The Assumption

Am I a Christian?

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"

Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism--where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?"

They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'From men'--we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."

So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."
Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
-Matt 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8, NIV

Today I found myself dealing with this issue addressed by my friend John (click the link above). I really had no interest to engage the gentleman asking me in that type of conversation. However, when I expressed this thought to him, he continued to press the issue believing that he had found some sort of weakness in me.

I confronted him about his behavior and he instantly retreated to the, "It's not what I think or what you think, but rather what God's word says." and then he quoted some scripture which was obviously supposed to prove that what he thought really was what mattered after all. The more plaintive he got in trying to get me to respond to his game, the less inclined I became to discuss anything with him.

It finally degraded into him trying to project his ideas about what he thought I believed onto me, which was really where he was going in the first place.

I am not the sum of my beliefs. I have been made into something much more than anything any doctrine could ever hope to aspire to. I am a child of God and this has nothing to do with which scriptures I've linked together to "prove" my beliefs, it has nothing to do with whether or not I say the name of "Jesus Christ" out loud as a confession, and it has nothing to do with my refusal to engage in a "What do you base your faith on?" debate with those who are already ready to condemn me.

On what do I base my faith? On nothing that can be proven by mere statements of men, it is totally miraculous in nature. So, I really don't expect those who are looking for a mere logical "proof" to understand my hope.

Previous Comments:

Bill,

Grandma Peggy and my step dad, Ron, visited me for a couple of days on their move from Arizona to Oregon. They are formerly raised as Catholics, now, searching. Grandma belongs to Science of Mind, and Ron, not sure. Discussion went to "spiritual" realms, they asking me about my beliefs, explaining to me that my Uncle Mike's girl friend, Christine, believes in reincarnation. I have been searching, although, unsuccessfully to this point for a one line answer to explain what I am, what I stand for, and, at the spur of the moment, when they asked me, not wanting to throw out the old cliche' or represent myself or Jesus in a negative light, as a bigot, or judgemental either because of negative press about Christians or simply because of associating myself with Him [myself being the negative factor], or their interpretation of what I meant by what I said with, "I am a Christian.", or, "I am a born again Christian.", I came out with, "I am a Bible believing Christian." (soo much better); and then, some explanation and experiences followed. We had a friendly discussion and I felt the conversation went well, but, I felt the, "I am a Bible believing Christian.", just didn't cut it. I have yet to, "once and for all", tackle this and come up with an adequate answer. I am a follower of Jesus. I am a believer. I believe and it changed my whole life. In the absence of a "good answer", my idea is that my life will show what I am; I don't think I'm really very good at that, showing what I am ... in Jesus. My hope is that I get better; and, you know WHO my Hope is.

Love,

Mom

Posted by Mom on September 6, 2003 at 5:03:26 PM