For years I thought I was “saved”. The teaching of the churches I attended were concerned with converts, getting saved, repenting (which was taught pretty much just asking for forgiveness).
Becoming a disciple, keeping Yeshua/Jesus’s commands, Kingdom living, or Trinitarian living wasn’t part of the teaching or expectations.
Cheap grace….easy grace… “under grace” and “not under law” was the doctrine. It included “substitutionary atonement”. Doctrine pages of churches mostly use scripture support from the Pauline letters on their “What We Believe” page.
At some point my personal “What I Believe” page changed and the two did not and do not line up.
It’s not what we believe “about” Yeshua that opens the door to The Kingdom of God, but believing “in” Yeshua which equates to believing His teachings, keeping His commands, applying His words, Loving God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength and loving your neighbor as yourself.
How do we love God and love our neighbor? To quote Dallas Willard “To love God is to do what’s good for God”. To love our neighbor is to do good for our neighbor and we all know from the Parable of the Good Samaritan who our neighbor is.
Life in The Kingdom of God is now, the door is open now, not some place waiting until death. Applying Yeshua’s teachings are what we do now. Living by Kingdom rules, under the rule of The King, being His disciple is real life, eternal life.
Why is it that most church doctrinal pages are mostly referencing Paul’s teachings and not Yeshua’s teachings? That makes no sense to me. Yeshua’s words and teachings came from The Father…they are GOD’s Word. Shouldn’t our doctrine and doctrinal statements be based upon what He taught?
We all have bibles, most of us have several. Read the “Great Commission” for yourself in Matthew 28:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 [b]Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to [c]follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you [d]always, to the end of the age.”
What did Yeshua tell His 11 remaining apostles to do?? Make disciples of all nations (that includes gentiles), baptize them, and teach them to follow His commandments! How are disciples made?? They are taught to be like the one that they are a disciple of, trained in His ways, His teachings, living what He taught them to believe. Disciples are expected to become like their teacher, adopt His teachings, and keep His commands.
We have only one teacher, Yeshua. I believe His words are the most important words we have recorded and Christian doctrinal statements should be based on what He taught.
‘nuff said today.
It’s a heart matter.