[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Creation Spirituality
Dear Mr. Lature,
Thankyou for responding to my first E-mail so quickly. The answers to my
questions helped clear up much of the confusion I had over some of your
beliefs. I still disagree with you on the Scripture's reliability, but I am
with you 100% on the fact that we have to be careful of our interpretations
of the Scripture. It seems to me that there are probably many other points
on which we agree, but I would like to comment on two very important aspects
of your views. The first concerns your view on God, and the second, your
view on the version of Christianity we have today.
You wrote:
>Now I believe in a monotheistic God, but I also believe in how God is
>present in all of creation, since it is quite literally a part of God's
>actual self----part of God is in all.....and in a very unique way in
>humanity.
I agree with you that God is present in all of creation, but I think we have
to be careful not to cross the line and say that anything in this world is
actually part of God. The things of this world will pass away, but God is
eternal. Humanity has fallen and is imperfect, but God is in all ways
perfect. Imperfection cannot be part of perfection (by definition).
As for your view on today's christianity, you wrote:
>I do believe Christianity
>points me to THE truth. But I also do not believe that the brand of
>Christianity we have (this almost 21st Century, American, middle class
>version) is being all that true to the teachings of Jesus.
I think you have hit the nail on the head on what is wrong with many
American churches today, but I would not agree that all churches have this
problem, and I feel like the ones that are being true to the teachings of
Christ are the very ones you criticize: "Bible-Believing" churches.
It seems to me you have to compare what a church is teaching directly to the
teachings of Christ and his apostles. Paul warns us not to accept a
different gospel even if it comes from him or an Angel (Galatians 1:6-9).
So what is that Gospel? I Corinthians 15:1-4:
"Now brothers, I want to remind you of the Gospel I preached to you, which
you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this Gospel you are
saved if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have
believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you, as of first
importance: that Christ died for our sins according ot the Scriptures, that
He died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried that He
was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures"
I have attended churches in several states and most of them were
"Bible-believing" churches. And that was the very same Gospel that they
were teaching. How is that a "21st Century, American, middle class
version", when that version of the gospel came straight from the source and
is the same gospel preached on all continents in thousands of languages and
cultures. Pulpits, pews, and services that end in time for NFL football:
those are products of American culture. But those things are superficial,
what is being taught and accepted in American churches is the important
thing. What is important is Christ and His Gospel: the Good News that He
can save us from our sins.
The reason I wrote to you in the first place was because when I clicked on
"What is a Christian" I expected to find at least part of the Gospel, but
instead I found a lot of theological talk, but no meat. And so I challenge
and encourage you to make sure the gospel you are preaching is THE Gospel of
Christ.