First and foremost, I don't want to start off this blog by bashing the practice of Christianity or by exalting the practice of Christianity in any shape, form or fashion. And please note that I write "the practice of Christianity." I don't think that I know of anyone who would stand and exclaim to live-out all that it entails to be a Christian... but I do know a few people who are as holy as holy can be while living on this Earth in these mortal bodies. And I make sure that my path crosses theirs from time to time....
In the southeastern United States, we have a peculiar brand of Christianity that I don't know is found anywhere else. I don't know that I can name ten people who are not self-proclaimed Christians... I mean to say that everyone I know claims to be a Christian. If I ask any co-worker, person on the street, any prostitute, drug-user, "do you believe in Jesus?" the answer would 9 times out of 10 be "yes." At this juncture, that would beg further questioning as to why one living in those kind of conditions who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ to have died on the Cross for their sins would continue that kind of life, but that is not the topic of this particular entry...
This is the ammunition that atheists use against being a Christian... Christians not walking a "Christian walk." "Hypocrites" is a term they favor. Or "delusional" (that's my particular favorite). And you know what I mean. Being equated with being Christian is being holy. And being holy equals being perfect to some. The plethora of expectations that have been handed down from generations upon generations of quick-tongued-casserole-making church-women. The people who openly live in contradiction to the Bible and yet are quick to tell you how wrong your life is. "Judgmental" is the word that springs to mind.
But ask people in the South if they believe in Jesus, the answer is "yes." I don't know if it's a misinterpretation of the "once saved always saved" doctrine that some find license to live any kind of life they choose. Or maybe it's wanting to avoid Aunt Edna's constant berating at the family gathering. There is a mix of "God and country" mentality that's stewed in the still of a fear of Hell and comes out a bad Southern-fried moonshine on which we've been drunk from time to time... We think we're "okay" (that is, saved from fire and damnation) as long as we say we believe in Jesus and attend a church service from time to time.
So where does that put me? I accepted Christ when I was five years old at a kids' crusade. I've proclaimed a belief in Christ since then. For so many years, I felt backed into a corner of what being holy and being a Christian meant... and I felt that I never measured up. I'm not the only one who feels this way (My husband was "kicked out" of church for skateboarding in the fellowship hall as a young teenager).
Whenever I've met a tragedy, a crisis of faith inevitably followed. Which opened the floodgates of bad theological advice. Which led to a deepening of the wound. Which led to my feeling further away from a place of healing. Which just made me wallow in my pain for that much longer. Thank God for Christians who had sound theology to stand me up, dust me off and help me to see Him for Who He really is.
I think that so many post-modern Christians feel this way. It's difficult to facilitate a change where none feel change is required. So this has spurned a movement towards addressing social needs in the local community.
We want to be a sign-post for Christ. We've gotten beyond the place of thinking that we can do anything to "save" anyone. That's Jesus' job. We are the sign-posts.
All of these words come to this point... I attended the Alabama-Georgia district conference for the Free Methodist denomination today at Christ Community Church, Columbus, GA. Darryl Riley, district superintendent, delivered a message that rocked my world and started my wheels turning in a new direction. As he spoke about living "holy" and in a place of "wholeness," I thought, "What if we lived in a place of WHOLE-i-ness?" Would "holiness" come out of that?" I know that at the bottom of the issue of "holiness" is that because of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins on the cross, that we are made holy and acceptable to God the Father. My understanding is that true holiness is not attainable without the shed blood of Jesus Christ. But if my goal is WHOLE-ness and not perfection... instead of expecting me to berate them for all the things "wrong" with them... then maybe more people would be willing to listen about Who made me whole... and maybe want that for themselves....
