TEXANS, TRUCKS, FREEDOM AND SIN
I’ve done it! Have
you done it? Yep…and in about 2 seconds
you’re going to do it again. I’m going
to make a statement (because I am a free American) and you are going to judge
me. Ready?
I’m a Christian!
I’m a recovering sinner who has been married twice and I have had several relationships that did not result in marriage. I have lied, cursed, and have even stolen things in my early years. I have misrepresented myself and others. I have made mistakes, BAD mistakes. I continue to move forward, attempting to not do those things that are wrong, according to Scripture…those that are sins. The best part is, I’m forgiven!
I’m a recovering sinner who has been married twice and I have had several relationships that did not result in marriage. I have lied, cursed, and have even stolen things in my early years. I have misrepresented myself and others. I have made mistakes, BAD mistakes. I continue to move forward, attempting to not do those things that are wrong, according to Scripture…those that are sins. The best part is, I’m forgiven!
There it went! Did
you feel it? You’re probably making
assumptions about my beliefs, my agenda, my life, my attitude, ME.
Now, let me share with you some things that are buzzing and
my take on these things. If you have the
time, join me for a second (or twenty).
If not, pick a title and a section…Either way, I’m sharing because I’m
free.
CHRISTIANS and POSERS
What’s a Christian?
These are His people who believe in Jesus Christ…not just like “I
believe ice cream is cold” but “I believe in Christ so much that I attempt to
adhere to His infallible message of love, forgiveness, and peace. I believe He has died for all and His message
(the Truth) will set you free.” A REAL Christian follows Him. Christ did not say “Admire me.” He said “Follow me.” Christians should be using His example and
love EVERYONE, sharing Truth in love, and strive for integrity that only Christ
can model. From this point forward, when
I use the term “Christian” I am referring to REAL CHRISTIANS, not posers.
FREEDOM
I have a right to say that I am a Christian (without fear of
persecution) because of people like my grandfather, Burl Marvin Johnson (who fought
in World War II); my two spouses, who have both been to Iraq; my little sister,
who’s been to Iraq; my big sister, who’s been to Afghanistan; a second cousin
who has served; and a vast multitude of friends and acquaintances who have
served this country defending our freedom.
What does that mean? I AM
FREE. Also, and more importantly if the
Son makes you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36 NASB). But wait a minute…what’s the context? “The Truth Will Make You Free” is the name of
the passage from where I quote this (John 8:31-59). In the passage, Jesus
states that “everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin” and “The slave does
not remain in the house forever; the Son does remain forever, so if the Son
makes you free, you will be free indeed."
What does this mean for us today? We are free.
Whether you believe in Him or not, you are His and He is with you,
through all things. This is the
wonderful gift of Free Will: your choice to follow Him. Forcing your children to love you would not result
in real, genuine love. Do you agree with
that? While He knows some of the choices
we make are not good for us, He allows us to make those choices. When someone states that they believe the
Bible, they are free to do so. When
someone wants to state ANYthing they believe, true or not, they have a right to
do so. I support that right, just as my
grandfather would!
TRUCKS
It may seem as though Christians are “forcing their beliefs
on you” and I’ve seen the argument “if you don’t like my life and the way I
live it, don’t try to force your beliefs on me!” Here’s why it may seem that way: Christians believe
all humans were created by God. That means
that the manual for how to live our lives applies to all humans. That manual is the Bible, the one book that
has been handed down, generation after generation and is still more than 99.5%
accurate when compared to the original text. (If you want information on the
trustworthiness of the manuscripts, please ask, I have it!)
What does that mean for non-believers and for those who “believe”
but do not follow Christ?
If I see you standing in the street and a truck is coming …the
brakes are malfunctioning…I believe you are going to die or be seriously
injured. Should I keep to myself?
Scripture says that we are to LOVINGLY show each other the
error of our ways. Christians cannot
condone sin, but that does not mean they don’t love you. Perhaps you feel convicted in your heart by
some things that have been pointed out; perhaps you wish to argue your right to
commit that sin. You’re absolutely right…God
gave YOU free will too! You have a right
to respond, but do you see why Christians have informed you in the first place? Christians are not saying “I am perfect, act
like me!” They are instructed to show
each human the way.
MARRIAGE
What a beautiful way to say “I’m going to annoy you for the
rest of your life.” I’m just
kidding. You know, done right, marriage
can be a wonderful way to share this journey as we wait for what lies
ahead. Christians believe that we are not
simply having a spiritual experience, but in fact, we are spiritual beings,
having a physical experience. Christians
believe that we can choose to marry while here on Earth, but our human spouse
is the substitute or stand-in for the Bridegroom, in whom all our needs and
desires for love will be met. Therefore,
in Heaven, we will no longer be married to our human spouse. Each will find his or her heart so full that
we will have no need for a substitute once we’ve arrived Home for good.
What does that have to do with you? We realize that everyone should have equal
rights and be able to do anything legally that we are allowed to do AND we do
not wish to infringe upon your gift of Free Will. However, if the acts committed after you have
been legally joined are in direct opposition to the Word of God, most
Christians are simply in opposition to using the term “marriage” for such
things. The term was instituted of
God. Perhaps you may be offended that
sexual acts that you desire most are called sin, but the Bible cannot be taken
in bits and pieces. You either believe
the entire book or you do not. Yes, we
all sin. We are all sinners. However…
COULD YOU VOUCH FOR ME, PLEASE?
I’m going to sin today.
If you call it a sin and do not wish to participate in my sin, I’m going
to lobby for you to lose your job, pay a fine, go to jail, etc. You must declare that my sin is ok, I don’t
care what you believe! I’m going to
require that you stand in front of a congregation of my family and friends and
pretend that you agree with what I’m doing.
Isn’t it YOUR right to refuse to participate, simply because you believe
I am sinning and you cannot condone it without fear for your own salvation?
As a legally ordained minister, a celebrant, an officiant,
whatever you wish to call it…I have the right to refuse to marry ANYone regardless
of who they are or what they are doing.
I’ll go one farther than that! I
require that I meet with and spend time with the couple to be married to ensure
they know what they are getting into, that they’ve considered all the many
MAJOR issues that may arise during marriage.
If the couple is incompatible in ANY way, I will not marry them and I
will tell them the reason. Even
marriages between a Christian and a believer can be wrought with questions they’ve
never considered. Marriages between
those who are of opposing religions can be even more difficult. I do not marry couples who require the
officiant marry them with “no mention of God,” as this is His creation. If the Bridegroom is not invited, there is no
marriage. There are many who are legally
permitted to and will indeed marry any couple, simply because there’s money in
it, but my salvation is more valuable than anything or anyone to me.
TEXAS
I have seen so many people state that the Texas Governor,
Greg Abbot is a homophobic hater of those who oppose his beliefs. Many of the people stating such things haven’t
actually READ what he has done. He did
NOT decide that same sex marriage is banned in Texas. After the ruling, he simply said that no one
would be punished because due to their own beliefs, they did not marry same sex
couples. Gays and lesbians have been and are still being married in Texas.
HERE IT COMES, I CAN FEEL IT!
So, before I get out of bed tomorrow, I’m going to sin. I do
it every day, because I am still wrestling with the sins of the flesh! Instead of placing God first, thanking Him
that I even woke up, I’m going to be thinking of my physical needs: food, a
clear and unobstructed path to the powder room, the bills, what I’m going to
accomplish today… please don’t tell me that it’s ok for me to do that. Don’t pat me on the back and say that it’s ok
to ignore God. It’s not. If I do ignore Him, I have to answer for it,
without anyone being there to vouch for me.
“Oh, she was a good person..” “She was a loving person…” “She loved
animals…” “She was sincere…” Don’t help lead me down a path to my own
destruction. When I sin, POINT IT
OUT. Here, I’ll help you! I just came back from a week in Texas. While I was there, I began slipping back into
old habits. I overate, I cursed and I
even masked my beliefs to keep others from feeling uncomfortable. I am a sinner and you are too. We are all recovering sinners. Anyone who tells you they are perfect...they
are lying to you. Jesus was on this
earth and will be again. But until then,
NO one is perfect.
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