cuprunsovr
Member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
- Messages
- 54
Maybe I am just naive to think it really is this simple, but here's my take.
As a kid my extended family was pretty spread out so any reunion often resulted in meeting at a common place. Of course some would be closer than others, and some would have similar starting points while others would be 'way out there'. But what always cracked me up was the debates on how to get there from each various point. One Uncle, secure in his own route, would badger another on his route and question if he was even looking at the right map. These arguments would flare over map interpretation with of course the underlying faith being that the map is correct in its streets and highways, and that in fact Colorado Springs or whatever destination was in mind was in fact still there and had not been moved.
For the majority once we all arrived we rejoiced in our arriving at the destination, and our reunion, but still there were those that even once we were there felt it neccesary to hammer on others how they took the wrong route - and couldn't seem to let this cloud go to the extent that they no longer were enjoying the fellowship.
Our spiritual reunion and fellowship is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - that is the Disneyland, the Sea World, the destination. We have a very proven interstate to get there and that is the Bible, we have faith it is not under construction, it has not been moved, and it is designed / inspired by the greatest engineer of all the Holy Spirit.
To be sure all of us take different entrance ramps, some need to spend more time on the interstate while others seem to get there quicker but this remains the one proven route if your intention is in fact to get to that one destination of knowing Jesus Christ. However, when we look at the spiritual map there are many "side roads" or even alternate routes that may seem enticing. We may entertain the thoughts of taking these routes for the possibility of seeing other sites, or getting there faster. The problem is for one these routes are unproven, but above all else you are changing your destination.
I did watch the special on The Gospel of Judas last night, and thought it was very interesting from a historic perspective. I will even admit there were some ideas in the text (side roads), such as Jesus appearing to the apostles as a child that I liked the thought of. But I didn't see anyhting that made me want to take a "spiritual exit ramp" or "alter my destination" of knowing Jesus Christ.
I am amazed at the amount of energy that is spent within the church arguing over these subtle variances of the journey - instead of roads, avenues, streets we call them denominations, gnostics, and theology.
The destination is a realtionship with Jesus Christ,
the road to get there is the Bible,
and the SUV we pile into and the map we follow is the Holy Spirit - done!
As a kid my extended family was pretty spread out so any reunion often resulted in meeting at a common place. Of course some would be closer than others, and some would have similar starting points while others would be 'way out there'. But what always cracked me up was the debates on how to get there from each various point. One Uncle, secure in his own route, would badger another on his route and question if he was even looking at the right map. These arguments would flare over map interpretation with of course the underlying faith being that the map is correct in its streets and highways, and that in fact Colorado Springs or whatever destination was in mind was in fact still there and had not been moved.
For the majority once we all arrived we rejoiced in our arriving at the destination, and our reunion, but still there were those that even once we were there felt it neccesary to hammer on others how they took the wrong route - and couldn't seem to let this cloud go to the extent that they no longer were enjoying the fellowship.
Our spiritual reunion and fellowship is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - that is the Disneyland, the Sea World, the destination. We have a very proven interstate to get there and that is the Bible, we have faith it is not under construction, it has not been moved, and it is designed / inspired by the greatest engineer of all the Holy Spirit.
To be sure all of us take different entrance ramps, some need to spend more time on the interstate while others seem to get there quicker but this remains the one proven route if your intention is in fact to get to that one destination of knowing Jesus Christ. However, when we look at the spiritual map there are many "side roads" or even alternate routes that may seem enticing. We may entertain the thoughts of taking these routes for the possibility of seeing other sites, or getting there faster. The problem is for one these routes are unproven, but above all else you are changing your destination.
I did watch the special on The Gospel of Judas last night, and thought it was very interesting from a historic perspective. I will even admit there were some ideas in the text (side roads), such as Jesus appearing to the apostles as a child that I liked the thought of. But I didn't see anyhting that made me want to take a "spiritual exit ramp" or "alter my destination" of knowing Jesus Christ.
I am amazed at the amount of energy that is spent within the church arguing over these subtle variances of the journey - instead of roads, avenues, streets we call them denominations, gnostics, and theology.
The destination is a realtionship with Jesus Christ, the road to get there is the Bible, and the SUV we pile into and the map we follow is the Holy Spirit - done!
