The Problem of Religion

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What should we believe? (And in believing, what practices/traditions/rules should we follow?) This is the key question that has led to every single schism and ism in the history of Churchianity.

I was once told that now, being free of the Law of Sin and Death we are brought under the Law of the Spirit.

This suggests that, as Christians, we have been freed from the old law and put under a new law, which leads us to life instead of being a schoolmaster that teaches us of our sin and leads us to death.

A great deal of time is spent in the New Testament rebuking this idea, (See Galations. Any/all of it.) So what is the alternative? If we, being under grace, are free of the law, are we not called to do or be anything specific? To follow SOME rules?

No. We aren’t.

In fact, everything is permissible for us. EVERYTHING. (oh the mischief I could get up to…)

What is Christianity without Christ? …Nothing. …Oh.

We are not specifically called to do or be anything as Christians. We are NOT called to follow a particular creed or set of rules. Everything IS permissible to us…

But who is us?

Isn’t everything permissible for me if I just decide it’s so? Short of another human being stopping me, what consequence is there? (And wouldn’t that same human being, usually with a badge and a gun stop a Christian or an anarchist-hedonist-atheist just as quickly?)

So now, what difference is there between a Christian and an anarchist-hedonist-atheist?

The answer is simple.

Christ.

Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life.

Do you love Christ?

Given the choice between doing ANYTHING YOU WANT and doing what He wants, which will you choose?

Everything is permissible for us, because we are trusted, beloved of Him.

We are not called to live under the law. We are called to follow the Lord, He who fulfilled the law and assures us that not one jot or tittle of it will pass away until the end of the world.

Do not follow the law. Follow the Life.

We are told that everything is permissible for us (and it IS true) as an encouragement not to be afraid, or ashamed, or accusatory, or judgmental, or divisive….the list goes on.

Fellowship with all brothers and sisters. Do not let meaningless nonsense separate you from each other. Do not let ANYTHING separate you from each other.

This was never a call to agree on everything (or be libertine, for that matter). Disagree, argue, learn, grow, live. Do it ALL in fellowship and unity in Christ.

THIS is our commandment.

Modern Apocrypha

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Christian [kris-chuh n] noun
A person who believes in the teachings of Jesus Christ

We live in a lukewarm society. Taking an extreme view on life, the world or nearly anything is frowned upon in “western” society.

How do I measure this? Simple:

Is there anything that YOU would be willing to die for? …NOT hypothetically. Right now, this minute, if you were demanded to live or die to save SOMETHING or SOMEONE, could you? (No evasions. Be honest with yourself.)
I imagine most people give an answer here that involves some sort of selflessness. There is usually SOMEONE that we would be willing to die for, especially if we have a family.

The real question is this:

What would YOU be willing to live EVERY moment of EVERY day of the rest of your LIFE in service to and support of?

Are you being honest with yourself?

More than 90 percent of our society just opted out entirely. Somewhere around 90 percent of supposed CHRISTIANS either lied to themselves or admitted that they aren’t Christians.

I don’t blame them. That is a really radical commitment.

Christian [kris-chuh n] noun
A person who strives to give everything he has and everything he is on a continuing basis in the service of Christ to the glory of God.

What does it mean, really?

First, it means giving up everything that you own.
Next, you must give up everything you believe in.
Finally, surrender everything you value about yourself.
Do this in service of a person who you have never seen or touched.

In the minds of nearly all of society, you must truly be a lunatic, to do such a thing.

I certainly am.

Modern Apocrypha

From Wikipedia: All King James Bibles published before 1666 included the Apocrypha, though separately to denote them as not equal to Scripture proper, as noted by Jerome in the Vulgate, to which he gave the name, “The Apocrypha.”

Our society has forgotten what it means to follow the Christ. Individual Christians flounder along through the morass of modern churchianity. The bright lights of truth seekers are barely visible in the dim twilight of a post-Judeo-Christan society.

The darkness is coming.

All I can hope is to share with you the light that I have seen.

This is Modern Apocrypha.

Rededication

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I was recently told by a friend that he felt God had a message for me, namely that I was tending toward the way of the wicked servant in the parable of the talents. (I’ll not print the full text, but it’s at Matthew 25:14-30 for those who wish to reacquaint themselves with it.)

After some self-examination, I find that there is some truth in that estimation. I have not been using the gifts that God gave me as fully as I ought.

As a part of my attempt to right that wrong, I’ve decided that this work, Modern Apocrypha, which I originally started at an unrelated domain and temporarily lost access to when the domain lapsed, must be continued.

Due to the generosity of a new friend, I can continue the blog at its rightful URL.

My hope is, as ever, to share the truths that I have been brought to know in my own life that others might benefit from whatever good is there.

I will be re-assessing and editing previous posts (for clarity, mostly) and rewriting the How, What, and Who sections. As this is currently my best method of sharing the truth, I will also make a habit of adding to it more consistently from now on until and unless I feel God moving me in another direction.

I hope that you (my readers of the future, whoever you might be) find something of value here.