I am amazed at how many people profess to believe that God is LOVE and that His love is unconditional, but then also embrace this man-made illusionary God of righteous wrath and punitive avenging behavior. How does one do that? And how does a Thomas Jefferson tear out all the miraculous pages and stories of the New Testament and claim a resurrection?
Let’s face it. Many people have unknowingly (some consciously) adopted an approach to the Bible that smacks of Bibiolatry. It’s one thing to see the Bible as a sacred text of the Christian community, but quite another to ascribe every Word to God or the Holy Spirit, inerrant and infallible.
One has to see the many faces (and out right contradictions) that the writers of the LIBRARY of BOOKS that we call the Bible, presents to us. It’s a BIBLE! God is pictured at both ends of the spectum: from genocidal and unfogiving to totally forgiving and loving. Humanity is told that the GOOD NEWS is that God loves and will save ALL and then it turns around and tells us about a HELL wherein the vast majority will be tormented and burn forever. For what?
Something BIG happened back there some 2,000 years ago! Something VERY BIG!
Weak willed, and may I say a not too bright band of apostles (they could never get it!) ran in fear when Jesus was crucified. But they had some sort of an encounter that caused them to be totally TRANSFORMED, become bold and bave, and willingly die fo what they KNEW. They faced their own death and crucifixion as though they really did KNOW something great!
They had an experience that allowed them to live FREE!
The church today is not free, neither is it bold but divisive, protective, afraid of arguments or ideas that go counter to their view of anything and everything. We desperately need an encounter with the living God or the church will never become the salt, light, and leaven that was plannned. Are you FREE? And what is there about you LIFE that you could povide the world as evidence of such?
Are you accepting His love-unconditionally??
If God is love and we are His children (and we are), SHOW US SOME LOVE!
Great post, the church proclaims unconditional lovve but has no idea what it means.