Why bother with Christianity and all its obligations if you can be happy without it?
This is another question I received in an ad I placed on www.IdeaOffer.com. I was searching for difficult questions about Christianity.
This question makes me sad as a Christian. Are we sending all the wrong messages to non-believers? Christians have created so many traditions which have turned into obligations. It becomes complicated to actually be in a relationship with Christ when it is actually so simple.
Where there are obligations and responsibilities, there becomes disagreement. These disagreements create separation. This is why all the different denominations were created. Christ gave us one simple command and we decided to complicate it and create rules. We took a perfect command of love and turned it into a force others are repulsed to hear.
Christianity is simple. First you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again to defeat all sin. Those who accept this simple truth are Christian. That is it, you are not required to be baptized, take communion, sing hymns, etc. There are no traditions you have to follow or obligations to keep. One simple belief makes a Christ-ian or Christian or one of Christ.
We do all these things and keep these traditions because church leaders, with great hearts, believe these traditions are the way to be in a relationship with God. Many are modeled from Christ’s life, such as baptism and communion. To be with Christ we must be like Him or so the belief goes. Baptism is a public showing of your faith and symbolic of your rebirth, however not required to be a Christian. Communion is done to never forget the sacrifice made on the cross but not required to be a Christian.
I say again, a Christian is someone who accepts Jesus, the son of God, died for your sin and rose again. His commands were of love. Love God, the Father, with all your heart. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. This is what makes you a Christian and the commands to practice your faith.
All of these traditions are driving people away from organized religion. It is very tough for a new believer to walk into a traditional denomination and feel at home. Instead of growing in faith, you are busy learning tradition. This is the reason churches of non-denomination are growing so quickly. These churches have very few traditions and do not pressure the congregation to comply.
Please, keep in mind what makes you one of Christ and what He commands of us. It is best to meet with others for growth and support, but not required. If you feel like you are in over your head with tradition, seek another church not another belief system.
(See: Do we need to go to church?)
Joe is a freelance writer living in Charleston, SC. Be sure to subscribe to him and get updates of new articles. Also, feel free to follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/joeylaw or read more articles at www.inspiretomorrow.com/writer.
Comments
You say "Christianity is simple. First you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again to defeat all sin. Those who accept this simple truth are Christian". Why don't you finish the sentence. "and if you don't your going to HELL". Don't give me the "hell is absence of god" either.
Dave, you are becomming a broken record. Is this the only argument you have? I have never heard a Christian say believe or you're going to Hell. I stand by my argument of a win-win scenario. If you decide to believe there is no God, there can't be a Hell. How can you go there? If you believe in Christ and that He exists, why would you think about Hell? If your motivation to believe in Christ is 'fire insurance,' you are missing the greatest experience of your life...God's love. You choose your own adventure. I live by Christ's example of ministry: follow me if you choose and if you have questions about God, I will do my best. I believe in what I stated in this article with all of my being.
Be a christian, IT'S EASY! First... accept something based on no evidence. Then dispute all evidence that may contend with your indoctrinated dogma! Poof! You're a christian. Now use your powers to attempt to prevent our children from knowing about actual scientific results and proof. Then waste the time of scientists trying to debate creationism with knowledge that you've based on something that someone said somewhere without actually studying what is actually true.
What a great christian you are! You deserve the pridefully ignorant self-righteous award!
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