Disagreeing is Healthy

Some time ago, I was sitting at a local coffee shop reading some wonderful CS Lewis, when a couple (I'll call them Mr. and Mrs. S.) that I know came in too. We had coffee together and talked. It was awesome, so I'd like to share something I got out of that talk that left me reminiscing some time afterwards.

I was telling them how I believe my generation of believers needs to take more ownership of our faith and not just go along with what we're being spoon fed etc. Then, Mr. S. asked me 'So is there anything that you have disagreed with your parents about?' I said, 'Well, not really, actually.' That's what really got me thinking.

If I am to completely take ownership of my faith (ownership meaning; to call it my own; have Christ as my identity; live out my faith in daily life; believe in Him not because it's what I've been taught, but because I personally know He's true... etc), shouldn't I have had disagreements with my parents, or others who teach me? Maybe I'm sounding like a rebel. Allow me to explain.

We're all human, and all make mistakes and all mess up and all get things wrong. No matter how knowledgeable a person may be, they can still get things wrong (sometimes it's the people with the most 'logical' understanding that get the most things wrong, in some aspects). So with that in mind, we can't believe all that we've heard to be 'divine knowledge' and with nothing wrong with it. Often times the person may be bang on, but other times not so much. So how do we know what's what?

Through disagreeing. Here's why; when you disagree (or at least are somewhat skeptical) with what you're being taught, then you can go straight to Jesus with it. Praying and reading the Bible to hear what He has to say on the matter. Jesus is the Master of Answers so I think we can trust Him to be accurate. More accurate than any human being.

Now I'm not saying that everyone should ignore what they're being taught, or not to listen to what God has shown others, or what others have learned from His Word. No, we shouldn't completely stop up our ears from anything 'human'. God can use anybody.  But I think the more we get to know Jesus, and develop a closer relationship with Him, the more we are able to hear His voice/opinion of what is being said. I think it really comes down to relationship (but I'll talk about that more in another post perhaps).

It may be that there ends up being nothing to disagree about with what a person says, and that you've found (through looking to Jesus) that they are right on. Nothing wrong with that. What I'm saying here is more just setting one's heart and mind to a state of deciphering what to believe as true or what to believe as false; not believing in something because someone else, who seems to be more knowledgeable, says it's true, thinking that it's just easier to listen to them without discovering anything out on your own. That's just being lazy. If you look for truth half-heartedly, or not at all, you will most likely find dull and unclear answers. But if you look for truth with your whole heart and more, then you will find whole hearted, strong, and real answers.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Luke 11: 9. 10)."

Please feel free to disagree (and find the answers yourself) with what I've said. I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)

Freedom

Just to add a bit of awesomeness to your day... 

Flagging, 
in worship to the Lord, is

                                             amazingly 

freeing. 

'Coincidence', Marriage, Covenants

About a week ago was my first time going to this bible study that a friend of mine had invited me to. It turns out that the man leading/hosting it is actual acquainted with my mom and that we know his father (who had worked with my mom years ago)! He also knew the people whom my parents were visiting while I was at this bible study. I was quite taken aback by this 'coincidence'.

So, now to what we discussed in the study. The subject was on marriage and the difference between a covenant and a contract/promise. First of all, something I had never really realized or thought much of, was that marriage in the Bible is so much different than how it is today. The act of getting married became more and more formal/ceremonious as one looks through the Bible. At first they never really did extravagant ceremonies like we do today. I don't think I would want to go back to how they did it, but it is interesting to note nonetheless...

The modern idea of marriage has become more and more about finances, than about God. Now it is perfectly 'legal' to divorce, even though it may be sinful (most of the time) according to the Bible. When you take God out of the picture, it's way different and kind of out of place. According to the Bible, marriage is a covenant, but according to North American law, it's more like a contract. So what's the difference?

The difference is that in a covenant, you're not only vowing to your spouse, but also to God. That means it's forever. If you break that vow, it means you're not only sinning against your spouse, but against God (but of course, I do believe that there are circumstances where divorce is needed, and God allows it, even though He doesn't like it).

Ha. I am far too young to be married, but I found this all quite interesting.