Missing Christian Fundamentals?
Though not exclusive to Christianity, a decline in reliance
upon God, is often visible in the vast decay of society.
In so many cases throughout recorded history, there is a
direct correlation to these two ends, of time's pendulum's swinging.
Man is forever on this "Rise And Fall Of Nations"; which is why I also write and speak about my “R.A.F.O.N. Report”, but in this instance, I refer directly to society's depths and speed of government, spiritual, moral and societal decay, the farther its people move away from God.
I'm not attempting to cast holy prophecy, but for anyone to
deny the correlation and/or that it actually exists, is ludicrous.
As a historian, I can give countless examples of this, but
that shouldn’t be necessary, at least with those familiar with some extensive
world history, going back thousands of years.
This is all part of the "Rise and Fall of
Nations"; and like it, it witnesses levels of increase, and decline.
Most people never notice it, because most people don't
discuss even the possibility of it; let's not forget, we're all in Christian
efforts on social media, on the internet, and that's certainly not a majority
of the world's population.
I will not pretend to speak for others on
"obedience", but I certainly don't view this word as speaking of our
being perfect (as is typically understood) little robots that never goof up,
make mistakes, or even that we don't disobey on occasion, against our own best
interests.
I'm certainly not expecting people to be
"Holy-Holy-Holy", but God knows this world could certainly use a heck
of a lot more effort, on the greater part of the majority of mankind.
Many come into such conversations, and simply muddy the
waters!
It's difficult at best, to have specific topical
conversations, without people with other interests and even agendas, who have to interject, and
change the subject.
The fact that you're not allowed to even have such a
conversation in some places; and have it without the interruptions, hijacking,
then changing of subjects altogether, is a testament to itself.
Again: don't ever expect me to walk around with my religious
nose in the air, and act like I'm some
supreme example to follow, but the entire beginning to even having such
conversation, is by not allowing the interruptions, hijacking, then changing of
subjects altogether.
Politicians and their supporters could learn a lot from that
lesson as well.
I believe most Christians are fly-by-night, flash-in-the-pan
believers.
Many want the "Christian" name but that's
primarily for show and ego.
Many Christians are paper Christians.
Where do I believe the very baseline of Christianity is
off-center?
Outside of knowing this Jesus lived, Christianity has NO cohesive
fundamentals.
1st Corinthians 3:11 for other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Again, this is missing.
We each have ideas and suggestions on what is fundamental to
Christianity, but we likewise disagree with everyone, about the same.
If Christianity were a baseball diamond, you'd have 4 people
stuck between bases, no one on base, and nobody scoring.
Everybody's moving, but nobody's getting very far; and it
just continues.
World History knowledge is sadly lacking, and even more
importantly, Christian History is sadly lacking: especially in simply knowing
the words of Christ himself.
Read the entire Bible? Yes.
Study its many varied subjects? Yes.
Have debates and talk about all of it and discuss all of its
history? Yes.
Christians should know the words of Christ inside-out.
Not simply read them on occasion.
Discovering the history, backdrops, events, people, places
and times of the Old Testament, should be viewed as a lifetime endeavor; and
gives us a lot of insight into what all was predicted/prophesied to take place,
as well as recorded history itself.
Examining all scriptures outside Christ's words and
conversations in the New Testament, should likewise be something we read,
discuss, debate, etc...
But Christians need to get back to Christ, because Christ
not only defines Christianity, Christ is Christianity; the rest is supplemental
to that.
That is the foundation, and that is where Christians should
be able to reach a consensus on the missing fundamentals it should have; and
should only have, through the words and interactions of Jesus himself, while he
walked this earth.
Again, this consensus I note that is missing, is simply the
fundamentals.
We have our lifetimes to argue the rest.
We (Christians) spend entirely too much time, entertaining
the world, and being entertained by it.
We (Christians) spend entirely too much time, distracting
the world, and being distracted by it.
Another thing I believe cuts Christianity's reach, strength,
believability, credibility, and more:
For the moment, we'll not mention the outright fakes, frauds
and phony Christians.............
For the moment, we'll likewise not mention the new, young,
immature, baby-Christians, who want everyone to simply love each other, not
judge one-another, etc...
Any and every Christian that is not a fake, fraud or phony;
and who is not a new, young, immature, or baby Christian, needs to stop
judging, ridiculing and condemning those outside Christianity, more than they
judge those within Christianity; and contrary to those within
Myriads of Christians (and non believers) argue we're not supposed to judge each other, but this speaks highly to something
that is missing within Christianity, because scripture is clear we are to judge
one another, in word and deed.
“We shall know them by their fruit”; and fruit needs to be
inspected before eaten, digested and processed.
What we're NOT supposed to do is play God and act as if we ourselves
can proclaim salvation and damnation, upon each other, in a moment’s notice, as
if speaking for/as God himself.
All in Christ should see all outside of Christ, as outside
of Christ, but we have no magic crystal ball, so let those opinions remain the opinions
they are.
Our focus should be those who claim to be in Christ; and the
last thing a good majority of them want, are those missing fundamentals I keep
mentioning.
Like many of America's
greatest threats, we spend entirely too much time looking at, entertaining, and
distracting the world; and if we'd only turn our attention inward?
Not only would America fare better under this
philosophy, but to steal a line from Christ:
Clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may be
clean.