Im referring to church here. Yes that big four walled building (some with spires and a bell tower or a huge cross on the roof). Most people think that the church is in reference to the building structure. Most will think that church is the only place we go to pray and meet God. Some people would think God lives in the church besides in heaven. Most people think that Christians spend 2 hours on Sunday morning in church praying and listen to boring talks by the pastor. Most people think that Christians need a church building to worship God. Most people think that the church always gets donations. And the list goes on.
But i would like to clear the myth.....and the statements all above.......are all......inaccurate to popular belief.
The church is actually in reference to the people gathered to worship God. That is the church. The building just houses and shields us from the elements.
Church is not the only place Christians meet God. God is everywhere. Omnipresent. He doesnt not need to stay in a church building. In the Bible, God says that His Holy Spirit lives in us and we are His temple. He will be with us till the end of the age. Meaning, He is just right beside us wherever we go! We can talk/pray/sing/worship God anywhere anytime anyhow. If there isnt a proper church building so be it. God never said a church building must be built first before we can come to worship Him. He says to just worship Him with all our heart, soul and strength and to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
So the next time people ask what is a church, its the people, not the building.
19 September 2009
15 September 2009
The Naked Christian
Many still ask me what is the meaning of "Christian". Well basically it means a follower and believer of Jesus Christ, Son of God.
Many ask me what is "Christianity" all about? Well its basically all about God's relationship and love with the believers of Jesus Christ.
So as Christians, what actually is going on out there? What goes on in the church? What is the daily life of a Christian? Are Christians actually really holy people? Are they the more favoured? More smart? More rich? More poor? More conservative? More energetic? More nosy(kepoh)? More lame? More diverse?
It seems that the Christian is one of the most observed person, constantly under the spotlight. Makes you wonder why, doesn't it?
Many say that the Christian is a fake lying hypocrite. Many also say they are great people. And some say, they are just.......well........normal people with nothing significant. Again makes you wonder, who actually are the real Christians? The one that goes to church every Sunday with out fail? The one who reads the Bible and completes it round after round? The one who prays the hardest longest sweetest most profound prayers? The one who is the pastor of a church? The Pope?
Want to know? Bet you do.
I can tell all of you that Christians (including myself) are after all......... just humans. You know what humans are right? They breath, eat, sleep, play, etc. Thats us.
Humans arent perfect in every sense : No human has a perfectly symmetrical body shape, perfect teeth, perfect temperament, perfect psychology, perfect language, perfect speech etc you get the idea. Thats us.
Humans can break rules. Thats us.
Humans can think as if they are king. Thats us.
Humans can think like idiots. Thats us.
Humans mess up, BIG time. Thats us.
In conclusion, Christians are still humans. We arent perfect at all.
So are Christians holy? No. We arent
Are Christians always good hearted. No not always.
Are Christians immune from sin and temptation? Never
Are Christians the best role models. It really depends.
Are Christians creepy? They can be.
The myth that the more a Christian goes to church on Sunday, the more holy the more God loves him/her is totally busted. It is not the case. A Christian who prays longer louder may not be the best of the lot. A Christian who reads the Bible more is a committed Christian. Half of the story, he/she is just committed to reading.
The world tends to think Christians are clothed with all sorts of good stuff. Well im here to strip naked in front of you and let you all see the real true Christian.
I am not the best Christian i think there is out there. Im not the most committed in my church. I am not at all perfectly superly holy. I do have a load of negativity. And i do have a load of positivity. I havent even finished reading the whole bible if it is pleasing for you to know. I have sinned countless times. I havent done anything evil yet. Am i truly 100% focused on God everyday? No. Do i really pray with all my heart and soul? Not always. Have i cursed and swore? Sure i have. Am i lame? Indeed. Doubtful? At times. A jerk? Maybe, maybe not. Broken the law? Yes. Lied? Yes. Steal? Not yet. Immoral thoughts? Yeps. Judged others? Countable.
But amidst all of this, and speaking on behalf of every other Christian, not all these are God given or created.
If you want to argue God created humans , yes that is right. Did God give us a mind soul and spirit? Yes. He gave good values etc? Yes.
But He did not give or put in us all these negative bad values. God is good. Therefore impossible He will create these wrong values. These wrong values comes only from one source : Sin. And the first man, Adam, chose sin. So did Eve. So therefore, it is inherited into the human race that every human will have sin and the ability to sin. Proof? Kids lie when u didnt even teach them to lie. They instinctively know how to lie. Thats sin in them and us, Christians or non alike.
So is it our problem to deal with? Yes absolutely. Its our responsibility. By right. But do all Christians take this responsibility? No. Simply because we are human, once again, with different levels of thought. But is it an excuse? No.
It is wrong to generalize Christians as bad people just because some of them are rotten to the ground, but its also inaccurate to say all Christians are good because you met one really great Christian.
So will all Christians be able to manage and follow all that Jesus Christ has said? No. But are we trying to follow? Sure hell we are trying. Are all Christians close to God? No. But God is never far from them. The one reason Jesus came was because non of us are actually perfect. If God demanded a perfect person, a perfect Christian, to come to Him, none would ever qualify, because we are humans. What God looks really at is the real naked Christian inside, the heart.
Jesus came for the sinners, not for the perfect. A doctor is for the sick. A lawyer for the defenseless, a president for the leaderless, a lighthouse for the lost, a way for the undecided, a companion for the lonely, a love for the unloved. These are all a summary of that the lead roles Jesus takes to take care of us (the rest of the human population, Christian or not).
That is why, a naked Christian would rejoice no matter what the circumstances is and show really who he/she is inside.
Now, Christians arent that different from anyone else, are they?
Many ask me what is "Christianity" all about? Well its basically all about God's relationship and love with the believers of Jesus Christ.
So as Christians, what actually is going on out there? What goes on in the church? What is the daily life of a Christian? Are Christians actually really holy people? Are they the more favoured? More smart? More rich? More poor? More conservative? More energetic? More nosy(kepoh)? More lame? More diverse?
It seems that the Christian is one of the most observed person, constantly under the spotlight. Makes you wonder why, doesn't it?
Many say that the Christian is a fake lying hypocrite. Many also say they are great people. And some say, they are just.......well........normal people with nothing significant. Again makes you wonder, who actually are the real Christians? The one that goes to church every Sunday with out fail? The one who reads the Bible and completes it round after round? The one who prays the hardest longest sweetest most profound prayers? The one who is the pastor of a church? The Pope?
Want to know? Bet you do.
I can tell all of you that Christians (including myself) are after all......... just humans. You know what humans are right? They breath, eat, sleep, play, etc. Thats us.
Humans arent perfect in every sense : No human has a perfectly symmetrical body shape, perfect teeth, perfect temperament, perfect psychology, perfect language, perfect speech etc you get the idea. Thats us.
Humans can break rules. Thats us.
Humans can think as if they are king. Thats us.
Humans can think like idiots. Thats us.
Humans mess up, BIG time. Thats us.
In conclusion, Christians are still humans. We arent perfect at all.
So are Christians holy? No. We arent
Are Christians always good hearted. No not always.
Are Christians immune from sin and temptation? Never
Are Christians the best role models. It really depends.
Are Christians creepy? They can be.
The myth that the more a Christian goes to church on Sunday, the more holy the more God loves him/her is totally busted. It is not the case. A Christian who prays longer louder may not be the best of the lot. A Christian who reads the Bible more is a committed Christian. Half of the story, he/she is just committed to reading.
The world tends to think Christians are clothed with all sorts of good stuff. Well im here to strip naked in front of you and let you all see the real true Christian.
I am not the best Christian i think there is out there. Im not the most committed in my church. I am not at all perfectly superly holy. I do have a load of negativity. And i do have a load of positivity. I havent even finished reading the whole bible if it is pleasing for you to know. I have sinned countless times. I havent done anything evil yet. Am i truly 100% focused on God everyday? No. Do i really pray with all my heart and soul? Not always. Have i cursed and swore? Sure i have. Am i lame? Indeed. Doubtful? At times. A jerk? Maybe, maybe not. Broken the law? Yes. Lied? Yes. Steal? Not yet. Immoral thoughts? Yeps. Judged others? Countable.
But amidst all of this, and speaking on behalf of every other Christian, not all these are God given or created.
If you want to argue God created humans , yes that is right. Did God give us a mind soul and spirit? Yes. He gave good values etc? Yes.
But He did not give or put in us all these negative bad values. God is good. Therefore impossible He will create these wrong values. These wrong values comes only from one source : Sin. And the first man, Adam, chose sin. So did Eve. So therefore, it is inherited into the human race that every human will have sin and the ability to sin. Proof? Kids lie when u didnt even teach them to lie. They instinctively know how to lie. Thats sin in them and us, Christians or non alike.
So is it our problem to deal with? Yes absolutely. Its our responsibility. By right. But do all Christians take this responsibility? No. Simply because we are human, once again, with different levels of thought. But is it an excuse? No.
It is wrong to generalize Christians as bad people just because some of them are rotten to the ground, but its also inaccurate to say all Christians are good because you met one really great Christian.
So will all Christians be able to manage and follow all that Jesus Christ has said? No. But are we trying to follow? Sure hell we are trying. Are all Christians close to God? No. But God is never far from them. The one reason Jesus came was because non of us are actually perfect. If God demanded a perfect person, a perfect Christian, to come to Him, none would ever qualify, because we are humans. What God looks really at is the real naked Christian inside, the heart.
Jesus came for the sinners, not for the perfect. A doctor is for the sick. A lawyer for the defenseless, a president for the leaderless, a lighthouse for the lost, a way for the undecided, a companion for the lonely, a love for the unloved. These are all a summary of that the lead roles Jesus takes to take care of us (the rest of the human population, Christian or not).
That is why, a naked Christian would rejoice no matter what the circumstances is and show really who he/she is inside.
Now, Christians arent that different from anyone else, are they?
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