ARE YOU PLAYING CHURCH OR ARE YOU A CHRISTAN

Please bear with me as I'm not a writer and this is the first real post I've written.  I write a lot but never felt it worthy to be published, even on my own blog.  I use others words, with their permission, of course.  However, someone posted the following picture on one of my Google communities and it got me to thinking and brought to mind some things that people have said to me since I surrendered my life to Christ.

I do take my beliefs seriously.  I'm not much fun to be around to most people.  I don't go to church anywhere yet but plan to soon as I my situation changes and I'm able to get there.  The reason I don't go to a building, besides the fact of not having a ride, is because to date, the only ones I've found either teach a strange doctrine, it's more of a social gathering than church, and not one has had an altar call (except one that preached nothing but baptism in the Holy Ghost.)  The first one I attended, I just wanted to know the answer to "what is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit" but the pastor was one, irritated that I dared approach him and then thought I must be stupid and he brushed me off.  

I've found some great online fellowship and pastors online so I get to listen to sermons any time I want and also I get to choose what I want to learn that day.  I also communicate with one pastor online.  I don't always agree with his opinions but nor does he claim them to be accurate, just his thoughts and we all have those.  It's not wrong to think something, it's wrong if you preach it as absolute truth.  I got snared into two very deceptive new churches and even though I knew the truth my whole life, they still managed to snatch me for a short time.  That's why I may seem harsh on certain denominations because of the severe spiritual harm they caused me and I don't want to see that happen to others.  We are under grace, not the law.  The New Testament is clear on that.  Baptism is not necessary for salvation but I do believe Jesus commanded us to do it and I feel it's the first act of obedience.  If you're not gonna do that one simple thing, I doubt you'll obey the harder ones.

I've found good fellowship on Google with like-minded Christians who DO take this Jesus thing seriously and a couple of wonderful pastors who teach the truth and not lies and false doctrines with man-made rules and tell me to read a fictional book will send me to hell.  Well, if that's going to send me to hell, I do much worse so I might as well get a little enjoyment out of life.  I do much worse every day of my life.  I don't have a lot of patience with fools, I tend to lash out when others are persecuting innocent people online and while it's rare, my language is a little colorful on the rare occasions when I slip and say a word I shouldn't.  I say hell a lot, I just don't tell anyone to go there BUT in my mind....

I also lie, either accidentally or on purpose.  I don't know why cos I always end up telling the truth.  I may as well not bother to lie in the first place although I'm sure I don't always do that.  I lie so I don't hurt someone's feelings.  We all lie.  If we break one of the commandments, we break them all.  

The point is, we all sin and fall short of His glory.  When sharing the Gospel, be full of grace and mercy.  We were once as blind, naked, and wretched as everyone else.  We still sin.  Be therefore not self-righteous, holier-than-thou and/or judgmental.  We are ALL sinners in desperate need of a savior and we have that in Christ Jesus.  Don't let your Gospel turn others from Jesus Christ, lead them to Him by showing them how YOU found your way because of YOUR sins.

God bless and much love in Christ Jesus to all.  MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANNAKUH.