If you were like me and watched the Ashes Series, you would have watched the VB add over and over again. http://www.vb.com.au/ The add is about all the drinking tribes of Australia marching under their own banner, but drinking the same beer and going to the same pub. My banner is 'guys built like a brick sh$%house'. Just kidding, I'd be under 'guys who peaked too early...'forgotten but definitely not gone'. Great add, but I'll still be brewing my own beer.
As I watched it over and over again, I began to think of the banners as church banners. The Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Hindus, Mormons, Jehovah's witness', Jews, Buddhists (or manscapers), etc etc. If it was a religious banner add, it would turn into an all-in-brawl.
During the sixth one day game, the narration changed slightly and said 'it doesn't matter what banner you march under, they will all be at the feast'.
I hear the above statement a lot in the form of:
'it doesn't matter what religion you have, as long as you follow something and if you are a good and nice person, you will get to heaven'.
When I hear this theory, I wish the sentiment was true. Wouldn't it be good if all civil, good and nice religions enter the Kingdom of God. However, according to what Jesus said of himself, this admirable theory does not figure on his radar. Jesus says:
'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me' (John 14:6).
I often hear the criticism of 'how can you Christians be so arrogant to claim that only you will get to heaven?' I'm not claiming anything. If it were up to me I would say 'sure, all banners can get in'. But Jesus did not make such a claim. He also said:
'I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved' (John 10:9).
When you walk up to the pub you will find Jesus at the gates.
How do you get in?
'If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved' (Romans 10:9).
If you believe you are a Catholic or Protestant but believe that Jesus was just a Prophet or that he wasn't raised from the dead, remember this: When you walk up to the pub, you will find that Jesus is the doorman with the guest list. It is easy to get your name on that list. He has already done the hardwork.
I'm not arrogant (remember I am the guy that peaked too early). I'm just an ambassador to what the King says.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Jesus is NOT religious
I read Matthew 15. It contains an insight to what Jesus thought about religion. The Pharisees asked Jesus why his disciples 'break the tradition of the elders' (by not washing their hands before they eat of all things). Jesus replied:
'and why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?'. He also said 'Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you...they worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men'.
It was not Jesus' intention to enslave us in an endless list of religious practices. We don't have to practice religion to earn God's favour. We are already in favour. We don't have to abstain from meat during Easter (I love my bacon) or go on a pilgrimage etc, BUT:
1.) Being in favour does not mean we are free to abuse God's readiness to forgive.
If we understand what it cost God to bring salvation to mankind, we will not want to abuse his gift. We can not go on sinning knowing God will forgive us (John 14:15 - 'If you love me, you will obey what I command')
2.) Even though we have a level of freedom in Christ and not bound by religious practices, we have to be mindful when exercising our freedom.
All Christians are products of their own culture and time, so it is to be expected that we tend to have differing opinions across time and space on 'peripheral' issues. For example, to drink alcohol or not, to get a tattoo or not, to have the occasional Cuban or not etc.
'Everything is permissible but not necessarily beneficial' (1 Corinthians 6:12).
If we perceive that acting out our freedom may cause a Christian brother to stumble, we should not exercise that freedom. If a brother chooses to eat meat at Easter, that is between him and God.
'Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables...'Who are you to judge someone else's servant?' (Romans 14: 1-4)
It was not Jesus' intention to enslave us in an endless list of religious practices. We don't have to practice religion to earn God's favour. We are already in favour. We don't have to abstain from meat during Easter (I love my bacon) or go on a pilgrimage etc, BUT:
1.) Being in favour does not mean we are free to abuse God's readiness to forgive.
If we understand what it cost God to bring salvation to mankind, we will not want to abuse his gift. We can not go on sinning knowing God will forgive us (John 14:15 - 'If you love me, you will obey what I command')
2.) Even though we have a level of freedom in Christ and not bound by religious practices, we have to be mindful when exercising our freedom.
All Christians are products of their own culture and time, so it is to be expected that we tend to have differing opinions across time and space on 'peripheral' issues. For example, to drink alcohol or not, to get a tattoo or not, to have the occasional Cuban or not etc.
'Everything is permissible but not necessarily beneficial' (1 Corinthians 6:12).
If we perceive that acting out our freedom may cause a Christian brother to stumble, we should not exercise that freedom. If a brother chooses to eat meat at Easter, that is between him and God.
'Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables...'Who are you to judge someone else's servant?' (Romans 14: 1-4)
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