Unforeseen Consequences

 

The life choices we made always have consequences. Both positive and negative results come into our lives and the lives of those with whom we interact, depending on the things we say and do. Contrary to the popular phrase, no man is an island. Everything we do impacts those around us.

This is especially true regarding sin. The consequences of a sinful act can manifest like a car crash, an immediate response to what we do or fail to do. Or the consequences may become evident after a long period of time, like a lifelong bad diet. One piece of cake won’t kill you, but a lifestyle of donuts, soda, and Cheetos will eventually and probably bring death sooner than normal. 

In the same way that one cannot look at the back of his own head, we oftentimes cannot see the negative impact of the sins we somehow justify.

Beauty, Subjectivity and Preference

 

Beauty is not objective. Beauty is a label applied to that which is excellent. Someone may prefer one object over another, but something is either beautiful or it is not. One cannot call something beautiful simply because one “likes” it.  There is art and music that I appreciate but is not beautiful.

Someone cannot call themselves beautiful simply because they like the way they look. That is not beauty, that is preference. Being morbidly overweight is not beautiful, it is a deviation from what is good and healthy. Being novel is not beauty, it is a creative expression of simply trying to be different. 

The music of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Vivaldi is beautiful, but the music of The Sex Pistols is not. Oftentimes music is created simply as an emotional expression of one’s state of mind and heart and if that heart has been traumatized, the result will be an expression of trauma.

Self Made

 

Since the time of the Reformation, and to a much lesser degree in the centuries before, there has come into existence a great number of churches not in communion with the historic Christian faith. Of the literal thousands of Protestant/Evangelical denominations that exist, each one has been made in the image of its founder. That which defines Protestantism/Evangelicalism are the concepts of private interpretation and individualism.

Protestant/Evangelical churches exist because someone, somewhere decided that the churches that currently existed were lacking or faulty in some manner and therefore a new church needed to be formed. This formation and codification came into shape based on what one individual or group of likeminded individuals decided was the “correct” interpretation of Holy Scripture.

Summarily stated, each new denomination and/or congregation is made in the image of its founder. And this in itself should be troubling. The source of this problem is a foundational one. The belief that each individual has the right or responsibility to interpret the Bible as he sees fit creates a theological landscape of autonomy. But the body of Christ is one and not a scattered group of individuals. There is one, holy, apostolic Church.

Jesus taught his disciples exactly what they needed to know and understand and then, in the giving of the Holy Spirit, assured the Church that he would never leave them alone. He also promised them that evil would never overcome or destroy the Church. These two truths have been in place since the formation of the first century Church. The apostolic faith has then been handed down from one generation to the next and has no need of being reformed, corrected, updated, or modernized. That which the Church has always believed and taught is still believed and taught today.

One could argue that at the foundational level, all “Christian” churches believe the same things. But this claim needs to be followed up with the question of, “Why then are there literally thousands of denominations and independent church that are not in communion with one another?” Why were all these groups started in the first place? Why seek to redefine the Christian faith when that which Jesus taught the disciples is perfect and has been handed down to each generation.

If one starts at the beginning and works forward in time on the belief that Jesus’ teaching has been handed down, led by the Holy Spirit, and protected by Christ as the head, one needs to question the existence of multiple thousands of disconnected churches.

About Being an Adult

 

If you’ve ever been visiting a friend with children and while speaking with the adults, you watch the child playing on the floor, flopping around and being silly, you don’t give it a second thought. That is how children are supposed to behave.

But if you saw that same child, now as an older teen behaving the same way, you would rightly be concerned. There is an expectation of maturity and change in interests and behavior as one ages. So, the question is, “Why do so many adults insist on living as children in their free time? Playing sports, playing video games, or even playing in general?” 

Do we as adults really have nothing better to do than to entertain ourselves with childhood silliness? Learn to structure your use of time and money in a way that exemplifies maturity and responsibility.

Thoughts About Eternity

 

You are who you are because of the millions of decisions you make each day, because of the childhood you experienced and because of the influences upon you since birth. If you have no interest in God, in church, in religion, or in anything of a spiritual nature, why do you think that you would have any interest in being in heaven/the presence of God. 

The next question should be, “From what source have you fabricated your definition of heaven?”

The Source of Our Motivation

 

We should not "do" or "not do" things in our lives based on what others may think. We need to remember that God is always with us and sees our thoughts and actions. What others think is only important as it impacts how they interpret what it means to be a Christian.

If those around us define us as anything other than a kind and loving person, we are doing something wrong. Just as God is defined as love, so too should we. But again, that definition must be based on how love is truly defined, not by how the world defines love.

Words and Their Meaning

 

When someone says, “I’m a Christian”, you need to understand what they mean by that statement, you need to understand what that statement means to you and what that statement has historically meant. These may be three radically different definitions. 

This is not about judging someone else or questioning their faith. It’s about understanding what someone means. Far too often, the words that people use do not communicate what exactly they mean.