a Bible trivia contest that included 3 players. So, I’ve got that going for me.) I’m only reporting to you that this was the approach I felt led to take.

Well, it turns out God did bring the clarification to my benefit.

You say, “What is all of this supposed to prove, buster? Do you think you’re special or something?”

No.

The whole episode was simply a gentle little reminder to me, once again, that God is involved in the small details of life and I can trust Him at every level of life. It was also a reminder that God continues to be much nicer to me than I deserve.

How We Treat People And The Christian Faith

A significant aspect of the Christian faith has to do with how we treat people. Christianity is not just a system of beliefs. Sure, what we believe matters because our beliefs will determine our actions.  But the Christian faith is supposed to be real in our lives in such a way that it effects how we actually live.  And based on the teachings of scripture, the way we live will involve our behaviors and attitudes toward people.

So, how should we treat people?

We should make every effort to be fair and just.

We should be honest, speaking the truth with love, humility and respect.

We should be gracious and forgiving, remembering that we need forgiveness, too.

We should be kind and encouraging.

We should weep with those who weep.

We should rejoice with those who rejoice.

We should laugh with others regularly.

We should love our neighbors.

We should love our enemies.  (Don’t get mad at me, that’s what Jesus said.)

If this seems like a tall order, you’re right, it is.  We need the help and power of the Holy Spirit to live this way.  Fortunately, He will help us do this, if we are willing.

Let’s be willing.

Right And Wrong And The Unpopularity of Christianity

Part of the reason the Christian faith is unpopular with some people is that one of the fundamental realities of the Christian faith is the idea that there are things which are true and there are things which are false.  This idea of truth and falsehood can be offensive in our culture because we would like to take the position that everyone’s ideas, beliefs and points-of-view are correct.  No one is wrong.  Everyone is right.

I understand the impulse to want to simply agree that everyone is right.  There is a sense in which it feels tolerant.  It feels gracious.  It feels non-judgmental.

The problem, however, is the idea that “everyone is right” is simply not true.  This is not an attempt to be mean-spirited.  It is an attempt to be honest in regard to reality.

In fact, think about the concept I’m trying to communicate here logically.  If you agree with this post, you agree that there is such a thing as true and false.  You agree with the position that everyone’s ideas, beliefs and points-of-view are not correct.  Some things truly are right.  Some things truly are wrong.

On the other hand, ironically enough, if you disagree with this post, you actually confirm the truth of it.  Because if you disagree with this post you are saying, “This post is wrong.”  In doing so you are drawing lines of right and wrong.  You are confirming my statement that some things are right and some things are wrong.

Crazy, huh?  Disagreement with this post confirms the truth of what is being stated in it.

Ideally, the Christian faith would not be rejected simply because its teachings tell us there are things which are right and things which are wrong and this is unpopular in our culture.  Deep down we all realize that right/wrong and true/false exist.

What I Realized When I Attempted To Let My Faith Go

As a young man in college, it began to occur to me that I may have simply embraced the Christian faith because it was handed down to me by my parents.  I wondered, “Is it possible I think of myself as a Christian because I have been raised in a social context in which there is an expectation that I will accept this belief system?”

“Is it possible I have been brainwashed by sincere, kind, well-meaning people, but what has occurred is, nevertheless, a form of brainwashing?”

                                                                                              

I seriously wrestled with the possibility that I may have been attempting to live something which I did not actually own for myself.

So this may sound like a strange way to describe it, but it’s the best way I can put it into words: I gave myself permission to let it go.  In my mind, I gave myself permission to walk away from the faith if it was not what I really believed.

What I discovered in that time of searching, wondering, stretching and questioning is that I am unable to NOT believe in God. The conviction that God exists is undeniable to me.

The Christian faith involves the grace of God in a way that is beyond just an intellectual pursuit.  However, since those college years I have done a considerable amount of reading and study regarding God and the Christian faith and I remain sincerely convinced of its truth. 

Living The Christian Faith

In my reading, I was challenged by this thought, recently: If honestly living your Christian faith was declared to be illegal would you honestly live your Christian faith anyhow?  …Does the question challenge you, too?

Christianity, A Relationship

Throughout my life I have heard the Christian faith spoken of as a relational matter.  The understanding of Christianity is that we are invited into a relationship with Christ.  Our connection with Jesus is first-hand, it’s personal, it’s vital.  I like how Ravi Zacharias puts it:  “The gospel is an invitation to a relationship, not a legal summons to a hearing.”