Todays thoughts

      I took an academic approach to all my religious and theology studies. I have very little pastoral course work or background. That being said I have seen I have a different viewpoint on some things. One of my little issues I get annoyed with at times is when I hear someone say Jesus Christ the Messiah. First because if you are referred to Jesus of Nazareth as the messiah then you should say Jesus the Christ. Why you may ask? Christ was an ancient Greek word for Messiah. So if say, Jesus Christ, the Messiah you are actually saying Jesus the Messiah the messiah. So if we truly wanted to be correct it would be Jesus of Nazareth the Christ of the Messiah.

Let us do some basic math about the bible. In the new testament, Jesus is shown to say "Follow me" 87 times in the four gospels. He said "Worship me Zero times, Name a new religion after me Zero, Recite a creed about me Zero, Erect building in my honor Zero. Further, the word disciple appears in the new testament appears 250 times. The word Christian ( all in the book written almost 200 years after Jesus was crucified) appears three times and the word Christianity appears Zero. Think about that, all the things the Church’s in our time push on us is counter to the word Jesus the Christ preacher and taught - Love. I think it is time we all refocus what we need to present to others. Just my humble opinion

I am coming to Theology and Religious Studies later in life than most.  I made life choices that did not include these studies even though the interest was always there.

This became more apparent to me when I was asked my position on the "Eternal security of the believer."  After what I am sure a confused look to the person asking this question, I asked him to give me a moment to go into the reaches of my brain and pull that out.  I was trying to ass levity to by time to truly try to remember what this was.

Let us revisit this before I give my reply and reaction.   As I was taught it is the belief in your salvation, on one hand, some hold if you believe that once you are saved you are saved.  But this leads to the propensity to sin.  Others tend to believe you keep your status of being saved through your good works.  I am not sure I like either of those based on my reading of scriptures and on educations.

I believe that once you have gained your salvation, you do not lose it. I do not believe this gives you a free license to sin either.  I believe that the three main scriptures that support this position strong enough to take this stance are found at John 6:37-40, John 10:27-28, and 1 John 2:19.  I further have taken the position that these three supersede any other arguments that take an opposing position.   I do not claim to know all there is to know biblically but I do know my position.  

The other issue is that the Christians that are on opposing sides of this issue do appear to be gracious and polite in their debates.  It seems to get very heated in fact.  This was made personal when I stated my position.  The person asking me the original question became defensive and even question if I was even saved anymore with that type of belief.   Then told me he hopes I was doing some very good work so I would be able to still be saved.  
  
I might add to this and explain my position more in depth but at this point, I wanted to relay this little encounter.