Does it seem strange to you that those things that concerned Jesus don’t seem to catch the attention of the church, and those things that are primary with the church weren’t a big deal to Jesus? So, how is it that Christians can say they are following Jesus when they’re not?
If there is a core theme that Jesus comes back over and over again it’s the two rails of “Be not afraid”, and “Be of good courage”.
If you have been to church at least a few times, that theme is seldom heard because what is preached most Sunday mornings is the need to repent from sin, to stay away from evil, and to flee the Devil. The church has drifted knowingly or not into “sin management”. Christianity has been obsessed with sin for centuries. Jesus isn’t credited with saying too much about sin.
Remember how he dealt with the woman caught in adultery?
Listen, when someone has done something they know they shouldn’t have the last thing they need is for the church to remind them of their sin and add shame and condemnation to the mix. The church not only does that, but it sets up voluminous rules for counseling, deliverance, and various disciplines. Jesus just simply said, let it go- don’t do it again.
The real emphasis for Jesus was on living and being the Kingdom of God.
Jesus emphasized the need for FAITH! We are corrupted not so much by SIN as we are by the lack of faith due to our FEARS. Of course though when the early church fathers came up with the concept of ORIGINAL SIN, the dye had been established, and the trend was in. We can trade in our sinful days for more HALCYON days when we realize that we are ONE with God and that He is for us and not against us. God loves us even when we make mistakes. He’s our Creator!
So, be of good courage! 
BIG AMEN to that Ernie.
Love Dan
The biggest problem with the church is that the bible is a history book instead of a love story. In other words religion keeps you trapped in the past and and loaded down with facts and you are always living in fear of change, but when you awakenen to the love of God you live in the now and all things become alive in you which gives you the courage to change and not just survive anymore.Yes, love is new every moment and sets you free from the past and gives you all the energy you need to live life the way it was meant to be.So live in love for God is love.
Joe- Thankfully we’re getting there! The consciousness of who we are, our true identity (light & LOVE) is expanding to more and more people; however, mainline Christianity is a long way from SEEING it, but you never know what might change all of that in the “blinking of an eye”.