I am currently studying the book of Revelation. I have gotten through chapter four out of twenty-two and a quarter of the way through the book I am using to help me along and I have been at this for a few months. Revelation is no joke. It can be easy to get caught up in understanding the symbolism and trying to decipher John's (the author) code. What I have found, however, is that while I can spew all the labels like pre-trib, post-trib, and mid-trib, at the end of the day, it really doesn't matter. What matters is understanding the overall concept of the book. Jesus is coming back and because of this, we have hope.
I recently read an article about the infamous Beth Moore. A Baptist preacher's wife had some issues with Beth's "claims." Mainly, she thought it presumptuous and wrong that Moore would speak of a time when she was enlightened by God; that she felt a nudging from God to do something. I come from a Baptist background. I started my faith journey in a non-denomination church but when Scott and I got engaged, we moved to a Baptist church. Baptists, like many church sects, have certain beliefs and "laws" that they hold dear.
I remember when we moved to Texas and were in search of a new home church. We landed at our current church and I immediately fell in love. There was only one problem: they believed in speaking in tongues. Let me add a little clarity: they believed in all spiritual gifts because they believed in the power of God. If God so desires to give you a gift in order to advance his kingdom, then so be it. This freaked me out in the beginning because Baptists (generally speaking) do not hold that all spiritual gifts are still relevant today. I battled with this for awhile until I realized that the power of God is much grander than the box I wanted to put him in. So, I let go of the tight grip I had on religion and chilled out a bit.
Back to Beth Moore. So, this woman felt Beth's entire ministry was a fraud because she talked about being moved by God in such a way that she went and talked to a gentleman about the Lord. I don't know about you, but if God wants to stir something in me to bring another to Christ, I am cool with that.
When I hear stories like the one about Beth Moore and as I study the differing views of Revelation, I can't help but ask myself a few questions:
What if it's less about understanding and trying to decode Scripture, and more about living out Jesus' mission?\
When does religion become an idol?
What would happen we dropped all our man-made laws, rules, regulations, and judgments in our churches and just lived out Jesus' ministry?
I do believe there is value in having different churches. People relate to different styles and ways of doing things. However, I also believe that all-too-often, we get more caught up in our religion, rules, and practices that we lose sight of our faith. And when we lose our faith, we lose Jesus.
When we start arguing for our laws instead of for Jesus, we lose our credibility thus losing souls. The Bible is difficult to decipher. I can attest to this as I am studying Revelation. But, what I am learning, is that it's not all about deciphering the code. Christianity is more about the love and hope of Jesus. Jesus trumps religion. Period.
We get in the way of Jesus. We like God to fit in our square box and he just doesn't reside there. When we play the religion card, we are no different than the pharisees Jesus condemned in the Gospel. When we stand before God, our religion is going to be the last thing on his mind. But, I can guarantee how we represented and treated his Son will be the first.
We need to drop the religious propaganda. We need to let go of our "rightness" in our debates about God. We need to stop talking for him for he speaks clearly for himself. This doesn't mean that we have full reign to manipulate Scripture because we let go of religion. Instead, we allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our understanding living out the organic mission of Jesus: love God and love others.
I wish we could drop our religious tendencies. The Church would have such a grand positive influence on the world if we could.
I will leave you with this about the Book of Revelation:
"Attempting a definitive position on the timing of the rapture is probably much ado about nothing. The book of Revelation begins and ends with a prophecy and a promise that Jesus will return (Rev. 1:7, 22:20), and the church's creeds (statements of belief) proclaim the fact that Jesus will return but don't attempt to set the time of his coming. Debating the precise time shouldn't be an occasion for contention or suspicion. Perhaps a pan-tribulation view is best-everything will pan out in the end!" Richard Wagner
Love & Blessings,
Meg
I recently read an article about the infamous Beth Moore. A Baptist preacher's wife had some issues with Beth's "claims." Mainly, she thought it presumptuous and wrong that Moore would speak of a time when she was enlightened by God; that she felt a nudging from God to do something. I come from a Baptist background. I started my faith journey in a non-denomination church but when Scott and I got engaged, we moved to a Baptist church. Baptists, like many church sects, have certain beliefs and "laws" that they hold dear.
I remember when we moved to Texas and were in search of a new home church. We landed at our current church and I immediately fell in love. There was only one problem: they believed in speaking in tongues. Let me add a little clarity: they believed in all spiritual gifts because they believed in the power of God. If God so desires to give you a gift in order to advance his kingdom, then so be it. This freaked me out in the beginning because Baptists (generally speaking) do not hold that all spiritual gifts are still relevant today. I battled with this for awhile until I realized that the power of God is much grander than the box I wanted to put him in. So, I let go of the tight grip I had on religion and chilled out a bit.
Back to Beth Moore. So, this woman felt Beth's entire ministry was a fraud because she talked about being moved by God in such a way that she went and talked to a gentleman about the Lord. I don't know about you, but if God wants to stir something in me to bring another to Christ, I am cool with that.
When I hear stories like the one about Beth Moore and as I study the differing views of Revelation, I can't help but ask myself a few questions:
What if it's less about understanding and trying to decode Scripture, and more about living out Jesus' mission?\
When does religion become an idol?
What would happen we dropped all our man-made laws, rules, regulations, and judgments in our churches and just lived out Jesus' ministry?
I do believe there is value in having different churches. People relate to different styles and ways of doing things. However, I also believe that all-too-often, we get more caught up in our religion, rules, and practices that we lose sight of our faith. And when we lose our faith, we lose Jesus.
When we start arguing for our laws instead of for Jesus, we lose our credibility thus losing souls. The Bible is difficult to decipher. I can attest to this as I am studying Revelation. But, what I am learning, is that it's not all about deciphering the code. Christianity is more about the love and hope of Jesus. Jesus trumps religion. Period.
We get in the way of Jesus. We like God to fit in our square box and he just doesn't reside there. When we play the religion card, we are no different than the pharisees Jesus condemned in the Gospel. When we stand before God, our religion is going to be the last thing on his mind. But, I can guarantee how we represented and treated his Son will be the first.
We need to drop the religious propaganda. We need to let go of our "rightness" in our debates about God. We need to stop talking for him for he speaks clearly for himself. This doesn't mean that we have full reign to manipulate Scripture because we let go of religion. Instead, we allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our understanding living out the organic mission of Jesus: love God and love others.
I wish we could drop our religious tendencies. The Church would have such a grand positive influence on the world if we could.
I will leave you with this about the Book of Revelation:
"Attempting a definitive position on the timing of the rapture is probably much ado about nothing. The book of Revelation begins and ends with a prophecy and a promise that Jesus will return (Rev. 1:7, 22:20), and the church's creeds (statements of belief) proclaim the fact that Jesus will return but don't attempt to set the time of his coming. Debating the precise time shouldn't be an occasion for contention or suspicion. Perhaps a pan-tribulation view is best-everything will pan out in the end!" Richard Wagner
Love & Blessings,
Meg
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