In the Beginning

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

In between these words hangs the mystery of God’s plan. We don’t really have a grasp on the magnitude of God’s plan, or God himself. If we did, we certainly would be very different people. It is my belief that we worship what we know. In other words, we worship as we know. The more we know of God, the bigger He becomes, and we worship a bigger God

Most discussions of God’s plan focuses on God’s plan for man. (God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life….) This can be a form of “Christian Humanism”, making man the focus of, and end of God’s creative program. Theologians have sought to explain and categorize what we know about God. Writers have wrestled with how to live a better, more fulfilling Christian life. The focus on ourselves has increased to the point where it seems that the God of the universe has taken a back seat. In short, we have lost the sense of awe of God.

However, I believe that God’s plan is much bigger than that. I am constantly amazed as I read the Bible. I am amazed at the intricacy of the narrative. I am amazed at the references to things not known to man at the time of its writing. I am in awe of the glimpses the Word of God gives into the unseen world. The Bible is as eloquent in what it doesn’t say as in what it does say. There are things that we will never know (Deut. 29:29). But have you ever wondered why things are the way they are? If only we had the missing pieces of the puzzle it would all make sense. “Now I know in part, but then I shall know fully” (1Cor. 13:12).

Most of us can recite the story of creation, Adam & Eve, the wily old serpent, and the fall of man from God’s good graces. The story of Noah is universally known, as is the story of Abraham, Joseph and Moses. We have all seen Charlton Heston part the Red Sea, and bring forth the Ten Commandments.

The story of Jesus Christ is no secret to any of us; we hear it every Christmas and Easter. If you are a Christian, or attend church with any regularity (that doesn’t make you a Christian, by the way), you have heard something of the second coming and the end times. Maybe you have even thought about what the church is really supposed to be.

But how does it all fit together? Most importantly, why must it happen the way it does? In my conversations with Christians and non-Christians alike, I have found that most people would really like to understand more; we have so many questions about God, life, and life in the hereafter. We all wonder why bad things happen to good people, my non-believing friends want to know why I believe that God would give us only one way to get to heaven.

The bottom line is that we wonder why. What is God’s plan? I ask, “why does God even have a plan”?

As so many would say, “I’m no theologian, but I’ll tell you what I think.” This is my attempt to do just that, to put into writing an organized discussion of the plan of God as I see it. I emphasize that this is what I think, as best as I can understand it. It is my hope that this journey together will help you to think through some of these ideas on your own to see where you agree or disagree.

We will attempt to look at the biggest picture possible, try to understand God’s plan and our place in it. We will try to stick to the scriptures as our narrative, venturing into philosophy from time to time to examine ideas relevant to our discussion.

So we will start at the beginning, at Genesis 1. But what is at the beginning?

A New Journey

Today we start a new journey. When I started this blog, I wanted to share my very personal journey in hopes that I could encourage others to be honest about their own relationship with Christ. What I have discovered both saddened me and challenged me.

Judging from the responses to my posts, in the comments, e-mails, and conversations, I believe that most of the readers did not understand that my vulnerability was not permission for them to instruct me. They misunderstood my deep reflection as weakness and lack of faith. I discovered that most are unwilling to honestly examine themselves, preferring a more comfortable brand of "Christianity" where there need not be introspection and reflection.

But mostly, I have been reminded that most people do not know what they believe, nor are they able to hold a cohesive or accurate theology, preferring to live with the cognitive dissonance of contradictory beliefs.

I have been challenged to change the course of this journey and use this forum to explore and construct for you, the reader, a cohesive explanation of God's plan and your place in it. We will explore and discuss points of understanding from the existence of God to the causes and responses to suffering. From the silence of God to hearing God's true voice. We will talk through biblical interpretations of scripture in light of our emerging understanding of God's over all purpose. And we will reiterate the immutable truths of the Gospel.

I will undoubtedly offend some and hopefully encourage others. I hope that I answer questions as much as I raise them. I am unafraid of offending, as I have so few readers anyway. I welcome comments and discussions. I will however moderate the comments to keep us on point and quite frankly, because this is my blog and therefore my opinion. I invite those who wish to learn to join this journey; do not use this blog as an opportunity to attempt to counsel me. If I use myself as an example it is merely to personalize and illustrate my point.

During this journey we will be blunt, open and straightforward, we will not hide behind a lexicon of vague spiritual sounding phrases. When I do use a word or phrase that is currently "en vogue", I will endeavor to unpack it and give it definition. Yes, all you post modernists, definition. Some have said that theology divides; I say that theology defines, opinions divide.

I encourage you to register your level of interest in our topics by commenting, or e-mailing me. If what you find in the ensuing dialogues is insightful to you, please pass it along and encourage others to join in. Most of all I hope that I open your eyes to the magnitude of Gods plan as revealed in His holy word. I hope that I open your mind to consider different ways to see things and that you will not shield yourself behind your preconceived ideas, dismissing me in condescension.

Follow me and I will instruct you in the things God has laid out for us to learn, take this journey with me and we will grow in maturity in Christ together.

What Are You Afraid Of?

Do you have sufficient reasons to believe in God? Or are you just afraid not to? How do you really know that God exists? What has He done for you lately? Are you comfortable with your Christianity?

Have you ever truly examined your faith, what you believe? If you are like most Christians I know, I highly doubt it. Most people believe because it makes them feel good. The average Christian cannot tell you what they really believe and why.
What does God demand of his followers? Do you do it? Think, people, think! This is not a game; this is for keeps. Either you believe rightly or you've wasted your life. In or out, what's it going to be?

If God doesn't exist, then you've missed many opportunities in life and you get no second chance. If He does exist, and you don't follow Him absolutely and do it right, then you've wasted eternity. If God exists, then He has a very narrow view of who gets to spend eternity with Him. Don't think that if he wouldn't spare his own Son from death, and He won't spare the Jews, just because He chose them first, don't think that you can just skate in!

If this sounds like a rant, it is! The more I watch Christians (myself especially), the angrier I get. We have been given the greatest gift of all eternity, but we piss on it! We treat it as though we get to dictate the terms of our salvation. Well, I've read the book, the only terms offered are complete surrender.

If you are not going to surrender all to Christ, give up this world for the next, live for the promise, become enemies of this world, why bother? You're just wasting your opportunity for the good life. Give up your "faith" and go have fun; eat, drink, and be merry! There's nothing after this. Focus on success, happiness, a sense of fulfillment, whatever it is that makes you happy. Or is this what you're doing now, and calling it Christianity?

Oh, and don't forget to say a little prayer for those lazy people who are unwilling to risk success. You know who I'm talking about, those people around the world who, for the sake of the Gospel, live in constant poverty and danger. Those who are murdered for their faith. If they would just believe in our brand of Christianity, they too could live in comfort and wealth, enjoying the riches that God owes us.

This is how I have lived, and I'm tired of it. But I am the most to be pitied, because I have seen the truth and I don't want it, because it's too hard to do it alone. Do I really believe, or am I just afraid not to? Am I more afraid to walk away from the possibility that God exists and live in the world completely, or to walk away from the world and live for God completely, even though I might be doing alone? What about you? It's time to make a decision.