It feels good to be off school and I’m really excited for this winter break because I can finally unwind and just lay down my thoughts. Tomorrow night I’m taking off to see my brother in Vegas, and to spend Christmas with him and my mother. I can’t wait to go. I’m looking forward to a lot things that I want to accomplish while I’m there. Aside from hanging out with my brother, I really want to study the Bible for clarification about certain things that have been burdening me. Things like: the “Prosperity Gospel”, which I felt have been abused by many word of faith advocates; what it means to live biblically; and the true meaning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, are just some of the issues that I want to revisit and get a better clarity from the Bible. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like I can no longer accept some of the things I was taught growing up (because of its contradiction with the Scripture). I mean, anyone can take different passages from the Bible and package it into something that would fit our life, with a little bit Jesus in it; and I feel like we’ve done that. I feel like we made our own version of Christianity to fit our lifestyles, so that we don’t really have to conform to the Gospel.
Right now, I feel like I’m starting all over again with my theology (except for the foundational elements, of course!). But my prayers for you and I, is that the Holy Spirit would truly guide us and lead us to the truth; and that God would grant us more love and humility, so that we don’t puff up and our love for the lost would increase. On the other hand, I’m not exactly sure where God is leading me but I know that God has struck a chord in my soul, that won’t allow me to rest. I believe that He’s leading me to seek Him out diligently and challenging me to take more risk (or use my faith). Overall, I know I’m in His will. Even though, it breaks my heart to see myself growing apart from my contemporaries, I want to follow Him at what ever cost (as He supplies me the grace to do it).
I want to leave you with this quote from Mortimer Alder, which should be our attitude about dividing the Word of God. So here it is: “Do not say you agree, disagree, or suspend judgement, until you say, “I understand.” We have to be honest with ourselves and God, because at the end of the day, it is us that’s accountable to Him. Being intellectually honest is part of the process. If we stumble upon something in the Bible and our theology/tradition/beliefs is contradicting it, we have to let go of that belief and submit ourselves to the Word of God, with readiness to obey it. Ultimately, the Bible is our guide and our filter to our doctrine and not the other way around.
And I hope that as follower of Christ, that we would all seek Him diligently and we would be lovers of the Truth to the end! I pray that we would not conform to this world, but as children of God, we would “let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Love y’all!!!
