A Christian Viewpoint

excerpt from my comment at: Isn’t that the craziest thing: a tough job and sad news

Based on the news article Pope: Catholicism only true church by Nicole Winfield

Over the centuries there have been wars fought over what Christians are supposed to believe. In 1 Corinthians Paul talks about the importance of being one. We are warned to beware of those wolves in sheep’s clothing. They sow discord among the flock. Theological fractures have weakened the “church” both then and now. Leaving the heretic within the walls of the church poses great problems. Jude talks about contending for the faith. Then we have the all embracing love of God. It is a balance that the body of Christ has struggled with for 2,000 years. The pope is simply re-affirming that there are limits when it comes to fellowship with those not in agreement with their take on theology. Do we embrace every idea without discernment to the truth for the sake of oneness? No, but we must be careful about what we allow to divide us.

I find it peculiar how at the same time there is this separation of the body of Christ, many churches, including the Roman Catholic church, try to portray God through the local customs and religion of people they are trying to proselytize. This unholy mixture clouds the truth and should never have occurred. Paul’s discourse on Mars Hill is the example they use for justification of this type of evangelism. I believe Paul would be horrified to know how that example has been used to mix the sanctifying truth with the profane.

Personally the bible is the standard and each person, individually, will have to answer to God on how they walked out their life according to its truth. There are true Christians in almost every church… but not all people in the church are saved. That is sad but true.

Yesterday I was watching the 700 Club on television. Terry Meussen was speaking after one of the stories. The story was about a family that was blessed through Operation Blessing. Timely surgery that was made possible by donations from viewer support. At $20 a month a donation gets spread pretty thin among all that they do. Yet she turned a phrase that highlights what can be done by a group. She said something like this, “Alone we may not be able to do much but by linking arms together we can hug the world.” I like the word picture that conjurs up in my mind. It is also a simple fact, that many can do much with the little they give.

Since I opened this blog (recently under wordpress) I was wondering how long before the first spammer would find it and leave a spam lunch for me to chew through. Yesterday was the first. Six comments were tagged for moderation and two were not. I do wish that anyone who wants may leave a message so I will keep the blog wide open. I don’t want a few bad apples to ruin it for the others. What I really like is how easy it was to eliminate the comments under wordpress. As long as it stays within reason everything will remain the same.

Lord Jesus, there are a lot of spammers out there trying to get mileage from the sites of other people. I pray that you protect my site as well as the sites of my fellow Christian bloggers from their abuse. Amen!

A big problem with society is that they believe that: once a child molester always a child molester. There is a quick attack by people against those who sin in this peculiar and tragic manner. To stygmatize people and say there is no recovery of the soul is to condemn these people. Because of this they cannot seek the help they need… they don’t dare.

Yet as a Christian I believe that there is always hope. That repentance is possible. That a person can have his life changed. The difficulty comes from believing that with the right incentive someone using will power will be able to walk the right path. Yet will power will never change the heart. This approach has never worked. To change a person’s life they need a gift that can only come from God. That gift is self-control. It is planted as a seed and with time and patience will bear the fruit of someone who can walk in obedience to God’s way and decently. Their hearts are transformed. This is true for every person under the control of their particular “sinful act”.

I feel sorry for those who are heading down the path that will result in a child eventually being hurt. I feel saddened and concerned for the child who will be their victim. I am angry at the culture that puts stumbling blocks in front of those who need the help to stop the cycle from continuing.

Regardless of what the sinful behaviour…
The tempted need help without judgement
The sinner needs correction and help
But the monster needs to be removed from society.

Last Thursday I went to city hall to to pay for the CFC fee for putting an air-conditioner out in the trash.

When I got out of the car I went toward the ticket dispenser. As I was fumbling for change in my pocket a street person came up to me and asked for change. He told me it would most likely go for a drink. Honesty. I looked at what I had in my hand and gave him fifty cents. Not much but I wanted enough for the parking machine. He thanked me and moved on. I got to the machine and looked at what they wanted. Great, now I didn’t have enough. I opened my wallet and took out a tooney. Good for an hour and twenty minutes. My bussiness inside city hall took ten minutes. As I got back to my car I thought it ridiculous, I still had an hour on my ticket. I drove my car to the ticket machine and saw a man about to buy a ticket. I rolled down my window and asked him if his bussiness was going to take more than an hour. He said no, so I gave him my ticket. That day I blessed two people.

I wouldn’t have blessed the second without blessing the first. I asked God, “which one was I supposed to bless?” Perhaps both?
I chuckled to myself and drove home.

The word of God is quick and lively.
He speaks a word, we’re alive.
We repeat the message and life continues.
We are strange creatures.
We organize that lively word.
It becomes a tradition of men.
The life ebbs slowly away.
A stale crumb is left.
A message meant for a day…
became the standard meal.
God’s Word is like mercy,
They are new every morning.
Seek a fresh word of God…
A well rounded diet…
Stay spiritually healthy.

A further word on tradition. It does have its place. It does have worth. It shows us our roots and how we came to be where we are today. Yet the message and how it’s delivered will continue to be modified and changed as culture changes. Technology will also open up new avenues. My worry is that we can get so caught up in the style we use to deliver the message that we run the risk of losing the power of the message. I have seen this; through tradition as well as innovation.