in going back...

With everything I have been through and all that has been brought to light about the Southern Baptist Churches, I have been going through the bible again in more detail than I ever have before. In the past I would take the verses as I have been taught and left it at that, leaving any questions in my mind as false narratives and those of the devil (yeah I know thats weird) but that is what I came to believe about doubt in teachers through the decades of ultra-right teachings. 

In going back to the basics belief i have found something that I never put much thought into before. John 5:41 which says, " I receive not honour from men." (KJV). In the NIV which many preachers teach out of in the SBC, it reads, "i do not accept glory from human beings." I have been lead to believe that honour and glory is always meaning worship, but when in investigating of that word in in the Strong's you get this:

 It is much more than that. Partially it is glory but it stems from personal opinions. Everything we say and think is based on our own opinions, even praise to God and our knowledge of the bible. That is why we get one preacher saying scripture means this and another preacher saying that scripture  says something completely different, thus, confusion arises. That has been my problem all my life since i had one grandmother as a SBC teacher and the other Grandmother a full gospel Methodist, really not an oxymoron it really is a thing, teaching me two different beliefs systems in the same belief called Christianity. 

So, today we have a group of Christian's that believe that religion and politics go hand in hand, basically trying to Make America a Theocracy so we call them Christian Nationalist. The other group of Christians believe in what John 13:34 says, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."(NRSVUE). So which one is the truth. i take the words of Jesus as True gospel. 

This word by Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and all who were trying to kill him. But does it just stay there to thee pharisees? Not from what I am reading. It seems that it means anyone who "do not have the love of God" (John 5:42) in them. And that concept has been alive everyday since what Jesus said. 

Today we have Christian nationalist in the congress and senate that is trying to change America into this Theocracy, meaning to lead the Nation as what is said in the Bible. But they are using things from the bible out of context. using Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 to try to wipe out the LGBTQIA+, and using Exodus 20:13 Do not murder to end abortions. 

People stand at Planned Parenthood and yell hatred to those entering. Supposed Christians yell racial slurs and homophobic chants to the lgbtqia+ everywhere in person and online. This is not spreading "gods word" this is spreading their own opinion, their own glory, their own praise based on their own feelings not of Jesus. 

Jesus command is to love one another as He loved you, love one another! 

Many will use the old adage that they are spreading God's word and love by quoting the scriptures and by telling the truth of what sin is, taking scripture out of context and using a form of Christianity that promotes, hate, money and politics as the main reason in being a Christian. When in actuality we should do as Jesus did eat with anyone who is willing to have him come into his/her house like Matthew, Zacharias, and many others who did  not fit the cookie cutter Pharisee. Jesus was followed by many people who were not deemed worth to be called worthy of the pharisaical belief, like Mary Magdalen and the Samaritan lady in John 4 who had many husbands and the one she was living with was not her husband, did  Jesus condemn her, no he offered living water to her. He didn't say to change your ways he said:

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you[g] will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You[h] worship what you[i] do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I am he,[j] the one who is speaking to you.” John 4:21-26

Her he said that she must believe in Him and that He is the messiah and confirmed that one day that true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. What truth is it: The new command i give you, said Jesus: 

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."(NRSVUE)

Love one another not hate by telling everyone that they are going to hell. Jesus said in John 3:17, "God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him." This world that Jesus was using is said to be in the Strong's concordant:

Like the CREATION That's everyone people. There is not rules nor stipulations added to it. World MEANS WORLD!!!

not only those who meat the Christian Nationalist beliefs as to who is in their world. it means the Gay Christians, the Christians who may have an abortions, it means Christians who may drink or take drugs but still believe that there is a God and Jesus is the messiah and still worship HIM. the world here means the unhoused people  people on Social Security and disability it means EVERYONE!!!! EVERYONE!!! Who are we to leave out anyone in the world. The truth here is that Christian Nationlist who want to leave out or wipe out the LGBTQIA+ is using their own opinion, praise and theology their god and their their beliefs not that of Jesus'. Anyone who has love for the Father, the TRUE Father not one written about my men and history and todays god that hates the true God The Father that Jesus spoke of. I cannot list all the attributes of God but the God that Jesus spoke about lived in Him and was Him we should follow His command, Love one another as He has loved you. How did Jesus love  us by dying for us and loving us enough to go to the cross die and come back to life proving he is God. (John 3:16) "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."

Love God

Love Jesus

Love Light

and 

Love one another

Peace

Kevin