I started reading a book called "Polyester Christians". It begins with a lot of detail about what it means to be a cotton Christian (i.e., a Christian who uses natural, or authentic fibers). True to form, the detail focuses on what should be done. Examples include consistent prayer (good), consistent miracles (wut?), visiting the sick (also good), listing the twelve apostles or the ten commandments (good yeah, but I believe in ideas more than specifics) and a bunch of other superficial things.
I used to attend his church and these are the same things he's been talking about for the past thirty years. That would be fine if he had begun with any sort if depth to his theology, but honestly, no one starts out with any depth. That's what it means to be "green".
Doing good things is fine, but we are not called to do good things. Evil people do good things. Atheists give to the poor. Pagans feed the homeless. Wiccans care for their elders. Are we Christians because we do these while we recite Scripture? Do we do these things better than the godless? What makes us different? What makes us "Christians"? How do we even become Christians in the first place?
This last question may give us some good insight. We become Christians through our trust. We trust in God and He changes is into the image of His Son, and we share His love with the world. But everything begins with trust.
The evidence of our trust is not what we do but who we are. It is our character.
I used to attend his church and these are the same things he's been talking about for the past thirty years. That would be fine if he had begun with any sort if depth to his theology, but honestly, no one starts out with any depth. That's what it means to be "green".
Doing good things is fine, but we are not called to do good things. Evil people do good things. Atheists give to the poor. Pagans feed the homeless. Wiccans care for their elders. Are we Christians because we do these while we recite Scripture? Do we do these things better than the godless? What makes us different? What makes us "Christians"? How do we even become Christians in the first place?
This last question may give us some good insight. We become Christians through our trust. We trust in God and He changes is into the image of His Son, and we share His love with the world. But everything begins with trust.
The evidence of our trust is not what we do but who we are. It is our character.
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