Acts 11:26 - The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Labels....gotta have 'em.
Gotta stick a name on everything.
Bad thing?
Probably not, except when the label gets associated with certain ways and beliefs that the world doesn't like.
Bad thing?
Probably not, except when the label gets associated with certain ways and beliefs that the world doesn't like.
Seems like this day and time, it's the church who sticks labels on
others who belong to a church of a different flavor.
Seems like labels are a divisive thing when it comes to
churches...
"Oh be careful when you go there. You know those people
are (label-fill in the blank) and they don't believe
like we do.
Seems like the higher up the intelligence/education ladder a person climbs,
the more labels exist.
Their theology is scrutinized and then has the obligatory label
Their theology is scrutinized and then has the obligatory label
attached to it.
Reformed? Calvinist? Armenian?
The list goes on and on.
Why can't we just be like what the verse from Acts says?
"They were first called disciples"
Now that is good label if you have to have one.
Have I been labeled? Sure.
Association of Vineyard Churches has been labeled
Third wave Evangelicals.
Me?
If I were to label myself, what I believe, and what I teach...
We would be called "Pork and Beans".
Because that is how my belief falls.
The simplicity of the gospel.
I've written many times about the verse that God gave me to
truly define myself and the message I have.
I Corinthians 2:2
"For I determined to know nothing among you except
Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, but I know that
you cannot side step the cross to get to Christ.
You cannot seek the so-called higher things of God
without laying your life, soul, spirit and will upon the
work of the cross.
Now don't go off the deep end and think that I am a
cross worshiper. My faith and my heart and life is for the one
who stretched himself out on that cross as an offering
for my sin-debt.
The beauty of the cross is that it stands as a revealing place to the one
who saved us.
It isn't the wood...it's the person.
That person has a name...
And that name is Jesus.
And that name is Jesus.
Jesus is not a respecter of persons....doesn't require higher education....
doesn't look at your bank book, or your social status.
The invitation to come is for all who would.
The invitation to come is for all who would.
To me the beauty of salvation is that He draws people from
all walks of life.
From the full blown addict living for the next high,
to the CEO directing meetings in board rooms.
Jesus invites the Phd. as well as the one who cannot read.
Blue collar to white collar...to no collar, we
are all in need of His salvation.
What I believe I'm trying to say is, "Don't let labels hang you up"
Fall upon the grace of God....
I know that at some point in time, He will give us a new name.
He is the only one who labels out of love.
God on you...
mbb
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