Hello Christians

[Someday]

im not so much a preacher as a messenger of god. Like jesus

I'm nothing like Jesus. I wish I were something like Him, but I'm missing the mark big time. It is my goal for Christ in me to grow, to take over every cell of my being, like minerals that replace the cells in a piece of wood, slowly turning it into a rock. I would be as that petrified wood, but with Christ being the mineral that solidifies me. I'm nowhere near that point yet.

Blessings

[JM]

Originally Posted by Someday

Isn't this how we interact with everything in the world? When I was in Italy, I visited Naples and they called themselves Italian. They called the northern inhabitants of Italy German. When I was in Venice, I spoke to people who told me that people from Naples were Sicilian, not Italian. They all were Italian, yet none of them were.

Essentially, What I'm getting at is that people will always separate groups from within the larger group. I don't like it, but that's not going to change it alone. What is going to change it is open discussion. We have to allow for the fact that we are one Body, but each a different part. All parts do not have to agree completely, as long as they are not in opposition. The thigh need not be aware of the shoulder. But if a seemingly insignificant part of the human body is taken away, the whole body becomes less effective. So it is with the Body of Christ. If members work in opposition to one another, it is as if one leg goes one way and an arm goes another.
We need to not compare ourselves to others, we should use our different gifts, together, to share the good news of Jesus Christ, realizing the body of Christ is incomplete if we all are not involved and working together for the sake of Christ. This starts with dialogue, not accusation.

Blessings

Someday, I understand that in this world we use labels to distinguish, like in a grocery store, what we buy, but Faith is not a Grocery store, even though it has been presented in such a manner that would make people think it is.

Sadly, our use of LABELS has caused untold problems, confusion and unrealistic expectations which has had its own snowball effect.

Its not accusation to say that today the term " Christian " has been used, misused, misunderstood and misinterpreted to the point that quite frankly when someone tells me they are a Christian, or most people see the word " Christian " it means little to me or most as it brings up so many connotations that really are only defined by an individual based on their external teaching, current beliefs and world view.

Tell me something.. when you are a parent do you need to walk around telling people you are?

Its a bit like the fish sticker on the back of a car, if you have to use symbols and labels to distinguish yourself.. you probably arent what your trying to proclaim you are..

Personally I would rather let others try to label me, instead of labeling myself and placing unrealistic expectations on myself and unrealistic expectations in the minds of those who view me, as it will always be according to what they THINK is a Christian.

Not essentially what matters to God.