“Our Daily Bread” http://odb.org/
The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie http://www.harvest.org/devotional
Written by Gabrielle Guthrie for “See, there’s this thing called biology…~insanitybytes” @ https://insanitybytes2.wordpress.com/
Original post found @ https://insanitybytes2.wordpress.com/2022/11/15/blessed-insurance/
Blessed Insurance?
15TuesdayNov 2022
Posted by insanitybytes22 in Uncategorized
Tags churchianity, culture, faith, humor, opinion, rants
I really enjoy the hymn, “Blessed Assurance,” This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long…..
There are currently debates and kerfuffles, and probably some street brawls coming, over the theme of assurance in salvation. The thing is, people don’t seem to really want “assurance,” they want “insurance,” some sort of premium they can pay of good works and vast moral superiority, just in case anything goes awry.
Also, we’re often hoping to keep all the other undesirables out. You know, “those people,” who obviously aren’t saved since they don’t act and think precisely like we think they should.
Church Curmudgeon recently quipped on Twitter, “It would be most helpful for our assurance of salvation if God gave us a second bellybutton when we’re born again.” Made me laugh! We shall file that one somewhere under, “Christian navel-gazing.” It would be lovely to just peek under your shirt and go, whew! yep, still have a second belly button.
I’m telling you, if you wish to grow more in faith, you might be better off following the comedians for profound religious insights and just avoiding the alleged theologians entirely.
On a more serious note, there are some really rotten teachings floating around and some rather dreadful Christian social media influencers promoting a slew of wrong-headed things. This has probably been going on for thousands of years and has well-documented, historical precedent within churchianity, I was just blessed to never have them all in my news feed at once.
What do I mean by “rotten teachings?” Some really works-based, rule-following, authoritarian stuff that has far more to do with attempting to manipulate and control human behavior, than it does with telling people about Jesus or sharing the good news. There is nothing wrong with good works, but who is defining what is “good” and “who” is it you should be working for? Heck, there are even people on the internet trying to sell the false idea that you must vote a certain way or you can’t be saved.
That’s not the half of it, but I’ll spare you the more grizzly details…
When I was a child I bravely confessed to some girls that I was a Christian and they promptly announced, “you can’t possibly be, you’re wearing red shoes.” That’s somewhat comical today, but at the time it really messed with my head and caused some major scars. Did I give up wearing red shoes and mend my vile ways? I did not. I am now past the half-century mark and I plan to walk into heaven swinging those shoes because they are now a trophy that symbolizes the faithfulness of Jesus. He has never left me nor forsaken me, and certainly not over having worn the “wrong” color shoes.
Three cheers for some lovely pastors and several Godly men who have been standing strong and calling people out for this works-based, obedience, and compliance rubbish. It’s an abomination, one that just causes immeasurable harm. It’s also really bad theology. You can go across denominations and research various historical councils and creeds, and although they are diverse and varied, not a single one of them is going to support the notion that people can be saved by their own good behavior, their own efforts, their own obedience, their own compliance. That’s like, me, me, me. It’s all about me.
In the Bible in Acts 16:31 in answer to the question, “what must I do to be saved” it says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” That’s it. That’s the entirety of it. No fine print at all. No hidden requirements. And so naturally Christian people have been fighting about the awkward simplicity of it ever since….
Notice there is absolutely nothing in there about not wearing yoga pants, avoiding tattoos, voting right, not smoking, having a clean past, being obedient, belonging to the proper denomination, quoting all the right creeds, doing good works, wearing the right shoes, or even being kind to others…..
Now, there certainly ARE numerous things one can do to from salvation on out to reflect the grace, the gift, the inheritance we’ve been given, and to live out one’s faith, to level up one’s relationship and gain greater intimacy, to enjoy more of life and life abundant, but nope, a free gift is a free gift and not a conditional one.
There is also no such thing as “salvation insurance.” We aren’t guaranteed anything and it is deliberately not within our control. Somebody smart once said, “if our salvation was in our own hands we’d probably lose it.”
Telling people they must comply with some weird, extra Biblical, pharisaical nonsense is a hallmark of wannabe tyrants with big egos and a little god complex.
I’m vehemently allergic to those kind of people.
When we have need of assurance, we turn to God, ask Him for “re-assurance.” As for “works,” a relationship with Jesus is much like being a married couple, when we spend 40 years with someone, we can begin to complete each other’s sentences, we can anticipate each other’s needs. You even start to resemble one another in your mannerisms, behaviors, and interests. Spending time with Jesus is kind of like that, too. “My sheep know my voice.” We become who we hang out with, we are what we eat, we reflect Who has been poured into us.
*********************************************
P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !! If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ?? Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… https://godsmanforever.com
To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…
You say you are a “born again” believer… BUT is your soul “ON FIRE” for the Lord ?? If not, open this link – https://godsmanforever.com/2020/08/01/are-you-a-christian-in-gods-eyes-and-on-fire-for-the-lord-or-not/
God's group 