Slamming the Kingdom Door: Evangelism gone bad.
Where’s the life?One of the major claims of Jesus was that he came to give humanity life and life to the full-- abundant life; life overflowing; life that comes through God and awakening to the kingdom of God within us. He came to allow us to be living organisms filled with God, or perhaps better stated, to recognize that we are living organisms filled with the Divine.
And yet, many who claim to follow him seem to be weighed down in fear, dread, and heavy burdens heaved on them by the rigors of religious life and church doctrines. The story of freedom, grace and love that has drawn folks to the feet of Jesus has often been translated by particular doctrines of the church into laws that people cannot bear; rules and regulations that oppress people and take life.
For Jesus, love gives life. It is love of God, self and others that Jesus encouraged and demonstrated by his life’s example. That is the greatest command. Love sums up the whole law.Too often love is blinded by religious laws. There’s talk about freedom and grace but many within the walls of the church seem to be blinded by the rules that one must adhere to or else run the risk of falling from this grace.
To think that parts of the church hasn’t taken the command of love and life and turned it into a law of death and fear is denial. Many religious leaders have rejected Jesus’ idea for life in God and settle for their brand of religion. I meet people every day who seem to love God and want to open their souls to the Spirit but are literally afraid that somehow they have made God angry.
There is this prevailing fear that keeps them in bondage to some human-made religious laws. And despite the talk of grace within the church, many have become modern day Pharisees who slam shut the door of the kingdom in others’ faces. Many go to great lengths to convert people to their brand of religion only to make some of these folks a child trapped in the hell of religion and law.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are."
It is hard to draw near to God when one is trapped in law and religion. Too many folks feel like children trapped in hell by their religion. As his followers we are not the gatekeepers of the kingdom. To think taht we are gatekeepers is to stand in opposition to Jesus' life and ministry like the religious authorities did.
The door to the “kingdom within” is not opened for some and closed for others who do not think, believe, follow and satisfy our religious laws. Jesus has kicked open the doors to the Kingdom of God and all people are invited in. That's Good News. Evangelsim is pointing toward God's open door and hold the door open for all to enter through.
He said I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father but through me. Jesus’ way was love. Jesus’ truth was love. Jesus’ life was love. That’s the way to God-- Jesus' way-- love, not law.
You have been set free, don’t allow yourself to become in bondage again with the yoke of slavery. Break free from the grip of religious authorities and run toward the open door. Jesus is there with his arms stretcheded-out wide to welcome you home.You are no longer slaves to the oppressive legalism of religion and church doctrines but have been set free and are now friends of Jesus.
Walk in your freedom and know that when you do, you walk with Jesus.
posted by New Life @ 9:16 AM
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