Why blog?
I’ve noticed recently that EVERYONE has a blog. Blogging is really just another manifestation of the “ME” generation’s self-centeredness. Everyone wants their 15 minutes. I thought that my blog was about self-expression, but really…I think I just want people to read the words that I write. I have something to say! And I want people to know it! Wacka, wacka, wacka…sounds like “Arrogance. “
Who cares what I have to say? My sister told me flat out: “your blog is boring.” I was hurt, but I realize that it’s boring to her, because it’s not about her. Everyone loves their own blog!! And people who love the blogs of others either love the blogger OR they love the blogger’s subject matter. My subject matter is ME, so really, I’m only leaving one choice to my readers. Love me of log off. Arrogance.
I’d love to have a central topic to my blog like dating, love, relationships…but let’s face it: I’m not doing ENOUGH dating for those stories to sustain my blog. Or maybe my blog could be completely spiritual? No, because it’s draining in a not cool way. I love that it keeps me reading and studying my Bible, but when you’re reading/studying in defense of or to explain something, it becomes exhausting. Why? The Bible does not provide clear-cut answers. It pushes you to rely on faith. If it were the year 35 AD…maybe I’d have a clearer understanding of everything that was written. But after translations, "ancient writings", scholarly studies, interpretations, discussions of the “original Greek text,” coupled up with personal pride, fear, and “I-know-I-have-the-truth” mentalities…faith is about all I have left! The way I read a scripture can be 100% different from the way someone else reads a scripture, and suddenly my blog would be about trying to convince or portray to someone what (to me) is a clear truth. Arrogance. I can’t let my blog get caught up in that.
So with that in mind, I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I simply want my voice to be heard, partly because I like the way it sounds. Arrogance.
And with that I give you the final piece of Jew 2.0 (which was the only piece I EVER had in mind—I tried to make it big, when my original thought was quite small).
Jew 2.0: The Family Tree
Jew 2.0 is a theory from the Christian point of view. As such, whether Jesus is the Messiah from a Jewish point-of-view is irrelevant. The answer to why Christians don’t call themselves Jews is probably simply:
1) So few of us our ethnically Jews.
2) The term “Judaism” is so clearly associated with the Law that Christians believe themselves to be free of.
Note: Free of its penalty. We are not free to be sinners and do whatever we want. I don’t want people to get that twisted. To be “Free in Christ” does not mean that we can spit upon Moses’ tablets and go along our merry way and call it “walking in the Spirit.” See Galatians 5:
13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
And therein lies the destruction of many Christian testimonies. Lack of love. I feel like many Christians (in times past, I as well) are so busy pointing out what is wrong in other religions and belief-systems, that our elitism and our prideful “knowledge of God” is transmuted into something very much like disdain and hatred.
This was happening in the early Church, Christians who thought they had a leg up on Jews, and made no bones about it. Sometimes, we Gentiles, forget who we are. We forget our frame. However, Paul kicked some wisdom their way in Romans 11:
15For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again
Based on the above, we can see that Gentiles were getting a little haughty about their salvation: “God broke them off to make room for me!” That right. God has limited space available: “one in, one out." You know the scripture: "For the kingdom of heaven is likened unto an overcrowded dance club..."--St. John 22:1
Puh-leeze! (SARCASM ALERT!! That was a fake scripture; please tell me you got that! I pray that you got that!! There is room at the cross for you, for you, you, you, you, you!)
For now, they abide in unbelief, but the time for them will come again (at which point the time for us Gentiles may/may not be over, it sounds like we’ll be over based on the below...):
25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
People who teach “Replacement Theology” are flat-out wrong. Gentiles are not a replacement for Jews. In fact…we’re probably more appropriately described as “the bait.” What do I mean? Check out Romans 10:
19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
Not to demean the love of God, but it’s kind of like how when you meet someone, they like you, they’re trying to date you and you give them the “brush-off.” They stalk you a little, call all the time, make excuses for your bad treatment and dismissal of them, and they pledge their undying love for you. It’s kind of annoying...so all the while, you’re like: “whatever.” So one day they leave, and they find someone else. Once you see them with someone else, suddenly and inexplicably you want them back! Yeah…it’s like-totally-for-serious just like that! (That was my Valley Girl impression in print. Imagine me blowing a huge gum bubble; it aids in imagery).
The promises of God are sure; His undying love for the Jews is..umm…undying. Jews will not lose out, as they are the original branches of our family tree, of which God is the root. Christians (i.e. Jews 2.0), we are the wild branches who have been grafted in. Thank you Jews for our shot!!
It may be a hard pill to swallow, but even if Jesus were not the Messiah (which He is), Jewish prophesy proclaims that the situation would be the same: Jews reject, Gentiles step forth, through jealously/anger Jews come to acceptance of the Messiah and reclaim their place in the family tree. Jesus has been rejected, we (Christians) have received Him...there's really only one piece left: the hope and fulfillment of God's promise to Israel . We are ONE tree, upheld by the same Root. Original branches and wild branches. See? Jew 2.0.
THE END.
Song for the week. I figured it was time for something new. And guess who I found?! Someone quite special has dropped a new album. So I figured I'd listen to snippets and find an appropriate song, but I ended up buying the whole album because of her VOICE. NE-WAY, her style has gotten a little more contemporary, but this woman has one of the greatest and most well-known voices in gospel music. I present to some, introduce to others (haha): the great, the magnificent Karen Clark-Sheard:
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