ok, since there is a lot of conversation on this topic on a previous post. i thought i would make a post about this and clarify a little what i read. a little background info...i made the comment to fran that i was re-reading The Shack and in it, a comment was made by Jesus. He said something like his life wasn't meant to be an example to follow. I said that we had a great conversation about this in our small group, i thought it meant that we don't have to try to be perfect.
so, a few clarification points and a few discussion points about this.
i know The Shack is fiction. fiction, by definition is; the class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration. (according to dictionary.com) so, would i base my theology, the study of my understanding of God, off of this book? no, not really. nor would i get worked up and say that the book is blasphemous! (a friend of ours said this about the book) i do think the book can be helpful in trying to portray God in a way that is different than most people think about Him. for us, it is a great conversation starter! it is a great way to open the scriptures and see if they really say that is how God is.
here is the quote i mentioned to fran.
"You mean," Mack quipped, "that i can't just ask, 'What would Jesus do?'"Jesus chuckled, "Good intentions, bad idea. Let me know how it works for you, if that's the way you choose to go." He paused and grew sober. "Seriously, my life was not meant to be an example to copy. Being my follower is not trying to 'be like Jesus', it means your independence is killed. I came to give you life, real life, my life. We will come and live our life inside you, so that you begin to see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, and touch with our hands, and think like we do. But we will never force that union on you. If you want to do your thing, have at it. Time is on our side."
Tara, I too have been taught that we ought to be holy just as Christ was holy and i thought that meant doing or NOT doing a bunch of stuff. it is 1 peter 1:15-16, it says... but just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "be holy, because i am holy." my question would be, what makes you holy? i have tried to be holy, and i fail really bad when i try to be holy. i usually end up more holier than thou, than i do holy. i think the conversation between mack and jesus portrays a clear direction with how to be holy.
check out these verses...
Colossians 3:12 ... Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. we are holy and dearly loved because he chose us! then we are able to do the list that follows. the list doesn't make us holy... 2 Timothy 1:9 .. who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, you will have to read all of that, there is goodness in that chapter!
now, if we were to try and live our life perfect...following the mantra, WWJD. we might end up feeling defeated when we fail. but, IF we understand that we can not be made any more holy than we already are... then the list becomes easier to accomplish. we dont have to accomplish it by ourselves. we realize that Jesus is inside of us, allowing us to see as they see, hear as they hear, act as they would act.
i first heard it from louie giglio, "the key to christianity isn't trying, the key to christianity is dying..."
does this change any of your thoughts? what do you think? are you a try-er or a die-er?
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