Defining Christianity
I've been on a long vacation from writing anything that would be deemed a 'rant' on modern Christianity, and in this time have tried my faith more than some would ever dare, even to the point of renouncing the title of Christian because in western culture it was defined for me by the money grubbing pastors and evangelists that pollute the airwaves, pulplits, and the minds of the innocent with their own agendas and beliefs. I for many months now have even attended synogogue, studied the Torah, celebrated the feasts and holidays of jewish people, began a more kosher diet - and even learned prayers in hebrew and wore a talit and kippah during services. I felt (and feel) that I have dug even further into the core of what it is God would desire in communion with His creation. Not cookie cutter drones spouting memorized verse, but passionate people who take His word literally. I would have 'joined the other side' as it were, becoming a jew...converting - if it weren't for that sticky subject matter that I believe that Jesus (Yahshua) is in fact the Messiah for God's people. (Orthodox Judaism does not recognize this as fact) Which as it turns out is a switch for me, as it wasn't that long ago I would have laughed at the idea in my own arrogance and ignorance.
But it occurred to me that the main problem people have with being born into western Christian culture is the huge lack of a definition of Christianity as a whole. I have the rare gift of being able to stand back from a 3rd party perspective and look inside while at the same time not losing my core belief, though I have deleted many parts of my belief system over the years to better serve a defined, refined, true vine kind of faith in the Messiah. Without testing and questioning our own beliefs, we will never know if they are right. Defining Christianity would seem like a difficult task, in that there are so many flavors and denominations, so many variables and so much difference in dogma and tradition. The point I've always made in my blog articles is that Christianity (specifically western Christianity) is made up of mostly opinions and not necessarily gospel. The core of faith is drowned under an ocean of tradition, largely pagan in origin. So to define Christianity for those who want to know if they are truly 'Christians', it boils down to this, no more - no less:
"Christian" means one who follows the instructions of the Christ (Christos in greek, Messiah in Hebrew) and lives according to those instructions best they can. Christianity's foundation is a belief in One God, a monotheistic belief (The Jews were the first monotheists) so we are an off-shoot of Judaism. 99.9% of all "Christian believers" are non-jew (by birth or otherwise), yet they read a book (zealously i might add) that from cover to cover was written by Jews, for Jews - which follows the jewish history of its people, its nation, the jewish prophets foretell the coming of a jewish Messiah, who we openly believe Jesus (Yahshua) is He, who was born in the line of David - A Jew. We take great pride in the fact that Jesus was crucified for our sins, a spotless lamb of sacrifice (jewish custom by the way) and on His cross "King of the Jews" was inscribed on a board for all to see. The sad part here, is modern westernized Christianity discounts the role of jews and often belittles it, and even says that the law of moses (The Torah) is no longer effective after Jesus came. How ignorant. Jesus himself said that none of the word or the law would pass away until all things are fulfilled. Many Christians now teach that the 'ten commandments' are done away, and there are only two remaining - "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength" - and "love your neighbor as yourself" in so doing you fulfill the whole of the law." Does this mean that they are done away with? DOES GOD CHANGE HIS MIND? You would be worthy of an angelic smack to the back of the head if you say yes. God's word does not change. As it was given to the Jew first, even then to us gentiles - we cannot do away with any of it.
So, Christian believers, we believe in the One God, who gave His word and law and instruction through His people the Jews, they carried on the traditions and belief all the way into modern times, and the rift of division came with a small sect of jews who saw something miraculous in a man from Nazareth, and the rest is history - and our future.
I've said it before - regardless of how you got here, you can't add anything to your faith to make it better than it already is. If there were no big churches, no fancy study bibles, no crosses on your walls, no bumperstickers, no denominations - if you believe, you'll still believe without all that stuff. God dwells with His appointed people. And you're one of His if you just believe.
Chris
But it occurred to me that the main problem people have with being born into western Christian culture is the huge lack of a definition of Christianity as a whole. I have the rare gift of being able to stand back from a 3rd party perspective and look inside while at the same time not losing my core belief, though I have deleted many parts of my belief system over the years to better serve a defined, refined, true vine kind of faith in the Messiah. Without testing and questioning our own beliefs, we will never know if they are right. Defining Christianity would seem like a difficult task, in that there are so many flavors and denominations, so many variables and so much difference in dogma and tradition. The point I've always made in my blog articles is that Christianity (specifically western Christianity) is made up of mostly opinions and not necessarily gospel. The core of faith is drowned under an ocean of tradition, largely pagan in origin. So to define Christianity for those who want to know if they are truly 'Christians', it boils down to this, no more - no less:
"Christian" means one who follows the instructions of the Christ (Christos in greek, Messiah in Hebrew) and lives according to those instructions best they can. Christianity's foundation is a belief in One God, a monotheistic belief (The Jews were the first monotheists) so we are an off-shoot of Judaism. 99.9% of all "Christian believers" are non-jew (by birth or otherwise), yet they read a book (zealously i might add) that from cover to cover was written by Jews, for Jews - which follows the jewish history of its people, its nation, the jewish prophets foretell the coming of a jewish Messiah, who we openly believe Jesus (Yahshua) is He, who was born in the line of David - A Jew. We take great pride in the fact that Jesus was crucified for our sins, a spotless lamb of sacrifice (jewish custom by the way) and on His cross "King of the Jews" was inscribed on a board for all to see. The sad part here, is modern westernized Christianity discounts the role of jews and often belittles it, and even says that the law of moses (The Torah) is no longer effective after Jesus came. How ignorant. Jesus himself said that none of the word or the law would pass away until all things are fulfilled. Many Christians now teach that the 'ten commandments' are done away, and there are only two remaining - "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength" - and "love your neighbor as yourself" in so doing you fulfill the whole of the law." Does this mean that they are done away with? DOES GOD CHANGE HIS MIND? You would be worthy of an angelic smack to the back of the head if you say yes. God's word does not change. As it was given to the Jew first, even then to us gentiles - we cannot do away with any of it.
So, Christian believers, we believe in the One God, who gave His word and law and instruction through His people the Jews, they carried on the traditions and belief all the way into modern times, and the rift of division came with a small sect of jews who saw something miraculous in a man from Nazareth, and the rest is history - and our future.
I've said it before - regardless of how you got here, you can't add anything to your faith to make it better than it already is. If there were no big churches, no fancy study bibles, no crosses on your walls, no bumperstickers, no denominations - if you believe, you'll still believe without all that stuff. God dwells with His appointed people. And you're one of His if you just believe.
Chris
posted by Chris at
10:00 PM
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