Nothing I write about is an original idea (total understatement). Sure they're my own thoughts, but they're only rabbit trails of books I've read, messages I've heard, movies I've sat through and songs I've listened to. None of us have any truly original ideas, especially as it pertains to Christianity. And if there were any "original ideas" claiming to be Christian, we should probably steer clear of them anyway (i.e. Mormanism, Jehovah's Witness, etc). However, although we're not creating any new ideas (and shouldn't be), I think the way in which we communicate these ideas should seek to be original and specific to the generation in which we live. Just like Paul communicated differently to the Greeks and Hebrews, highlighting very different things about the nature of Christ yet conveying the same core message, I think we have an obligation to communicate the message of Christ in a way that can be understood by our generation and culture; all without watering down or losing the effectiveness found in scripture. But therein lies the problem, because as our church culture becomes more and more "culture-like," the more ridiculous and far-reaching commands like "pursuing righteousness" and "putting our flesh to death" appears. This is even true regarding "staple" theological beliefs such as the existence of hell. It could be that in the pursuit to reach culture, we've lost our way regarding the things of Christ.
So the challenge to myself and you handful of readers is, how do we effectively communicate the nature of Christ to those both in and out of the church walls; all without watering down or straying from the original message? (i.e. "living in the Spirit," "narrow is the road," "taking up our cross daily," etc.) What does our own life need to look like in order to effectively communicate these things? How do we get past the "well you're just as sinful as me" mentality when trying to sharpen other believers? How do we keep from becoming Pharisaical and religious in our approach and appearance? (Comments are open so share your ideas).
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