Posted by Dena on April 10, 2005, at 19:18:28
In reply to Re: Salvation » rayww, posted by Phillipa on April 10, 2005, at 16:39:55
Really good topic, Rayww! Way to be bold - you go, girl!
My beliefs have "evolved" over the past few years...
I used to "tow the line" regarding the Christian belief -- that salvation was like an exclusive club, and you had to believe a certain way, and that most of the world was exempt...
The problem, for me, was that most of the folks who were "in" the club, and should thus follow Jesus (as in love God with everything you've got, and love your neighbors, i.e., the rest of the world, as yourself) -- sure didn't act very loving. Not even toward others "in the club"...
I still believe Jesus, when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me..."
ONLY, I no longer believe that most of us, including His followers, are able to understand the fullness of that statement. I believe He came to save THE WORLD, all of it -- and it's about more than saving individual people into an exclusive club...
I believe that He speaks into more hearts than those seemingly "in the club" would recognize... and that more hearts respond to Him than many would choose to believe...
I believe He alone knows who responds to Him, love Him, and follow Him... because I believe that He alone can see into the hearts -- where it counts.
I believe that there is much ascribed to Him that has nothing to do with Him, and more to do with cultures, traditions, and man-made (& man-limited) beliefs about Him. I believe He transcends all cultures, all traditions, and all beliefs...
I believe that He cannot be fit into any box, any category, any sort of understanding of Him that's limited to my, or anyone else's finite mind.
I believe He's far more mysterious than any of us imagine, far more loving than any of us dare imagine, and far more available than many of us have dared to imagine...
I believe that the Gospel (the Good News) is much larger and more far-reaching than what I've been taught...
...I've been letting God teach me about Himself -- it's beyond amazing.
Shalom, Dena
poster:Dena
thread:482296
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20050312/msgs/482514.html