An Unused Freedom?

As Christians, we are to look for guidance with regards to what we are to believe to be true - and subsequently how live our lives - within Scripture, as opposed to our own opinions and preferences. If nothing else, our opinions and preferences can literally change 180 degrees in a single day so living our lives based on them does not make the best sense.  Luckily though, pretty much anything you can think of is actually addressed within the Bible, even just within the New Testament.  Honestly, pretty much the only thing that has changed in our world since the days when the Church was young is our technology so most things can, indeed, be found within.

Problems arise though when people spout off "Biblical" terms or ideas but interpret those with their opinions rather than what the Bible says.  This is not something specific to any person or group but is something we see somewhat often.  Frequently, these people will back up their opinions with text taken out of context or bits and pieces of Scripture taken from different areas of the Bible formed together to say what they want it to.  Sometimes this is intentional but, more often that not, it the result of having learned this from someone else along their walk.  This is why it is so crucial that we, the Church, read our Bibles for ourselves and when we do so, do so not looking for some way to word or reword something to support our view but rather to see what it actually says.

We, in North America, are very fortunate that we live in a place in which we can have and read the Bible.  There are numerous places in this world in which even having a page of it is enough to get you shot.  That said, we really would be foolish to not take advantage of this and read for ourselves rather than just listen to (or read) what someone else has to say.

May the Spirit guide, lead and speak clearly to your hearts and minds as you read the very Word that He wrote for us this day.

Forever and a Day

The preacher preaches about being saved so you can have eternal life and so many take that to be living forever but there is a problem with this thought.  As Christians, we believe there is more than one possible eternal destination - one great, one not so much.  But they are, indeed, both beyond this plane and eternal. Everyone lives forever - that part which makes you "you" - does not die when your frame fades away and you sleep for one final time. So being saved cannot mean living forever since everyone already does that and, since our bodies are imperfect, they wear down and eventually stop working so it cannot mean we live eternally in our current form.  So what does eternal life mean?  Funny you should ask since there is an answer in the Scriptures for John 17:3 says:  "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent".

Eternal life is knowing God.  Not knowing about Him or knowing all the right answers to the questions or even knowing any answers for that matter but actually knowing God.  This is the eternal life which comes to us through Christ our Lord. 

Now consider the words of Jesus in John 5:39-40 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life."  The Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees studied the scripture inside out and backwards, knew and followed every rule and ritual flawlessly and they still did not know God.  More importantly though, we find that we can know God - not just about - by coming to Jesus.  Through Him we come to know God.  To not only know about but truly know and be to be known by God as well.  This is eternal life and it is found in Christ.