I’m not sure really where to begin but I want to share my recent journey to rediscovering my faith. I’ll start by sharing how I came up with the idea of writing a blog and calling it “ReFraming Faith.” I heard a sermon recently and the pastor spoke of the people in this particular Bible story not possessing the framework to understand what was happening around them. I found that to be an interesting choice of words to use to grasp the idea of not possessing the information needed to understand. This described well what I had recently been experiencing in my own life. I began to explore the roots of my beliefs and research what I found to be my framework. Reframing is also a tool used in cognitive therapy which Talkspace describes as," a tool that you can use to challenge assumptions and automatic thoughts that come up for you."
I’ve watched a lot of YouTube while being shut down due to the pandemic. Through that I learned of something called “deconstructing” one’s faith. I guess that would describe what was going on, but I mostly wanted to find out for myself what I believe instead of completely demolishing it. I watched a documentary on the gospel that at first put me on the defense. It named names of some of my favorite pastors and preachers that I had really come to appreciate and their ministries had positively impacted my life. It briefly even mentioned the name of the church I was attending at that time. After that, I turned it off and tuned it out. I thought they’re just too legalistic and they’re not being very Christian to be calling anyone out like that. But were they indeed being Christian (see Titus chapter 1)? Did I even know what being ‘Christian’ meant?
I set the film aside for many months and kept on with my Sunday routine of going to every early service and special event that was hosted. However, sitting there listening to the messages it kept nagging at me that somehow what the film mentioned regarding the gospel wasn’t what I’d ever remembered hearing in all my years of being saved. Sometime later in the year I decided to watch it again with a little more open mind to what was being presented. I know that I couldn’t shake the gospel message I’d heard. It struck me the first time I watched the film and just kept drawing me back to it. I had found the offense was due to my heart being misplaced on following the man centered gospel and not the Christ centered one. I really liked the personalities behind the pulpit and many times I ignored the presentation of the Word. Sadly, sometimes the Bible wasn’t even being used.
What is being a Christian if I’m following a shepherd who could be lost himself? What I mean is not to judge the character of these men but to judge the fruit of their ministry. I’ll cover more of the different types of churches and their fruits in future blogs. There are true believers in some of these churches that I trust love God and believe in the Word. I just hope to start the conversation that led me to begin to really study scripture more which in turn led me to Truth.
“Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:5-7
This is the beginning of knowing God and that is only through knowing Christ and following Him. This is what I’ve learned. It’s hard to know someone you don’t talk to or listen to. We have the scripture that speaks to us and shows us who God is! We can’t take His word out of context and apply only parts of who He is to our lives. The Word is living, and it is through the scripture, God speaks. I don’t know about you but that excites me to no end that I have it right here with me always. I love His Word and I search it to know Him. If you don’t know God then get into His Word. We’re all completely unworthy to come to God and all our righteousness we think we have being a ‘Christian’ is filthy rags to Him (Isaiah 64:6). It’s through Christ alone we have a relationship with God and can even know Him. Believe in Christ and turn away from all the things that harden your heart and keep you captive to sin. I’ll ask if you’re reading this and call yourself a Christian to please look to the Word and test the things you read, you see, and you hear. This included. We can’t afford to set our Christian life on cruise control and hope to make it to the final destination. I’m afraid some will be surprised of where they end up. I’m not saying we need to do more as Christians because it’s not about us or our works. The work is finished (John 19:30). I’m saying we have to simply believe and share the good news about the gospel of Christ. We by that will know our God, who is sovereign in all things and through all things. Even politics and pandemics.
I’ll share that I’m no theologian or even well read on the topic. I can just share what has been shown to me through the truth found in scripture. I’ll try to reference those as often as I can so you’ll know where I found it.
This has been a longer post than I anticipated but I hope you’ll subscribe so you’ll receive updates for future posts. I’ll cover a lot more topics and information.
Will you ReFrame your Faith?
Reframing Faith 