Jonathots Daily Blog
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The summer is nearly upon us so it is time once again for conclaves, church camps, seminars and conferences, where the more religious of our populace will gather to consider the questions of the day which plague the faithful.
There is an “unsettling” in the religious system.
Yes, we have baffled Baptists, muddled Methodists, petrified Presbyterians, confused Catholics, puzzled Pentecostals, mystified mega-churches and leery Lutherans.
All of them are trying to separate the sheep from the goats, but are finding out that the real problem is separating the sheep from the sheep. For within our congregations we have those who are literal and those who are lateral.
The literal souls believe that even if the Good Book speaks only on a few occasions on a certain morality, that it is important to enforce it as church doctrine and apply it across the board, to all individuals.
The lateral believers contend that the most important parts of the Good Book need to be honored over obscure passages which hinder the execution of love and forgiveness.
So the literal people turn to the lateral people and say:
If you accept that the Good Book does not accept you as you are, I can accept, as you repent and gain acceptability.
The lateral contingency comes right back and replies:
Accept me as I am, even though your beliefs don’t accept what I do. Then I believe that because you accept me, that you are acceptable.
Most church leaders have found that this problem is insurmountable. They think their denomination will have to go one way or another, and that a schism is nearly inevitable.
So let me pose the question: is it righteous to speak against something we find morally wrong, or is it more righteous to support people as they are?
If you will allow me, I choose to ignore that question, and offer a third option to both literal and lateral. It’s quite simple.
1. Read the Gospel.
Preferably the Sermon on the Mount.
2. Let it settle.
Let’s be honest–none of us are immediately smart. We need time to absorb.
3. Talk about it.
As you chat, realize that for every point you make, the Good Book has an annoying way of offering a counter-opinion, just to keep things lively.
4. Leave people alone.
Yes, this is a Jesonian idea.Let the wheat and the tares grow together, because we aren’t good at separating the truth from fiction.
5. Love and live.
If you find yourself leading with a desire to love people instead of instructing, you will find that living is much easier for you in the long run.
6. Let the Spirit do the work.
That’s why we call it Holy.
So this is an option to avoid exploding the Kingdom of God because one group is literal and the other is lateral. It is not your decision.
Let the Spirit do the correcting and leading.
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