Back Blogging
Well, it's been some time since I've been blogging, but like what the Apostle Paul may have said if he was living in todays world, "Woe to me if I do not blog the gospel! For Christ's love compels me!" Haha!
Anyways, I believe the Gospel of Jesus is GOOD NEWS.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t always been communicated that way. And that really bothers me.
You see, my experience of God has always been good. I have known God was for me, and for all of the human race since I was young. When I was seven years old my family moved to Bangladesh where I saw the devastation of extreme poverty. But amongst all the darkness I saw life. I saw a God that saw it all, cared for all, and was actively involved in doing something about it. I saw that no situation was too bad, and no person was too far gone to be saved. To put it simply, I realised nothing was impossible for the God of love – Jesus.
Although I knew God loved and cared about everyone from my experience, my theology had a big fat “but” thrown in there. He loves us all but… You may have heard some of these buts. And sadly, you, your friends and family may have even been excluded and hurt by some of these.
However, over the past couple of years my theology has caught up to my experience of God. Before you start casting stones at me, no, I haven’t “gone liberal” – rather I have gone “Christ centred.”
Jesus said that if you have seen Him, you have seen the Father. The Apostle Paul said that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. The author of Hebrews says Jesus is the exact representation of God. To put it simply,
God looks like Jesus. God has always looked like Jesus, and always will look like Jesus. Jesus is God.
And this my friends is good news. It’s good news because Jesus shows us what a life of love looks like.Jesus laid down His life so that others may live. Although He was God, He did not come and lord it over people, rather He came and served, He sat with the oppressed, He welcomed the outcast, He loved those religion had tried to shame. He was inclusive of all people. He used His power to heal the sick and cast out demonic spirits. He did not come to coerce people to follow Him, rather He invited people into a friendship.
His teachings are revolutionary too, His life is exemplary, and in His death He shows us the heart of God. Death did not defeat Him or stop Him. He rose from the dead three days later and promises the same for you and I. He showed that power is in weakness, that we are blessed when we suffer, and that it is never ok to kill, but it is ok to die for a cause. His mission to see Heaven invade this Earth is already happening and is exciting to be part of.
But as I said before, this has not always been communicated. We have settled for confusing pictures of God that do not line up with the revelation of Jesus. We have often ignored Jesus teaching on peace, non-violence and suffering then created theological perspectives that are opposite to the very things Jesus taught. It really bugs me when people call themselves followers of Jesus but live as though they've never read the Sermon on the Mount. It bugs me when we allow politics and pop culture to determine our stance rather than looking at Jesus who is perfect theology. All these things bug me because it's always the weak, marginalised and oppressed people who get the raw end of the deal. And that is not ok with me.
So here at “Happy Saved Free” I’ll be posting Jesus Centred, Happy Theology content! I’ll be posting thoughts and stories about the Kingdom of God that is always advancing, and will invite you to not only hear about it, but to experience it for yourself. Nothing would make me happier than for you to experience this good news I am talking about, decide to follow Jesus, then share it all with those whom you love.
You may not agree with everything I say, and that’s fine! I highly doubt any of us have it all “right”. But I do ask that you think through what I’m saying before dismissing it – and most of all, weight it against what is revealed in Jesus Christ.
Jesus said that He came to give us life and life in all it’s fullness – or as I like to say, and as this blog is named, we can be happy, saved and free.
Thanks for reading this, and I hope to see your comments.
James
***BONUS: I've just started writing daily devotions on instagram. I'd love it if you could check it out - and if you liked it please follow and share! Check it out at: http://instagram.com/happysavedfree