Eats with Sinners

In my journey to understand orthodoxy with a hint of relevance has led me to a textual-excavation. The consensus among most churches is, “if you believe in our doctrinal statements”, then you can join the community. To my discovery, this is distinctive theology denying any validity to freedom of thought or an open-mind.

Pealing back the layers in the texts, the early disciples wrote fundamentals not to discriminate or show prejudice. Rather, they were written for the listeners and readers alike to become aware of false teachers. Biblical tradition indicates that man’s attempt to organize rules and regulations is to be considered a Pharisee. No evidence suggests that statements were written for association. Why have churches distorted their doctrinal statements for membership?

The conflict lies between the scholarly elites and the people like me, who is a struggling disciple of Christ barely hanging on. What exists behind that interchange are two radically divergent ways of dealing with God, the church, and His people. If all people think alike, then who is really thinking? The freedom in Christ belongs to us. We have the God-given ability to relate to His text in different manners. All of that serves to vindicate the importance of people who are willing to challenge other people’s thinking. Sometimes systematic theology is not real. Constructing finite words to describe and define an infinite God is impossible sometimes.

I dream of a mosaic of people, no one perfect, gathered together in their opposing views glorying Christ Jesus. No judgments passed when a person walks away not agreeing with another’s belief. A collective place where brokenness happens due to conviction by the Holy Spirit, not because of someone mocking you for radical ideas. Where questions can be asked with a sense of dignity. I dream of a community full of people who do not know all the answers and those who have a compatible vision for the poor, widowed, and victims of society. In the scriptures, the Kingdom of God as lived by Jesus and his companions were opposed to dogmatic approaches to God, then why are we different? This is a baton I am willing to drop to better understand the life of Jesus and to become a church dominated by His presence.

Paid in Full