One to Inflame Passions.....
Doug Giles says, "A Christian can be a Christian or a Liberal, but not both."
One to Offer Hope.....
Hal Lindsey says, Buckle you chin-straps. It's T-Minus "even at the door," and counting."
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Hal Lindsey: He was wrong in the '70s with The LGPE and he's just lurchin' along now, makin' a living.
No offense intended. Just don't think either of them have much insight. So sayeth the priesthood of this believer.
I actually think he does have some measure of insight. As to how much, well, we could argue about it, but why bother? There are more important things we both could be doing. As brothers in Christ we should be working together, right?
I also found your own bit of insight to be quite intriguing...
"And it's idolatry, in my view, to expect the Bible, as we know it today, to be anything other than a guide..."
To worship a bible more than God... well, that seems to fit the definition of idolatry, but I do think the bible is more than a mere guide. The very word, "guide" isn't strong enough to describe what the scriptures are to the believer. Without the Bible no Christian today could know, with any certainty, that they are indeed children of the Most High God. Nor would they know for certain who it was that ransomed their souls, and gave them everlasting life. Remember, 2 Timothy 2:15 says, "study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
As to bureaucracy... this is exactly why I'm finding it difficult to feel welcome in church. It seems too ritualistic. Nothing is spontaneous. Everything appears to be only for appearances sake. I don't own a suit, and refuse to waste money on one... but without one I'm neither taken seriously, or acceptable. At least, I'm not made to feel that way.
Well, faith comes by *hearing* not reading! My relationship with God started at the end of a *sermon* that I'd heard, not words I'd read. For hundreds of years, believers found Christ despite their illiteracy!
I love the Bible. But the Bible didn't *save* me. It was the Spirit of God riding on the testimony of another who did -- a preacher in my case, but another, nonetheless.
I am absolutely certain that you wouldn't like, approve or even consider the church I go to Christian, so I won't recommend the denomination.
I do think it's crucial to have regular fellowship with other believers -- and I say that six months into my return to regular churchgoing after several years of *not* going.
Based on what you said, I think you should consider the Salvation Army. It's a church, as well as a charity -- and talk about putting feet to the faith!
Or, if there is a homeless ministry where you live, there probably are a few people who make up a church at the core of it. Check it out.
(Didn't say Hal Lindsey didn't have insight, and I ate those books up when I was in high school and wearing "Yosemite Sam "Turn or Burn" T-shirts and all that crap; I just don't *care* about *end times* any more. Today is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it!)
"Faith cometh by hearing..."
but lest we forget,
"...and hearing by the word of God."
And the fact is, there were no copies outside of monasteries for hunfredsa and hundreds of years -- and I'm not ready to cast medieval believers into hell for their illiteracy. :-)
Find a church that is not afraid to call sin what it is. Find a church that is morally soound. Find a church that holds the Bible as its standard of authority.
Been there, done that.
Better: Find one with members who put the highest value on living the Christian life, which boils down to:
Love God, love your neighbor (friend, stranger, enemy, compadre, competitor, peer, terrorist, ally) as yourself, love yourself with the confidence that comes from knowing that God's love for us is immeasurable and irrepressible -- and leave "original sin" and that guilt in the smoldering trash heap at the edge of town (hell), where it belongs!
It's a pretty simple faith, but extremely hard to live in practice, which is why there's grace.