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Life Lessons

Through the years I have had either questions of my own or those of people with whom I've had conversations and found (what were for me) satisfactory answers. Or, at least , formulated some reasonings for those questions. In this page I'm placing, in no particular order, some of those questions followed by small essays.

Q. What about Christian hypocrisy, the discrepancy between the gospel of Jesus Christ and the behavior of some adherents?

There was a point in my Christian life when I was disturbed and despondent over the apparent proliferation of professed Christians who failed in living out the gospel. I asked God " Why, when You have presented your requirements, made plain your truth, given power to men to follow it, do so few (if any) obey you? Why are so many Christians seemingly powerless to come through on even small matters? And even myself? " I look back now and find similarities to Elijah's despondency in I Kings 19:14; the same trouble of heart. At this time a Keith Green album came out that contained the song "How Can They Live Without Jesus?" You know, sometimes a certain song, or poem, or experience of nature, will penetrate deep into the very heart of your being and touch something within you that changes your perceptions forever. This song carried that power for me.

How can they live without Jesus?
How can they live without God's love?
How can they feel so at home down here
when there's so much more up above?
Throwing away the things that matter,
they hold on to things that don't
The world has gone crazy
but soon maybe a lot more are going to know

For Maybe they don't understand it,
or maybe they just haven't heard;
Or maybe we're not doing all we should
living up to His Holy Word.
'Cause phonies have come and wrongs have been done,
even killing in Jesus' name.
And if you've been burned here's what I learned,
the Lord's not the one to blame
(bridge)

For He's just not religion with steeples and bells,
or a salesman who will sell you the things you just want to hear.
For His love was such that He suffered so much
to cause some of us just to follow, follow.

So many laughing at Jesus,
while the funniest thing that he's done
is love this whole stubborn rebellious world
while their hate for Him just goes on.
And love just like that will bring Him back
for the few He can call His friends.
The ones He's found true who've made it through,
enduring until the end.
The ones He's found true who've made it through,
enduring until the end.
~ Keith Green, How Can They Live Without Jesus?

It was the bridge portion, after the second verse, that spoke to me. It made me reflect on the faithfulness of Jesus, Himself. The absolute integrity of God, regardless of the inconsistancy and unconstancy of men; even the men who profess His Name.
People have misused and abused the name of Jesus. And what is the crime? That He loves them? So, I find He remains worthy, worthy of my allegiance and continued effort to follow in His footsteps. Footsteps of forgiveness, truth, and love. And no matter how often or far I deviate from those footsteps, they remain the trustworthy path to which I may return.