Not Ashamed

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

At some point, you have to get off the fence. I've realized this in the past few months. I've tried to practice my faith in the most non-offensive way possible... and I'm certainly not intending to run around intentionally offending people now. This is not THAT blog post. :)

But, the past few days/weeks have taught me that I cannot have my cake and eat it too. It is a good thing to respect the beliefs and opinions of others, but if you focus so much on not "stepping on toes", you WILL end up tip-toeing around really essential parts of the  Christian message. And, so, you have to decide whether your religion is about being a Disciple of Jesus, or being a Crowd-Pleaser.

Today's post is for me, but I hope that someone reading it will gain something from it.

Jesus was not afraid of offending folks. He was kind, He was gentle, He was compassionate... but He was also MIGHTILY pissed off at things that were wrong with the religion and society of the time.

Jesus never pulled any punches about what was right and what was wrong. Granted, there has been a lot of disagreement over the centuries about what He was actually talking ABOUT when He said certain things, but the fact that He acknowledged an Absolute Truth has never been in dispute.

He gave specific instructions to His disciples, a very particular way to live and to share the Good News. He commanded them to go to all the nations, preach and baptize. He commanded them to pray, and even gave specific instructions for prayer. He taught what He taught for a reason, and He taught the WAY that He taught for a reason.

He is quoted as saying, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father, except through me." That's uncomfortable, because I really want to believe that "I'm okay, you're okay, we're all okay." It's a great thing to acknowledge the goodness in other people, to appreciate the truth and beauty that exist in other religions, to respect the considered opinions of people who believe differently than I do.

But, no matter how kind the invitation to believe, no matter the compassion, respect and love that you approach the attempt to convince someone with, there are some who will always receive that message as judgement, condemnation, condescension.

You can change the tone of a message. You CANNOT change the message itself.

And I am not ashamed of this message.

I am not ashamed to say, with confidence, that the man who brought sight to the blind, life to the dead, and forgiveness for the sins of all mankind 2,000 years ago is the Savior who promises hope for the hopeless, comfort for those who mourn and love for the unlovable EVEN TODAY.

I am not ashamed to believe - and say with confidence - that, while other prophets of other religions may bring truth and beauty to their followers, only Jesus conquered Death. That singular act - the Divine sacrifice, to bring atonement - makes following Jesus different than any other faith.

I am not ashamed to believe that Jesus did not do this to appease an angry God, but as an act of love for a humanity that suffered (and suffers) greatly under the yoke of their sin, their selfishness, the oppression of unjust political and religious systems. He did it in a specific way, in a specific time, as a very specific and symbolic act. And while the symbolism of the act might be diminished in a time that has no context for the sacrificial atonement system, the POWER of the act, the sacrifice, can never be diminished. It still applies today.

I am not ashamed to believe that my suffering has a purpose, that my suffering is a pathway to peace... but that does not mean that my God has ordained it or even allowed it. It simply means that I am called to embrace my sufferings, as my Savior embraced His, as a way to experience the suffering of the entire world, as a way to humble myself, and as a way to draw me closer to God by drawing me closer to others who suffer the same.

I am not ashamed to believe - and to boldly proclaim - that this is a message of LOVE. It is a message of forgiveness, mercy, compassion, and that my God has all of these things in abundance. He loves His creation - every single member of His creation - and I can serve Him best by sharing that love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion with everyone that I meet.

I am not ashamed of that agape Love, and I do not feel the need to "temper" it with a message of judgement or condemnation. Judgement is for God alone, and His mercy, His love and His compassion have been poured out IN PLACE of His judgement.

I am not ashamed to believe that it is ACCEPTANCE that characterizes my God, as shown through the Son and the Savior, and that REJECTION is the antithesis of my faith.

I am not ashamed to say that sin is present in the world, and that humankind suffers greatly under its yoke, but that it has been CONQUERED by the redeeming love of Jesus.

I am not ashamed to say that true freedom is available to all who want it.

I am not ashamed to believe that there is a battle for the souls of all men and women, and for the collective soul of the entire world. There is an Enemy, an Evil One, who accuses, who tempts, who deceives. His weapons are despair, hopelessness, hunger, poverty, oppression, and his "followers" are the ones who perpetrate these evils, these injustices.

But I believe, and will believe until my dying breath, that LOVE WINS.

Love wins.

Love has already won.

My love to you, wherever you are,

Michael Brian Woywood
Not Ashamed of the Gospel,
For it is the power of God
For salvation
To everyone that believes.