How have we grown? (Anon)

An article posted by an anonymous user.

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There is nothing new under the sun

I read the words of St Paul warning the church repeatedly about the danger of straying from the basic faith of Christ Crucified which brought them to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Warning against the false teachers of the time coming and teaching that faith in Jesus was not sufficient, that the new Christians must also follow the Law, certain customs, etc. etc. even though through faith they received the spirit of God. I read the words that Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, holding them accountable for their self righteousness and hypocrisy. I read and read and am saddened that though Jesus came and went, the Apostles established the church and established a new covenant, and yet we battle the same issues with each generation that comes along. Especially now, when modern man believes that their intellectual capacity exceeds that of our forefathers, looking down on those many generations that came before us. In truth, they were way ahead of us, fore they had not been made ignorant by the collective increase in knowledge which has led to the demise of the individual’s ability to think openly and receive the truth.

Here we sit these thousands of years later and are still trying to add to what Jesus did at the cross. Trying to interject our righteousness above his, looking to the traditions of men over the Word of God. I truly wonder what would happen if the church, the body of Christ, were to suddenly focus on the Gospel. Spreading it, living it, celebrating that what God did for us is to good to be true, and so shift all the glory and emphasis back to the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus. Would the indigent needing love and acceptance walk into a congregation filled with believers and be rejected because of his being in need and inability to tithe? Would people everywhere continue to think they needed to “clean up their act” and then they could go back to church?

I do not write these things in condemnation of any, for I am as guilty as all, more than most. I simply am posing a question, what if we, the body of Christ, shifted our focus on to the basics of our faith, and living in such a way that we carried the Love of Jesus to those who actually need it, not those who are safe, and not intimidating, what would happen? I don’t think we have made any progress since the age of the original Apostles. Instead, we have introduced so much complexity to the miracle of salvation through the blood of Jesus through the endless doctrines of men, so many requirements to receive His love, it keeps those away who need it the most. I have never seen a sinner turned by doctrine, or convinced of his salvation, but I have seen the Love of Christ rain down on the lost, and break them, leaving them sobbing in tears of joy, realizing how very much He loves them, and how little they have to do to receive it.

There has to be a way to get back to the basics, and leave the progress that has so endlessly hindered the growth and health of the body of Christ.

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