I have not done much writing on this blog over the past few years. I lost my way. 

When I began this blog, I had a set of beliefs that I thought were correct. That was back in 2007. I was part of a non-denomination church, but when the Pastor started to interfere with the music ministry, I got discouraged and went to another church. Not because of the Pastor’s interference, but because I switched jobs and worked on Sundays.

I began attending a Messianic congregation on Friday nights and Saturday mornings. A Messianic congregation is …

“a modern syncretic religious movement that combines Christianity, most importantly, the belief that Jesus is the Jewish messiah, with elements of Judaism and Jewish tradition(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianic_Judaism).”

I enjoyed attending the congregation because I was able to learn more about the traditions of Judaism. I enjoyed the dancing, the fellowship, and the friendliness. However, the Pastor asked a man to leave on one occasion because he asked a question.

Over time, I found myself focused more on the laws of the old Moses. This congregation was very focused on the Old Testament. There is nothing wrong with that. However, I was becoming more discouraged in my life because of it. When we remain focused on the law instead of grace, we focus on sin. Over time this can become very stressful. In time, I became discouraged. I worried that I could lose my soul. When sin is the focus of your life, discouragement is inevitable.

Focusing on our faults results in even more faulty behavior. Everything becomes about behavior modification. When focused on God’s grace, we can live stress-free because it shifts our focus from ourselves to God. When this happens, life becomes more natural. Our relationships with God improve.

After attending the Messianic congregation, I moved to South Carolina. I did not immediately try to find a new church to attend. I did continue to explore grace. I focused on the teachings of the apostle Paul. I read, over and over, the letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians. 

There were also books by current authors like Rob Bell, C. Baxter Kruger, Bradley Jersak, and others. I learned different ways of interpreting scriptures and a more accurate picture of God.

I have realized that God IS love, and I understand He is not likely to act outside of his nature. And that means that we have severely misinterpreted so many scriptures in the bible. I believe Jesus is the ultimate expression of who God is. The book of Hebrews says about Jesus, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power (HEBREWS 1:3).”

From this and other places in scripture, I believe that Jesus Christ shows us a complete picture of who God is. Any scripture that contradicts the nature of God according to what Jesus has revealed warrants a closer look.

I have made many more discoveries, but I don’t feel qualified to try to share them. I will not even comment on my beliefs about hell and eternal punishment. Just NO!

One thing I do know, my life has changed. My confidence in God is high, and my faith is more firm than ever. I feel more secure in my relationship with God than ever, and I feel safe in the universe. Of course, I do not understand it all, but I am beginning to know God more than I ever have.

Anyway, I have nothing more to say, and I am not sure I could convey anything else. That being the case, I will stop here.

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