hmmnn

"Telling people that Christ died to forgive their sin can be hard to understand if people do not know which God you are talking about or understand the idea of sin." Bryant Myers: Walking with the Poor.

I get frustrated with Christians using churchspeak because I was once a non-Christian and could not understand the verbage. Grace, to me, was a prayer for dinner. Sin? Well, I didn't really have a concept of sin. Gospel? I really did not know what this word meant. And Kingdom or Kingdom of God was just as foreign.

Sharing with others has to include the idea of who God really IS. Words that are basic, even childlike, can promote understanding. Every concept should be explained, not given a word name. Every Christian word is so pregnant with meaning for us. When you've studied the Bible and heard preaching and teaching for years, it becomes a different language--a loved, shared language filled with joy and peace. The scriptures bring associations and connections into your spirit and soul that lift you to awareness of Our Great God.

But when you don't know Him, they are crazy words. Forgiveness is easy enough to understand, but non-Christians and even Christians now promote forgiveness as something beneficial to the forgiver! They've forgotten the point. They make it about themselves. No, forgiveness loves the other even when that other is unworthy of love--because we, too, have grieved God with our rebellion to Him, yet He has forgiven us through the sacrifice of Jesus.

What you do hear about is Love. God is love. "God loves you. You just need to know how much God loves you." But the great commission continues with, "Teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you." and then we know the greatest commandments are, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and Love your neighbor as yourself." But who is taught to obey?

If my children danced around all the time because they were so happy I loved them and they praised me for it--but they would not do a thing I said and they were mean to their sisters and brothers---what is that to me? It is not worth much. That kind of love is worthless. They would be enjoying the FEELING of loving me, but not loving me at all and not loving their siblings.

The commandments, Love God and Love Others, are to be taken seriously. Okay, so God loves you so much, then show your love for Him by obedience to Him and service to others.