Credit

I often wonder if I am the only person in this world of six billion that obsesses over the future, the afterlife, and the choices I make now. Throughout the past few weeks, I have been borderline obsessive with thoughts about God, Christianity, and what has yet to be done. There aren't very many easy answers, at least ones we all can agree on, but even among these answers found in the Bible, which is "breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," (2 Timothy 3:16), we Christians can't agree on what they all exactly mean for our lives. Quite frankly, we never will resolve all of these differences. I believe that, however, as long as our theology is the same - belief in a triune God, belief that Christ came down to save us and is the only way to heaven, those being the biggest ones - Christians of all denominations will be saved. The outside issues that the church likes to obsess over, such as tattoos, pregnancy, and countless more stupid things that really don't factor into the faith of most people are the issues that Satan has used to divide us and push people away from Christ and the church. As Gandhi said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.". It saddens me when even today, among the small percentage of college Christians, that a few continue to harbor resentment and judgement on others for stupid such such as the aforementioned. God will be the final judge, and if those issues are really important to him, let him decide.

But on the title of this blog, I realized that among all of these theological babbles in my head and deep depressing thoughts, that ultimately it really doesn't matter what I do, because 1) I've already failed on my application for permanent residence in heaven, and 2) God will have his way with me one way or another, so why do I continue to fight and waste time against the inevitable? As Psalm 136 is dedicated to, "Praise the Lord! He is Good! His love never fails!" (Psalm 136). I also believe that it would take much more than one mess up in college to fall out of the faith. Seriously, I'm not downplaying my sinning, but my active conscious is perhaps one of the greatest gifts and greatest curses I have in my life. It helps keep me on the straight and narrow, but it also guilts me into worthlessness when I fall off that straight and narrow. After, thus beings the process of trying to atone for such sin and in the end, just falling deeper into more deep theological babble that really doesn't end anywhere helpful for my faith. God's got this; he's seen it all before and while I feel like I'm unique in a lot of the temptations I am facing, I surely am not. God has helped millions through similar struggles, so I really need to just stop worrying and let him take care of it. I also have to acknowledge that I will refuse his help sometimes and fall down again. No biggie; get back up, accept his help now and in the future, and know that Jesus paid the balance due for that sin. 

It's such a simplified version of what goes down in our Christian faith, but I honestly think it's the best and to the point. Jesus says that even those of small faith can "say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.'". This gives me a lot of hope for everyone. We all as Christians and humans encounter our relationship with God at different points in our life and consequentially at different levels of trust and intimacy. The great thing, though is that God is the non-variable; his commitment never changes, regardless of the meager circumstances in life that we use as justification for our errors. Just think about that, what that means, how comforting that is to know that God's always ready to take you back and help you, no matter from where you come. Again, it may be more simplified than some theologians like, but for those like me with the seemingly small mustard seed faith, it is everything.

Think not in a legalistic mindset, fellow Christians. Rules are important, but when we focus more on them than on Christ's love and commitment, we totally lose focus on everything important in Christianity. Try showing random love to strangers; it might just change to who you give the credit.

Jacob