One thing I know for sure is God gives his grace away freely.
I know this because in my life he has bestowed this grace on me numerous times. Sometimes I thought I deserved it, sometimes I didn’t think so. What is quite interesting is that now, as I look back at the mentality I had about his grace, I can recognize that you can’t EARN grace. When the curtain was torn, and his blood was shed, we entered a GRACE COVENANT with Christ. So why did I think this way? Why was I convinced I was un-worthy of this grace? Well, I have been doing some searching on this and so far this is what I know. I believe MOST of what I believe because my parents believe that way. I believe a lot of things because that is what I learned in church. But very little of what I believe has come from a seeking, searching desire in my heart to learn the truth for myself, This doesn’t mean that everything I have been taught by the church or my parents is wrong. However, it leaves room to question …why do THEY believe the way they do? Is it because their parents and the pastors that have gone before them have passed down their theories? Or is it because they have searched for the answers themselves like we are doing today? Needless to say, I have risen the question in my spirit… what is THE truth.
So when I say “I know for sure God gives his grace away freely” it is because that is one of the only things I can make sense of right now. I don’t want to be held stagnant in my time searching for answers, so I will walk in this grace that I am positive about. I think, I don’t KNOW but I am starting to resound truth in my spirit about a few things. To protect the future validity of these theories, I will not share them all. But I will share one thing with you that have begun to stir in my heart.
Church. What is Church? I KNOW that God has revealed to me it is not a STRUCTURE but a group of people we know as the body of Christ. So, what I know is that I don’t believe that you should be called “flakey or disloyal” if you invest in the body of Christ outside the walls of a building. Now, do I believe it is necessary to get filled up and to fellowship with other believers? Absolutely! But at what point did it become “backsliding” if you don’t GO to Church? Right now, Jason and I don’t BELONG to a church, because we are seeking for truth and we feel called away from the structure of a building until we have our heart ready to commit. This being said, we both have been more content, filled with joy and peace since we stopped GOING to church and started BEING the church. In BEING the church I mean “Serving at a moments notice” (~John 12-27) Being void filler, being available to help when help is needed NO questions asked. Our amazing friends Chris and Amanda King taught us the principle of the “no questions asked” policy. When someone needs help, “you just say YES”. This is biblical; we are to be willing to serve in an instance. So my question is this; if I AM serving the BODY of Christ as a whole unit, not in just one “location”… does this mean I am NOT going to church? I think it’s exactly that… I am NOT just going… I am BEING the Church. All this being said, it’s like guilt or condemnation hovers over us as we try to work these things out by “church goers”. I personally think that if our churches would ALL start getting uncomfortable, taking risk, getting up from the tables and start reaching the lost people of our communities, nation, world… we might all be surprised what kind of difference it makes in the lives of the members.
We need more than a comfy pew. We need a chance to grow, learn for ourselves, mess up, and get dirty. We need to be valued as individuals, respected for our own identities and our own precious God given gifts. When the Kings came they said “We hate Church”… this stirred up some people, It’s not a sinful “HATE” for the Church. It’s a passionate desire to see the body of Christ rise, get outside the structure and realize that the steel that holds up some dry wall is NOT our God.
So, this brings me to GRACE. I am ready, I am set and I am going to run the race in front of me with GRACE and BY Grace. Because, at the end of the day, that is all I really know for sure.
“I was called to be free” ~Galatians 5:13
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
my only thoughts are that a church as a group can do a lot more than a church as a person ... united together we can make a huge difference in our world. i think the problem with church today is that it has turned into people that only care about what they are wearing or because their spouse made them or their friends they see there and then they go back home "bubble" that they live in and don't do anything for the Kingdom during the week. God gives us so many opportunities to make a difference in someone's life ... it can be as little as a kind word or encouragement and it makes a lasting impression/effect on someone else. Or it could be BIG and change the world. These pew warmers should step out of their comfort zones and be the church. 76% of Americans are supposedly Christians ... if 76% of America did this, think about how the world would change drastically! To Love and not judge .... no stones. Also, a church is good for accountability - not everyone has this system set up like you do. You have friends and FTS. I am so excited to see what God will reveal to you through this fast!
ReplyDelete