The Basics

Its 2009 and I feel its time to get back to the basics. There are some key verses in the Bible that I think all Christians, Gay, Straight, young and old, all need to start to live by more faithfully. I think many Christians do not focus enough on these basic principles that Jesus himself... God in the flesh... taught and lived by.

Basic principle #1The Greatest Commandment is LOVE Matthew 22:36-40
When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees "What is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus replied, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

We are so busy judging others and not loving them, we need to focus on the love. God sent his gift of salvation to EVERYONE! John 3:16-18 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." Jesus wasn't here on Earth to condemn so what gives you the right to condemn others yourself? If they are condemned because they haven't decided to believe in Jesus then that is a fact, not a reason for you to point fingers. Matthew 7:1-2 says, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." God will judge everyone, its not your job however to do that. He knows everyone's heart and whether or not they truly believe in His Son Jesus. YOU will never be able to do that. You don't know who is saved and who isn't, even if you think you have it figured out (I speak to myself here as well). YOU are called to LOVE, not to hate or to judge. So stop pointing your finger and beating people over the head with your Bible for being different. God loves them and wants them to be saved. Jesus and salvation is for everyone! Yes... even Gay people, Bi-sexual people, Transgendered people. You cannot judge whether that person is truly saved or not... but what you can do is be loving and supportive and encourage those people to live a godly life as best they can. Who wants to become a Christian anyways if all the Christians they know hate them? Is this the way to show them the way to God? NO!!!

Basic principle #2 Jesus is the ONLY way to God. John 14:6
While talking to his Disciples Jesus said these words, "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

There is only one way to"the Father" AKA God. There are not "many paths" to God, there is only one, and that is through Jesus. His death on the cross is the way we have access to God and eternity with Him in Heaven. Being a "good person" or trying to be perfect isn't going to work. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." That means you and me and EVERYONE. Sin means "missing the mark" and we have all missed the mark. We are all imperfect. The only way to be in His presence after death is to accept the gift of Jesus' death on the cross as a the final and perfect sacrifice to cover all your sins and make you perfect in Christ. This message is vital for every one in the world to hear. The world says, "be nice to others. Think positively and draw good things to yourself. Help those that are needy. Don't judge others. " And so does the Christian. But the difference between us and the world is that we are saved and they aren't and never will be unless they open the gift that has been set before us all... the gift of Jesus Christ. God said it and that's why I believe it... Jesus is the ONLY way! Don't let the lies of the world blind you to this Truth!




I think this is where I will end my "back to the basics" sermonette. If we could do those two things, Love people and accept that Jesus is our only chance of salvation and being in God's prescence after death then we have got this Christian thing down. ;-) There are many other aspects of the Bible I could focus on and point out, but these are the two issues that bother me the most. People that call themself a Christian but don't believe in who Jesus said he was (He claimed to be God incarnate and our only way for salvation) and people that call themself a Christian but hate other people that are different from themself or that they think are sinners.

If you aren't a Christian I don't expect you to behave like one, and you probably think what I just wrote is pretty harsh. But if you are a Christian you know what I wrote is true and should be convicted in your heart if you have been anything but loving. Also if you are a person who claims the name "Christian" but don't believe that Jesus is who he claimed to be then you need to call yourself something else. Many people called Jesus a prophet, a teacher, Rabbi, King of the Jews, but Jesus called himself Messiah, the Christ that was prohesied to come to earth to save us, God in the flesh among us, Emmanuel. Sorry if you think I am being hard on you, I say this because I love you, not to Judge you. I want you to be saved, to be a Christian. I want you to know what being a "Christian" actually means. Its not a way to say you are "religious" or that you believe there is a God. James 2:19 says, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder." Believing that there is a God doesn't save you or make you a Christian, and neither does simply praying to God for what you want or need on a regular basis. Praying to God and telling him that you believe in Jesus and that you want to accept his death on the cross and make Him your saviour, confessing your sins... that makes you a Christian. Look up Romans 10:9 and I John 1:9. Let God be your judge and guide your conscience. I am not saying these things to be hateful, but to hopefully guide you to God and a life abundant in Him. He wants you to be saved! He loves you! And so do I... MWAH!!!