We are all too aware of the recent tragedies among the African American community, more recently the senseless murder of George Floyd . . . an act that has stirred up a lot of anger and sorrow over the last few weeks. Though I am deeply grieved by what is going on in our country, I cannot help but wonder if God has allowed these things to transpire for a greater purpose. Is He trying to highlight the suffering, inequalities, and injustices that are still occurring, SO THAT we would be stirred to right the wrongs from our past? But if that is the case, how do we . . .
I was taught from a young age that Jesus was the only way to God, and that if I accepted Him as my Savior then I would go to heaven. Seemed like a no-brainer to me. All I had to do was believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for my sins, ask God’s forgiveness, and then accept His free gift of salvation. I believed what my parents told me . . . and what child wouldn’t do that in order to spend eternity in paradise instead of hell? With my child-like faith, I said the prayer and sealed the deal. However, I remember even then thinking how fortunate I was to be born into a Christian family. I wondered about people raised in other cultures or religions, and how a loving God could send them to hell. I mean what if my parents were Muslim or Jewish or Hindu and had a different understanding of “truth” – I am guessing I would have just followed their lead into a different faith . . . and with no less sincerity! So due to mere chance (or God’s "cruel" election), I would have gone to hell for believing the wrong thing. But I know for certain that God is good, so something does not . . .
Over the past decade, I have watched several of my Christian friends walk away from their faith. And these were no laissez-fair Christians either – they were passionate Jesus lovers who ran after God and seized every opportunity to share His love with others. But now, some of these same friends deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and have embraced a form of religious pluralism instead (the belief that there are many ways to God and we will all end up in heaven). So what happened - how did they get derailed? And what can we do to . . .
We are finally past the election, but my sigh of relief has morphed into the forlorn realization that each party remains married to their offenses. I have always hated politics, so I intentionally avoided conversations and Facebook posts on the topic. But even now, after the people have voted, the heated discussions continue. Many are feeling despondent, fearful about the future of our nation, and apprehensive about how this new leadership will affect them personally.
This messy, and often volatile, exchange between people on both “sides” of the argument has left me pondering where the church fits in. For what issues should we take a stand . . .
There are many viewpoints within churches that have divided congregations over the centuries, and continue to do so. Churches have separated over issues such as predestination, the current role of the Holy Spirit, the proper way to repent, and how we should take communion or get baptized. However, today Christians are wrestling with issues such as gay marriage, and questioning their perception of truth and morality in the process. The postmodern mindset of our day is growing, meaning many now believe that truth is relative. This philosophy, that everyone can define his or her own version of truth, has infiltrated even . . .
