BETWEEN RELIGIOUS ROCKS AND LIFE'S HARD PLACES

Nelson Books

Contents

Acknowledgments..............................................................................xiiiIntroduction.................................................................................xvCHRISTIANITY.................................................................................1Is Christianity a religion?Those mean, nasty, hateful ChristiansAre Catholics Christians?When your adult children test your ChristianityIs becoming a better person the goal of Christianity?FORGIVENESS..................................................................................8Will God forgive my adultery?Forgiving racismMust we divulge all our sins to our spouse?Tolerating sinHow can I show love without condoning specific behavior?BURIAL OR CREMATION..........................................................................16Does the Bible condemn cremation?CHURCH.......................................................................................17When big churches become big businessIs church really necessary?Searching for a church"Buy the truth and sell it not"What does it mean to worship God?Help! My daughter is becoming a fundamentalist!Do my husband and I need to attend the same church?Is it okay to change churches?The micromanaging pastorFinding a spiritual address where you belongNo shirt, no shoes, no servicesRethinking churchFAITH........................................................................................41Will God bless me for making a financial vow?Will my doubts cause me to lose my faith?What is faith?What is "blind faith"?PROTESTS AND PLACARDS........................................................................46Should Christians boycott and protest?HEAVEN.......................................................................................48Going directly to heaven?Just how big is heaven?HELL.........................................................................................50If you don't accept Christ, will you go to hell?MARRIAGE.....................................................................................53Will God recognize my marriage without a license and ceremony?Does God allow divorce?Why was polygamy allowed in the Old Testament?Can a Catholic and a Southern Baptist find happiness together?Will God send me a spouse?PRAYER.......................................................................................60Is the "Sinner's Prayer" required for salvation?What is the point of prayer?MOVIES, BEER, AND ROCK 'N' ROLL..............................................................63Can Christians party?GRACE........................................................................................67Law or grace-a debateDoes God's grace mean we can get away with anything?How does a pastor preach to "perfect" people?Once saved, always saved?Are the Ten Commandments still relevant?After you're saved, do you need to be obedient?Doesn't the Bible say we will be rewarded for our works?WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SUFFERING?................................................................86God is doing nothing to protect innocent children!Does God care?EVANGELISM...................................................................................92Are Christians commanded to "win souls for Christ"?Must Christians "witness"?Is there one right way to "witness"?What happens to the unsaved when they die?GOD..........................................................................................101How can God "sit" on the right side of Himself?Why did Jesus have to suffer?How does the death of Jesus pay for our sins?Does the Trinity matter?Are God's choices limited by His knowledge of the future?TATTOOS......................................................................................107Do tattoos honor God?THE MORALITY OF WAR..........................................................................110Should Christians support war?SALVATION....................................................................................112Exactly when does a Christian become saved?Eternal suffering for the unsaved?Must I "work out" my own salvation?DO WE REALLY HAVE CHOICES?...................................................................119How free is our free will?Falling out of God's willHow does God lead us?PROSPERITY, WORD-FAITH, AND DELIVERANCE......................................................125What is the "Word-Faith" and "Prosperity Gospel" all about?My church believes in deliverance ministriesCULTS........................................................................................131Driving Miss MormonHaunted by cult guiltCHRISTIAN JARGON.............................................................................138Do I need to learn and use "Christian-ese"?BAPTISM......................................................................................141Infant baptism-not good enough?What if I die before I'm baptized?Isn't accepting Christ enough? Why be baptized?Baptism-is once enough?WEIRD RELIGIOUS STUFF IN THE NAME OF GOD.....................................................147What's this gold dust thing all about?More spiritually mature than you areTHE UNPARDONABLE SIN.........................................................................151I am not sure Jesus has forgiven me.HOMOSEXUALITY................................................................................154Homosexuality-when Christians sin againAlienated from other ChristiansIs homosexuality a sin or a sickness?HEALING......................................................................................159Praying for healingLEGALISM.....................................................................................162Just what do you mean by "legalism"?Breaking free from legalismA stepdaughter living in sinWho's in charge here?Authoritarianism-the real problem?BIBLE........................................................................................169Has the New Testament been paganized?Can a two-thousand-year-old book apply to a twenty-first-century Indian?Is there any significance to numbers used in the Bible?STAYING AWAY FROM "THE WORLD"................................................................174Should Christians avoid non-Christians?Shunning sinnersCan household items bring a curse?MENTAL ILLNESS...............................................................................179Are the mentally ill demon possessed?REINCARNATION................................................................................181Is reincarnation really such a wacky idea?TITHING AND GIVING...........................................................................183Is tithing a requirement for Christians?Didn't Jesus require tithing?Will God bless us in return for giving?END TIMES....................................................................................190What is the meaning of 666?Will everyone see Jesus when He returns?What will happen to Christians during the tribulation?What about the Rapture?Conclusion...................................................................................197

Chapter One

Q I've heard you use the word religion in a negative way. How do you define religion? What is the difference between Christian and Christian religion? Some application forms ask, "What is your religion?" What's a good answer?

A I make a critical distinction in the definition of the word religion. I define religion as any belief system or methodology that promises God's love and blessings in return for human effort and performance. This definition is a sub-definition of the commonly used definitions for religion, i.e., 1) serving and worshipping God; 2) commitment to or devotion to faith, as in attending church religiously; 3) institutionalized attitudes, beliefs, and regulations.

Under the generally accepted definitions in our society and culture, Christianity is a religion. However, when it comes to biblical Christianity, and the precise examples and teachings we are given in the New Testament, religion cannot apply to Christ-centered and grace-based faith. In fact, religion then becomes the very opposite of authentic Christianity.

The main difference between Christianity and religion is that all religion is based on human performance. Religion teaches that human deeds and compliance are necessary for humans to earn God's favor. Authentic Christianity teaches that God's favor is given to us on the basis of His goodness, not because of human goodness.

If a person asks about your religious preference for the purpose of demographics/reports/surveys, then they are not looking for, nor would they necessarily understand, the critically important nuance we are discussing. In such a case, I answer "Protestant"-for I am a Christian, and a Protestant Christian, as compared to the two other major divisions of Christianity: Eastern/Russian/Greek Orthodox or Roman Catholic.

In my case, "Protestant Christian" isn't a complete definition. I'm an irreligious Protestant Christian. I reject religion but embrace and believe in Jesus Christ. That distinction is important. In particular, I reject the rigidity of religious fundamentalism. My rejection of religion, as performance on our part which predisposes God to favor us, is based on the biblical teaching of God's amazing grace. Everything that's popularly believed to be a stereotype of Christianity and every organized church within Christendom is not necessarily an accurate reflection of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Those mean, nasty, hateful Christians ...

Q It seems that our society is becoming tolerant of most everything except Christianity. Why is this? Could it be that the love Christians are to show is offset by fire-and-brimstone preaching condemning to hell those who do not comply?

A Has Christianity been so marred by inaccurate representations of God that many have determined that Christians at large are bigots, fear-mongers, hateful, and nasty people? I heard of one survey that determined that the least desired potential next-door neighbor in the United States is a fundamentalist Christian. Some might say that's because many people don't want Christians next door making them feel guilty. Perhaps. But it's also true that most people can get by without a relentless diet of criticism and condemnation.

Has Christendom missed the primary emphasis of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Is the gospel really more about hell than it is about heaven? Is it more about doing stuff and following rules, regulations, and rituals-or is it more about God's love, mercy, and grace? If Jesus showed up today in our towns and cities, in our schools and courtrooms, in our cafes and malls, and yes, in our churches-would we recognize Him? Would He resemble what our churches have taught us? Would religion welcome Him? How closely would He echo the outspoken and reactive Christianity that is accepted as the norm by many?

Are Catholics Christians?

Q Is there a difference between a Christian and a Catholic?

A No, there isn't necessarily any difference between a Christian and a Catholic, or a Christian and a Lutheran, or a Christian and a Baptist. On the other hand, not all Catholics, Lutherans, or Baptists are Christians simply because of their membership in a specific denomination. Christianity is a personal relationship between God and humans, and no human organization has the exclusive right to represent God on earth.

Some doubt that there are any Christians at all in certain churches, and some Protestants typically have this view toward Catholics. This issue goes back to the Reformation, to Martin Luther, almost five hundred years ago.

For Protestants to write off all Catholics as non-Christians because the church to which they belong officially supports Maryology, prayers to saints, and other unbiblical practices is to dismiss the sovereignty and power of God. God has His people everywhere-and no one person, no one church, can encompass or identify all Christians. We can thank God for that, for if someone or some church could identify all Christians, and everyone else who was not a Christian (in fact, there are some sects and cults that make this claim), this insight would lead to a host of problems.

How sad that many Protestants doubt whether Catholics are Christians. Equally so, many Catholics doubt whether Protestants are Christians. Jesus said that Christians would be known by their love. Instead, it seems we're often known as rock throwers!

(Continues...)

Excerpted from BETWEEN RELIGIOUS ROCKS AND LIFE'S HARD PLACESby Greg Albrecht Copyright © 2007 by Greg Albrecht. Excerpted by permission.
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