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Alan Creech
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re-post > 03-08-2002 > a new kind of guts sites & things i like
abbey of gethsemani faith communities christ the king blogs i read
aaron klinefelter
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April 16, 2009
> 10:24 AM
re-post > 06-03-2002 > the Christ follower I had this thought the other day after I started this re-post party - hmmm, when an artist/singer starts putting out "greatest hits," doesn't that mean they've sort of had it, that they're fading into the twilight of their careers? A little disturbing - maybe I should look at it - aaaw, never mind, have fun. In this post, you'll notice a running theme, connected to the previous one - Transformation. I would bet this is one of the top 3 underlying subjects I deal with in all my writing/thinking. "Christ follower" - OK, that's the cool new term for a "Christian." did you not know that yet? Oh, sorry - If you were formerly known as a "Christian," you are now to be referred to as a "Follower of Christ." Interesting. It sounds sort of "faddy" to me. I think I'm going to get in trouble now.... officially, right now. I understand where this is coming from I think. It seems that quite a number of "Christians" think that all there is to being whatever it is you call it, is to hit an altar and say the "sinner's prayer" in order to go to heaven, or, more likely in many cases, in order NOT to go to Haaayyuuullll! Apparently, those who came up with the new moniker are overly familiar with this variety of (insert name)s. Those who really don't think the rest of your life matters all that much, just as long as you "get saved" and go to heaven when you die. I said, apparently "they" are familiar with these people. I am not. I may have heard of some of these creatures (like Bigfoot), so they've got to be out there I guess. I actually think Bigfoot is out there so these freaky Christians just HAVE to be. I don't really know any of them though. I know (perhaps you can relate) mostly those who, yes, think they got saved to go to heaven (I'll give you that) but who are fixated on how they live their lives - on what they do and what they don't do - how much they pray - how many things they are "believing God for" on a daily basis - how much work they do for the church - how many other people they lead to faith in Christ per month, et cetera, et cetera. Basically, it's all about them, about how they act, what they do, and on and on. This is what I see. Maybe I'm just not running in the same circles. I agree, have taught, and believe that it is absolutely not the point of being a Christian to go to heaven. I think that is merely a by-product of being a person recreated in the image of Christ. As one with the Spirit of God in you, you just will be in the realm of God's Kingdom in that other dimension just as you are now in this physical life. It's not the goal. The goal is to be what God intended us to be in the first place - God-like beings. Not merely "human" beings - people with the eternal spiritual nature of God in us (as was breathed into us in the beginning). Obviously, then, this has all to do with being transformed fully into those kind of people, of living that out holistically. BUT, it is not merely a matter of imitation, of doing what Jesus did. Without that internal spiritual connection we are not able to do that. I guess I'm saying that I understand all the rethinking and redirection, etc. But in the midst of our pendulum swinging, can we not forget the inward, spiritual, metaphysical elements please. I think we can have both. I mean, we can talk of being "born" from above as well as "growing up" from above or in the spirit. We can talk of initially becoming an adopted member of the family as well as then growing up in and learning what it means to be a member of the family. We have moved into the new house, but don't know our way around yet, etc. I hope any of that made any sense. Labels: christian life, soteriology, spiritual formation 0 Comments:| permalink | e-mail me | 
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