I am a self diagnosed Christophrenic. It's kind of like being schizophrenic, except that the source (or maybe just the subject matter) of my confusion and delusion is the Christian Church. Specifically the American Christian Church. Somehow this powerful institution has managed to convince me to hold two opposing beliefs and cling to them simultaneously as truth, even though one seems to negate the other. So I walk around everyday unsure of what is real and what is imagined. Or maybe I just lack the courage to decide. In any case, my condition has left me tired, confused, and wondering who I really am and what Jesus really wants from us. Here are the two opposing beliefs:
Belief One
1. Because the church's mission is to bring as many people as possible into relationship with Christ, we must use every technique available to attract people to the church. If cool spaces, high quality video, great music, professional marketing etc. is what gets people to come, then we should unapologetically spend money on those things and do whatever it takes to attract people to Jesus. And it makes sense that tastes in more affluent areas are more expensive, so that means that doing church will cost more in those areas and that's okay. Eventually the people who come to church will be transformed by the message of Jesus and we will teach them to help the poor, but if they are not attracted to the church in the first place, then they will never hear the message, so there's no reason to give up part of what we're doing in our church in order to help the poor, because we are already missional and in the long run we will get more people to help the poor this way. The highest call of the Church is to help people with personal salvation, not to do social gospel work.
Belief Two
2. The church is primarily about calling people to follow Jesus and join a community of believers in a new way of life that expands their definition of family and shatters their ideas of ownership. What Jesus asked his followers to do is to usher in the Kingdom of God on earth, which looks totally different from the prevailing culture of greed, selfishness, and ambition. Christ-followers are the ones courageous enough to stand up for the poor, the neglected, and the hated. They are a community of sacrifice who share in a way that eliminates poverty among them and works with the logic of the upside-down kingdom. They are a peculiar people who seek to give up everything in order to find what is really valuable. It is a narrow road and not everyone will choose it, but there is no option to make the road wider and more comfortable. The highest call of the Church is to ask people to join "the Way" -- this way of life that is an expression of God's Will being done of earth as it is in heaven.
HOW CAN BOTH OF THESE BELIEFS BE TRUE AT THE SAME TIME? NOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHY I AM A CHRISTOPHRENIC.
4 comments:
When in doubt go to God's Word - the Bible. See how your #1 and #2 stand up against scripture. I don't think you will find your #1 there.
There is a big difference between Biblical principles and man's interpretation on presenting them to the world.
God loves you and wants a relationship with you and all of His children.
If you cannot attract men with the spirit of Christ in you and the Word of Truth, (the salvation of their souls) as a minister of reconciliation, God reconciling the world unto himself in Christ.
You don't need to attract worldly people with money or… you just need to tell them the truth.
Probably a gross misuse of funds, as a "steward" of Christ, does He not say, "But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:"
Luke 14:12-14
[12]Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
[13]But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
[14]And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
Matthew 5:16
[16]Let your light so shine before men, that >>>>>>they may see<<<<<< your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
1 Peter 2:15
[15]For so is the will of God, that with >>>>>well doing<<<<<<< ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
Romans 12:21
[21]Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
#1 type people:
Matthew 7:21-23
[21]Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[22]Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name >>>>>>>>>done many wonderful works? <<<<<<<< {super awesome light show with super bass!!! They heard it in China!!}
[23]And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
What is He looking for?
Matt. 25
Matthew 25:31-36,40-46
[31]When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
[32]And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
[33]And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
[34]Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
>>>[35]For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
[36]Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. <<<
[40]And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
[41]Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
>>>[42]For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
[43]I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. <<<
[44]Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
[45]Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
[46]And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
1 Corinthians 5:11,13
[11]But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
[13]But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34
[33]Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
[34]Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Ephesians 5:6-7
[6]Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
[7]Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Revelation 18:2-4
[2]And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
[3]For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
[4]And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
2 Corinthians 6:16-17
[16]And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[17]Wherefore come out from among them, and >>> be ye separate,<<< saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
1 Peter 1:14-17
[14]As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
[15]But as he which hath called you is holy, >>>so be ye holy <<< in all manner of conversation;
[16]Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
[17]And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Hebrews 12:14-16
[14]Follow peace with all men, and >>>>>>> holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:<<<<<<<
[15]Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
[16]Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
John 15:19
[19]If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
1 John 2:15-17
[15]Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world*, the love of the Father is not in him.
[16]For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world*.
[17]And the world passeth away*, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
*why? Because
2 Corinthians 4:4
[4]In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Revelation 12:9
[9]And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and >>> Satan, which deceiveth the whole world:<<< he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Ephesians 6:12
[12]For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the >>>rulers of the darkness of this world,<<< against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Ephesians 2:2
[2]Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the >>> prince of the power of the air<<<, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Jesus:
"
Acts 26:18
[18]To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
"
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