For many years I was so convinced that what I believed was right even though I was so wrong about so much. I was a well-trained, God-loving, Bible-reading, legalist whose views about the Christian life made perfect sense to me. I not only knew what I believed, I could prove it.
Ma and Pa Kettle show us in this funny old movie clip how we can be so sure that we're right and even believe we have proof for our positions. The only problem is that we still can be dead wrong and unless The Teacher shows us the error of our way, nobody else can ever convince us. Ever felt like you were sharing grace with Ma and Pa Kettle? :)
Thanks Steve
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the video; it shows how self-composed (compost) rightness always smells.
Here are a few thoughts that have no problem being questioned! Question the questions for certainty is only found in His faith!
I have found that when I thought I was right I really had no desire to examine others who saw things differently. Nobody could convince me! However it was the Spirit who convinced me that I should not judge others. I cannot believe how my own belief has changed over the years, yet at each stage so to speak, I was very sincere. When I gave up my right to be right, I saw Jesus in people.
So the reality is Jesus who is the author and finisher of my faith, not something that comes from me but which has completed reality in Him. I need to live from His faith for it is the only reality. The end of His faith is the salvation of my soul 1 Peter 1:9, so, that I may live from the faith of another and come to love others as He loves them. jg
So how do we ever KNOW that we aren't DEAD right now???? MY Baptist grandmother knew she was right, and my Catholic grandmother knew she was right and I knew confusion, fear, and was just plain tired, because I never got it right.
ReplyDeleteHeather, the most important thing we need to be "right" on is that we're trusting only in Jesus Christ and not in anything we do to make ourselves right with God. Having done that, there will be "family discussions and disagreements" like the ones you've seen in the church world. We KNOW we aren't DEAD because Jesus is Life and we have Him. While Christians may disagree about many things, none of us will disagree about that. Don't worry about our differences. Just look to Christ and He will guide you :)
ReplyDelete2 Cor. 16 & 17 says "So from now on we regard (or recognize) no one from a worldly point of view, according to the flesh. Even though we once knew Christ in this way, we now do so no longer."
ReplyDeleteEven as we are learning ourselves in a new way- our identity & union with Christ- we learn others in the same manner- they too have a true identity separate from their flesh, in their union with Christ. And as we learn this we can extend the same grace to them that we have received, and are allowing ourselves.