In my attempt to take a break from the long week that was Spring Break at work, I met up with my buddy Grant. I hadn't seen him in a while, and I felt that I needed his presence in my life again. He always has something new to say about everything, even if we always just talk about church and how much life sucks. It's always refreshing to be in communion with somebody who knows what you're going through; who knows what's happening in the world; who knows things.
Even though most people would claim that that's what a "personal relationship with Jesus" provides for you, but I don't think that's the case. I think people have created a new religion, beyond the historical Christianity. Almost like a post-God Christianity.
This was a bit of conversation that Grant and I were engaged in for a brief stint the other night. He is growing weary of church (again), and I haven't been to church in a long time. So, naturally, we talk about why the church sucks in our eyes, and it's because people worship the physical manifestation of God--Jesus--only!
Now, I'm not writing this to case some sort up uproar (or maybe I am), but historically God (the Judeo-Christian flavor) has been described in many ways: as a pantheon of gods, as spirit, as man, as all three stemming from the same substance but holding different properties. It's all there, in the Bible. There are different references to the same god, but then again, some would argue that it's not the same god. Whatever!
Later on, after everything was solidified--as to what was Christian, what wasn't, the order of the books so that the story they wanted to push made sense, and what books didn't make the cut because they didn't help their cause--there was arguments over the trinity. God in three persons! This caused some problems with people. Some claimed that the idea of the Trinity created a polytheistic religion--there were 3 gods!
Nonetheless, there were three pieces of the God puzzle that were debated and subsequently backed up in their propaganda machine. God the father; God the son; God the spirit.
Each piece of the puzzle, as described previously, had a different role to play. God the father was the "big cheese," God the son was the bridge between creation and the divine, and God the spirit was the comforter.
Up unto this part, Grant and I were in accordance with the traditions of the church. It makes sense, it's biblical for those who were keeping score at home, and it has played out in many forms over the centuries since decisions were made for us about God!
The question became, why is it that everything is Jesus-centric? What about the other parts of the trinity, what about God as the "big cheese?"
Yes, they are arguably all the same deity, but what seems to be happening is that people are only capable of relating to the physical manifestation of God--god became flesh so we can be friends--rather than allowing the spirit of God to do it's job; even though it all stems from the "Big Cheese," like it is written in the Gospel of John, the 14th chapter:
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”It would seem that, the same problem that Jesus foretold is going on today. The world cannot accept the spirit of God, because they don't see it or know it. We have to hold tight to the physical so we don't get lost! However, so much of the human experience is--arguably--"spiritual." Not in a jokey way, but on an emotional, mental, and other non-visceral manifestations of existence. We're missing that dimension of life when we are subjected to the visceral understanding of faith.
I want to live life by faith: believing in the unseen, the unheard, the unbelievable. I want to take steps that make no sense at all, but at the same time it feels right. I want to shake the visceral bindings that keep me grounded in logic. However, I can't!
My challenge to myself, and to those of you who have the same issue, is to live free. Follow the spirit of God that flows forth from the soul of God. It will lead you to the promised land--or at least into some pretty awesome stories to tell your grandkids (when you have them!).
Now, Grant and I also talked about other things pertaining to church--the need for community and spiritual challenge. However, those pieces aren't as interesting as Post-God Christian thought.
Let go of the physical and tap into the spiritual. You'll live longer--possibly forever!
Go with God and know that you are loved!
-Andy J. Graves
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