You didn’t hit a nerve, I just thought that one paragraph of yours was pretty disingenuous. I don’t know of any Christians who would be say that a mother has to stay with her abusive husband, or any believers who would get on a poor woman for lack of tithing. Either the church body you’re part of is incredibly twisted in its priorities, or you were just being hyperbolic for some reason.

Yes, many churches are self-serving. The prosperity gospel has caused great damage within the Church (though it appears that many of those crooked pastors are now getting their comeuppance via the IRS). And even some who don’t preach the prosperity gospel still live it in their own lives. Materialism is rampant within the Church, and I am not innocent either. While I disagree strongly with Shane Claiborne’s politics, his sacrificial living style is commendable and we could all learn a lot from it.

“First though, the Body needs to do a better job of taking care of itself.”

Yes, all of us need to take the position of Barnabus who sold his estate to help those in need within the Body. It was not Christian communism but a deep love and compassion for the saints in the Body. I will never understand how many pastors or even college presidents can live so grand when there are those within the Body who cannot even afford medical care.

What kind of church body are you part of that does that??? Either you’re using hyperbole or you need to get out more. I agree that our church has to take care of the poor much better, but don’t overstate your case. First though, the Body needs to do a better job of taking care of itself. The Church is primarily called to care for other members of the Body, THEN for those outside the Church. But in today’s world, the Church has lost most of its sense of community.

“Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.
Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.
Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.”

What we do to the least of these we do to Him. This is not for government to do but have we even done this in most of our churches or in our communities as Image Bearers? You know we have not. We have been too busy condemning a single mom for not wanting to submit to being beaten up anymore. We have refused to rebuke arrogant men. We tell the broke mom she is in sin for not tithing. Do you know of any poor single moms in your church who have no health insurance and worry themselves sick over it?

It is a fearful thing for the Lord to have to teach us compassion for each other. It is hard for those in privileged positions to understand these things. We are to live out our faith.

The secular world is doing what the church has refused to do because we love our big buildings and high salaries.

I had to go find this because it always cracks me up (and it is from a staunch liberal so I thought you would appreciate it).

“Capitalism tries for a delicate balance. It attempts to work things out so that everyone gets just enough stuff to keep them from getting violent and trying to take other people’s stuff.”

–George Carlin (RIP). Didn’t agree with a lot of what Mr. Carlin said, but some of his stuff was just plain funny.

I know what you’re saying. Which is the difference between…

(paraphrases here)

I saw so many awful Christians out there that it made me want to be a Buddhist

and

Seeing so many awful Christians makes me wonder if I’m cut out to be a good Christian.

See the difference?

I know that it’s not a situation of many paths up the mountain.

But, thanks for taking the time. I appreciate it.

The reason I asked if you were born again is because of a couple of things you said:

(#77)
“What I do know is that a bunch of professing Christians have said things that are making me question what it takes to be a good Christian, and if I am cut out to be one.”
&
“I am right now asking myself the same questions that I asked myself when I came just this close to bagging the whole Christianity thing a few years back and becoming a Buddhist.”

It comes across like you think Christianity is one equal choice out of many, when it is not a choice at all. We don’t choose to be born again. We obey the gospel by repenting and placing our faith in Christ and then God MAKES us born again.

Christianity isn’t one option out of many. It is the ONLY means God has given us by which we can be saved. All other religions say you must do something to earn salvation in some way or another.

Christianity is the only one that says “You can’t be good enough to earn salvation. Your sin is an infinite offense against an infinitely holy God. But I will save you on account of what my Son has done if you obey the gospel.”

It just sounded like you were going back to thinking about being a buddhist, which someone who is truly born again would never do. Hopefully, that’s not the case.

GrimeTime