Humility

I've been asked many times about how I could be so confident in the truth of Christianity. People will say, "You just believe that because you were raised in it; if you were raised Muslim, you would be just as hardcore believing in that."

First, I'd like to point out that I find it funny how many people assume that I am a steadfast image of the Christian faith- believing through thick and thin and unwaivering in my faith. Clearly, they don't know me very well.

But I don't think there is any one comment or statement that has bothered me more than this one. After all, it seems so true. Muslims raise Muslims; Christian raise Christians; and God only knows that no one would be Amish if they weren't raised that way. It's even easy to believe about yourself. Would I be Muslim if I was raised that way? Mormon? Jewish? Penecostal?

I was talking to a Mormon who accosted me while at the bus stop one day. I ended up asking him to tell me why he believed it. He mentioned he grew up in the church... well I could have guessed that. But then he said, "I had to make a choice to continue in the church, and it felt right and I knew it was what God wanted." Or something like that...

Me too, I thought. Me too. It seems like everyone gets these feelings from God. But God gives feelings for believing in the different things. So, we can draw conclusions. One, these religious feelings are God given and everyone gets them or 2) Someone just thinks they're doing what's right and they're really mistaken or 3) We all make this up in our minds and create the feelings ourselves.

Bothersome huh? If any question has shaken me to the core of my faith, it's this one. I want to know God... THE GOD... not just something I or someone else is making up. How can we ever be sure if we are such a product of our religious upbringing?

So I prayed about it. Over a long time. And shut down spiritually in some ways because this question bothered me deeply. And just a couple of days ago, the answer came- I don't know why or how, but it came.

We don't make decisions based on what's true. We don't make Theology based on what's true. And we don't pursue God based on what's true. It has never been about what is true and what is right. It's always been about our heart. How we see God has always been about our hearts and less about our minds.

And it is with the deepest of humility that we should seek him. With the smallest amount of pride, we will not see God clearly. I stand firmly on certain things the Bible says. But I want to be at the place in my life that I could believe in Islam if that is what God showed me seeking him. I want to be so open to what God says and so closed to what I want to believe that I am willing to do anything or go anywhere that takes me, no matter what it means. (Don't worry it isn't in Islam). I will always seek his face, and I pray that he take my heart and change it into what he wants it to be, so that my prideful inclinations, preconceptions, and beliefs will be gone. And I will know him better. And who cares what they say.

The Bible

I've come across something that's important for us to chew through. Over the past year, I've been exposed to numerous sects/denominations/divisions of Christianity. It is interesting to me how many deviate off course when emphasizing a particular part of the Bible more than the Bible itself emphasizes it.

A young college student was in a long distance relationship with his highschool girlfriend. One day he received a letter which read:

Joe,

I wish you were here. I wish I could see you right now. I just miss you a lot. Things have been going well here. I had lunch with some of my coworkers yesterday, and I really feel like I am settling in here. Oh, please don't hang out with Sarah anymore. I really feel uncomfortable when you do.

Joe proceeded to show the letter to three of his friends. One responded, "Why are you still here? She obviously wants to see you. You should catch the nearest train. That's what she wants"

Another-"She obviously is over you. She's just writing to tell you that she's settling in and she doesn't need you anymore. You should let her spend more time with her coworkers and stop interferring with her life."

And the last-"The most important thing is that you build trust. Don't hang out with Sarah. In fact, don't hang out with any girls. Don't even talk to them. I bet she would want you to transfer to an all guys school."

Joe simply started writing her a letter.

Some denominations emphasize God's judgement. They are often seen on street corners telling people they are going to hell and are so legalistic that no one can live up to the standards. On the other hand, love is often emphasized, so much so that good and evil are lost in the flood of "It doesn't matter what a person does, just love them." The church is emphasized; lost is God's heart for the sinner. And evangelism is emphasized while the life of the church and individual member falls apart.

It has been suprising to me how much your view on God can change. It is destructive taking principles, prophesies, and commands in the Bible farther than the Bible itself takes them.

1 Tim 6:3-5 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain