My rant for the day... Philippians 3:2 "Watch out for dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved." Beware of these dogs, these evil people, these mutilators who connect cultural symbols to salvation. Think on all the things we use to make ourselves feel saved. Suits and ties, dress and nylons on Sunday, or any religious event, hair length and jewelry (and you have to have hair for it to count), Bible versions and music composers, church programs and the size of them, a Christian school and church choir, church attendance and well behaved kids, sermons warning on movies, music, dress, entertainment, and the "socialist" government. There are people in our churches RIGHT NOW who come because of a cultural connection that helps them feel saved. "My pastor preaches against Disney!" "My church supports 50 missionaries!" "I sing in the choir and teach Sunday School!" So what! The version of your Bible does not save, ties and nylons do not save, church programs do not save, cultural symbols do not save. So beware, watch out for dogs and evil people who create a culture of symbols that let their membership use as markers of salvation. Beware of religious leaders who would create a bubble culture in which their membership could feel saved, as long as they stayed within its boundaries. Chris rejects this idea in Luke 15 when he is found by the Pharisees among tax collectors and sinners. He shares with them a parable of how a shepherd leaves the fold and 99 to search for the lost sheep, how one sets aside all priorities to find a lost coin, how a father forgets all his middle eastern, patriarchal dignity to run, embrace, kiss, clothe, and celebrate the return of his sinful, lost son. The sign of a true disciple of Christ is not the trappings of the cultural bubble you exist within, but rather how often you step away and demonstrate the sacrificial love of Christ to the lost and draw them to the savior. Some of those things above can be wonderful activities for a Christian, but only if they come from a heart of love and not from a box to check off for the week. Christ ate with sinners, Christ spoke with the Samaritan woman, Christ found the blind, lame, diseased, poor, and helpless of his society and reached out to them. Does your arm reach outside your bubble?
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 11:31:02 +0000
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