Christianity is not a smorgasbord. It's not a place to go and pick and choose like Ryan's. We don't bat an eye anymore when a couple divorces, and then marry others. Yet the Bible tells us it's a sin. Matthew 5:32 - But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. It actually tells us that in some variation no less than 7 times. And, how many of us eat shrimp or lobster or crab? I'm over here waving my hands like crazy cause I love me some shrimp. But you know what? The Bible doesn't. Nope. Leviticus 11:10 - But you must never eat animals from the sea or from rivers that do not have both fins and scales. They are detestable to you. This applies both to little creatures that live in shallow water and to all creatures that live in deep water. And who, from the South, doesn't love football? Leviticus 7-8 -… and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. 'You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you. Oh Lawd. I love me some Auburn football...and pork chops...and pork rinds.
Really, I could go on here, but my point here is this. Jesus commands us, as Christians, to do 7 things.
1) Repent, believe and receive the Holy Spirit (these three essentials for salvation go together; one cannot do any of them without the other two. For example, one cannot have heart-felt repentance without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, being born again of the Spirit.
2) Be baptized
3) Love (love God and neighbor in practical ways, forgiving enemies and showing mercy to the needy)
4) Break bread (Communion)
5) Pray (this includes all aspects of spiritual warfare)
6) Give (this includes all aspects of Christian stewardship)
7) Make disciples (this includes teaching the Word, shepherding and sending workers to neglected peoples)
Love. Love God. Love your neighbor. Not, love your neighbor as long as they live the way you want them to live. Just love.
And since we're here, it ain't making disciples if you're spewing hate. Just sayin'.
Now, this is only my opinion. And it's the way I choose to live as a Christian. Maybe it's not right, and if that's the case, I'll answer for it. And there are plenty of other things I'll be answering for on judgment day. But at least I'll know that I loved as best I could.
