The Guilty Gospel
Thursday, April 13 2006 @ 08:53 PM PDT
On my way home from work I came across a Christian radio station that was broadcasting a segment titled, "Renewing of the Mind," featuring a sermon. The preacher went on to say that the 21st century mind has discarded the notion of a final judgment and that our sins and guilt are "heaping up all around us" as we "stand in the awful sight of God." He went on to add that, "God does not love unconditionally and that His wrath is to be heeded for He will punish the sinner, so look out world for the clock is ticking closer to that Great Divine Tribunal!" Kind of makes you feel all warm and cozy on the inside doesn't it? By the time I reached home I was hyperventilating.
How on earth would anyone wish to serve a god who salivates at the thought of destroying those who disagree with Him? Did I feel compelled to fall at this deity's feet to unload my burdens after hearing such a message? No, as a matter-of-fact, if I didn't know any better I'd be high-tailing it to find a place I could hide like the nearest bar to numb my guilt-soaked soul. Then my thoughts turned to the poor preacher giving the sermon and what a load he must be packing as the mouthpiece of such horrible news. Lamentations 3:28-33 says, "When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter in silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions. Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. If He works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way."
When planet earth saw Jesus Christ walk the walk - it held its breath for there has been a rumor going around that God really is not as loving as He'd like all to believe. In fact, the rumor became so wretched that at one point, the human race believed that God was a liar and bent on stripping all creatures of their liberties. So God came to set the record straight for, "Stomping down hard on luckless prisoners, refusing justice to victims in the court of the most High God, tampering with evidence--the Master does not approve of such things." Lamentations 3:34-36. The entire universe in fact, sat in awe as it watched God shroud Himself in humanity to demonstrate His Divinity. Jesus showed in plain view how love operates and by the way - it isn't by force, deception or cunning sophistry. He set the captive free and stuck around to wash the feet of the perpetrators who sought to murder Him. And why did He do this? To show us that while we were still sinners - ignorant of our folly - Truth is the key to freedom and Love is its keeper.
How on earth would anyone wish to serve a god who salivates at the thought of destroying those who disagree with Him? Did I feel compelled to fall at this deity's feet to unload my burdens after hearing such a message? No, as a matter-of-fact, if I didn't know any better I'd be high-tailing it to find a place I could hide like the nearest bar to numb my guilt-soaked soul. Then my thoughts turned to the poor preacher giving the sermon and what a load he must be packing as the mouthpiece of such horrible news. Lamentations 3:28-33 says, "When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter in silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions. Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. If He works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way."
When planet earth saw Jesus Christ walk the walk - it held its breath for there has been a rumor going around that God really is not as loving as He'd like all to believe. In fact, the rumor became so wretched that at one point, the human race believed that God was a liar and bent on stripping all creatures of their liberties. So God came to set the record straight for, "Stomping down hard on luckless prisoners, refusing justice to victims in the court of the most High God, tampering with evidence--the Master does not approve of such things." Lamentations 3:34-36. The entire universe in fact, sat in awe as it watched God shroud Himself in humanity to demonstrate His Divinity. Jesus showed in plain view how love operates and by the way - it isn't by force, deception or cunning sophistry. He set the captive free and stuck around to wash the feet of the perpetrators who sought to murder Him. And why did He do this? To show us that while we were still sinners - ignorant of our folly - Truth is the key to freedom and Love is its keeper.
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