Recently, on a blog post of a friend, she apologized for ever being a fundamentalist. I must admit, I often feel like that. Never does that truth hit home more than when I recall my teaching days.
Oh the dumb things I used to focus on. . . all these standards that really had absolutely ZERO Biblical ground. How I used to just set my life by these standards. And now, I just realize, it's ALL just SO wrong.
I have really procrastinated writing this post because it's not my intention to offend anyone. And I'm sure there will be "separation" from me over these thoughts. But really, go find it in the Bible. . . if it's not there, don't hang your hat on it. You'd be surprised what you find when you really start digging. My desire is to not let a religious system dictate how you live your life or what you believe, but let the Bible be your guide.
What is the essence : the gospel, pure and simple. Grace unabounded. (and no I don't think that means you can live however you want). Never have I seen a holier people, a people more committed to living the life God wants them to. I see a people now who don't live by a set of standards but by the rulebook of the BIBLE. Sola Scriptura! That is my greatest desire for my life.
Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone
Solus Christus - Christ Alone
Sola Gratia - Grace Alone
Sola Fide - Faith Alone
Soli Deo Gloria - The Glory of God Alone
The triquetra is an ancient symbol representing the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This God is the summation of all things. All that matters. All that we need. Period.
Blog Archive
About Me
- Denise
- My heart is for the depressed in the church. My journey has been long and difficult but incredibly rewarding. Here is the place I bare my soul so that another hurting soul can find refuge, friendship, but most of all the grace of a loving God.
5 comments:
Very good post! Your experience with a fundamendalist church is much different from mine. A fundamentalist who believes what you say you do. Your church was legalism in fundamendalist's clothing.
As a fellow musician you're probably aware that J.S. Bach signed his musical compositions, "Soli Deo Gloria." :)
I should have edited first. In the second sentence I meant to say, " A true fundamentalist believes the same as you."
I agree, I know many good fundamentalists, and it's not my desire to categorize them into a box. I know better than to do that. I have friends I dearly love who love God with all their heart.
However, upon talking with a friend last week even, I realize that standards are still a huge dividing point. My hope is that people will still continue to challenge their thinking in these areas. Personal convictions are not standards to be placed on others. There is a difference.
Oh, I know that, Denise. My church's standards are Biblical, and they're not a book of rules and thou shalt nots. We trust that Christians will be led by the Spirit in their behavior and will choose not to grieve Him. I see the difference every bit as much as you do. I'm so thankful that as a young Christian I learned not to be legalistic because of this church that I started attending almost as soon as I got saved!
Post a Comment