Christian Doctrine - Tumblr Posts
We are imperfect beings and God is just.
Therefore, He does not expect perfection out of us: only remorse for our sin and the willingness to get back up when we fail.
Repent and try again.
Remember not to compare your spiritual journey to those around you, either. Like in life, we all mature at different rates and none of us are better than the other.
Whether your sin of habit is as complex an issue as sexual immorality or as difficult to break as habitual lying... all sin is the same in the eyes of God. We each have our own struggle. What is thoughtless for you is a war for me. I may never understand why your battle is your own- hell, you may not comprehend it yourself! But what's amazing is God intimately knows each and every struggle you have and will ever face. Jesus is the gateway to eternal, pure empathy for the corrupted human heart.
He knows it's difficult for you...
He also knows you're trying.
Repent.
Try again.
WHOOOOO!
bringing people to Christianity
God placed this on my heart so I want to share:
When I was younger I first became a Christian because I didn't want to go to hell. My faith was purely based on not wanting to go to hell so I would try hard not to sin that way I would go to heaven. However, that is such a watered-down version of why we should have faith. As I grew older I felt God was calling me to reexamine my faith and become close to Him. Over the past 2ish years I have grown so much because instead of being Christian simply to not go to hell my faith was built on my relationship with God. He is the friend, parent, and just love that I have always searched for and wanted. He is the true embodiment of love. If you are wondering why you should be a Christian it is because at your lowest moments, where you feel most broken, underserving, lost, etc. the answer is Christ. HE LOVES YOU, not in a cheesy way but in a way where he died for you to save you from yourself. He wants to show you His love, and he provides peace. It is in a relationship with Him that even though I worry, and feel burdened, I can still have peace because of his presence in my life.
I just pray that anyone reading this accepts Jesus Lord and seeks a relationship with Him. I pray they do not get caught up in the "aesthetics" and try to be "that Christian girl" or the perfect person so that they don't go to hell, but instead I pray they seek you so that they can feel your love so that they can feel your breath of life into their own lungs. I pray that all who read this find you, so that they can encounter the peace, and love I have in following and getting closer to you. Jesus is what you have been seeking. Amen.
Making the decision to follow the Bible's doctrine; dedicating my life to Jesus' teachings and promises regardless of my human doubts, Satan's lies and my own thoughts and feelings...
That's easily the hardest thing I've ever done.
If you think following Jesus is easy, you're not a real disciple. You're just religious.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Galatians 3:28
This verse gives me great comfort đź–¤
We are imperfect beings and God is just.
Therefore, He does not expect perfection out of us: only remorse for our sin and the willingness to get back up when we fail.
Repent and try again.
Remember not to compare your spiritual journey to those around you, either. Like in life, we all mature at different rates and none of us are better than the other.
Whether your sin of habit is as complex an issue as sexual immorality or as difficult to break as habitual lying... all sin is the same in the eyes of God. We each have our own struggle. What is thoughtless for you is a war for me. I may never understand why your battle is your own- hell, you may not comprehend it yourself! But what's amazing is God intimately knows each and every struggle you have and will ever face. Jesus is the gateway to eternal, pure empathy for the corrupted human heart.
He knows it's difficult for you...
He also knows you're trying.
Repent.
Try again.
"Honesty is such a precious commodity that is seldom found in the world or the church. Honesty requires the truthfulness to admit the attachment and addictions that control our attention, dominate our consciousness and function as false gods. I can be addicted to vodka or to bring nice, marijuana or being loved, to cocaine or being right, to gambling or relationships, to golf or gossiping. Perhaps my addiction is food, performance, money, popularity, power, revenge, reading, television, tobacco, weight or winning. When we give anything more priority than we give to God, we commit idolatry. Thus we all commit idolatry countless times every day."
-Brennan Manning (Ragamuffin Gospel)
"Death is the last act of self giving, the final repudiation of self, the ultimate act of impoverished ragamuffins before the fierce mercy of God."
-Brennan Manning
God does not hang back as a mere spectator when power is utilized to oppress the weak and crush the poor. God does not keep sovereign distance in the face of human crimes. God's angry voice echoes through the centuries: "Cain, where is your brother?"
Leonardo Boff, Way of the Cross--Way of Justice
Amen. Traditional church is an outdated and Old Testament concept. We don't need a massive gathering or a priest to reach God; He is eternally reaching out to US day to day, hour to hour in our everyday lives.
Simone Weil, Waiting for God
What many modern Christians don’t understand is that when Jesus talks about “giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” is a direct condemnation of political systems and their affiliation with the Kingdom of God.
Just like in Roman times, Jesus wants to warn us that God’s love should never be co-opted by partisan power and government control.
"On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."
-Matthew 7:22-23
Here's your reminder that Biblical scripture is not a customizable template awaiting your feelings and individual bias to fill in the lines. You can claim to commit murder or any other atrocity "in the name of Jesus," but just know that those will be His words to you on Judgement Day.
Stop forming baseless opinions and begin opening up your heart and mind to His perfect teaching.
"The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners."
-Morton Kelsey
"Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spirituality is not about perfection; it is about connection."
-Michael Yaconelli (Messy Spirituality)