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Get Real

Last week I was visiting friends and attending my boyfriend's graduation. Whenever I'm in the area, I usually go to church with Aaron at Main Street Baptist Church in Christiansburg, VA (http://www.msbc.org/). I do not usually attend church on my own, and won't until I find one I feel right with. My mom always gives me grief for not going to church on my own, and I've ignored it thinking to myself that when the right church comes along I'll go there. The day that I travelled down to Blacksburg, someone told me exactly that, so I'll take that as a confirmation.

Anyway, the message from Sunday service was from 1 John 1:5-7. John is talking about what it means to lead a real Christian life. 1 John 1:5-7 specifically focuses on fellowship with God.

"5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from alla]'>[a] sin."

The key thing to know here is that in order to have a fellowship with God, Because there is nothing remotely evil about God, he cannot become like us. Thus, we must become like him.

Pastor Dr. Tim Hight tells us that our fellowship with God is broken through our sinful choices. Sin makes our character deficient, God's word is valued, and our testimony is defeated. We misrepresent Jesus, and misdirect the one's that are coming to Him. Dr Hight compares our fellowship with God with a lighthouse and a ship in the darkness. If the light is not on, then it cannot guide the ship to safety. Likewise, if our light is out we cannot guide others, and are not in fellowship with God.

Now that I think about it this is a good message to follow my last post. They go hand in hand-- putting on the characteristics of a Christian and being in fellowship with God. I'm still struggling with those characteristics, but I'll get there.

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Happy Belated Mother's Day!

Sunday I went to church with Aaron and his family; they are members of First Baptist Church (http://firstbaptistbassett.com/). Aaron tells me the morning's praise and worship were atypical-- usually they have their band playing. This particular morning consisted of the quartet group Joyful Sound, the Handbell Choir, a mother and daughter duet, and hymns. I paid most attention to one of the songs that Joyful Sound sung. Its message was about patience. Oh how I need to be patient during this time in my life.

The service message came from Colossians 3:12 - 3:17: "The Christian Wardrobe"- delivered by Pastor Lou Bennett. The main point he drove across was that there are characteristics that we as Christians should always put forth.

Quick background: The apostle Paul wrote to the church of Colosse. Colosse is well-known for it's purplish-red dye collosinus. Colosse with its unique dye manufactured the Dolce & Gabbana of fashion, and the Colossians wore their garments to be distinguishable from everyone else. Paul uses the Colossians' fashion sense as a metaphor to relate to them. Like the Colossians put on their clothes to set themselves apart, as Christians they should put on certain characteristics to show what it truly means to honor God.

Col. 3:8 - 3:10- Paul outlines what characteristics need to be removed in order to make room for the characteristics Col. 3:12 - 3:17. "8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."
I have yet to rid my self of all these characteristics. I am a very emotional person, and tend to anger when I'm not getting my way. I try not to express my anger by immediately lashing out. Instead I try to completely just stop and take a breather before re-entering the situation. I never want to lash out and say or do something that I don't mean and will later regret. I place anger and rage on the same table, but I guess anger could be as simple me just having the feeling. It's hard to control something like anger, I mean who doesn't have a teensy bit of anger when something goes against what you would like it to? Actually come to think of it: anger can lead to all the characteristics. Only when angry do I experience rage, malice, slander and filthy language. Well, maybe the slander and the filthy language do occur outside of anger-- speaking negatively and spreading rumors, and just using filthy language to look/feel cool. In other words, mimicking the negative behavior of those around me just so I can fit in with them. The best solution is to be attentive to avoid these characteristics.

The first characteristic that Paul says to put on is a compassionate spirit. "12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

The second, a forgiving spirit. "He who cannot forgive others destroys the bridge over which he himself must pass."- George Herbert
"13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

The third characteristic, a loving spirit, is one that Paul says is above all others. A loving spirit is the glue that keeps us together. It affects our anxiety, the way we are able to worship God, and work. "14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

I wear these characteristics all the time, consciously. Unconsciously, I am unsure. I know for a fact that refocus my mind to love someone, even when it's hard too. Forgiving is a bit harder. I do not forgive initially, I seethe with anger first, then I forgive. I think the more conscious effort I put into wearing the characteristics in 3:12- 3:17, the more I will unconsciously be wearing them. :)

First Post: Romans 1-4

For the past week my boyfriend and I have been reading the book of Romans together. He's currently a four hour drive away, so we do this by way of Skype and biblegateway.com. Since I started this blog four chapters into Romans, I'll catch you all up to speed what we discussed and gained from each chapter.

Romans 1:
Aaron explained to that Paul is writting a letter to the Romans, more specifically the Roman Jews, or I guess the Jews in Rome. That's pretty much all we talked about in the chapter. This was actually one of my first times of reading the Bible without it being assigned from youth group/ Bible study. I have read with Aaron a few times before, like twice. So reading through Romans and having him help me understand all on my own is like a great achievement for me.

Romans 2:
I had a question about Romans 2:10-11 "but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11For God does not show favoritism."I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Why did the Jews get glory, honor and peace first? Doesn't them being first show favoritism? As Aaron had explained it to me the Jews were promised it first, because they were the first believers. At least I think that's what he meant.

Romans 2:25- 27 "Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker."

I could not understand this passage because I had no clue what the what the significance of circumcision was. In Judaism, circumcision is part of the law of their religion-- it's an act of cleanliness, much like the modern health reason to get circumcised. In essence circumcision is sorta kinda like righteousness (cleanliness, is next to Godliness).

Romans 3:
No one is righteous; righteousness is purity/without sin. Therefore Jesus Christ is the only one who is righteous because he's the only one that has lived without sin. However, you can be righteous "...through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.(Romans 3:22)"

Romans 4:
Here, Abraham is used as an example to tell us that God will grant a person righteousness of there faith even if they aren't following the rules set by the church just yet. This is not to say that one is not to follow the church's rules, but through your faith God will bless you before you are follow all the rules. Basically even brand new believers can achieve righteousness.

Skype Chat between Aaron and I about Romans 4:

[5/1/2010 11:45:55 PM] Aaron: righteousness: as sinless

[5/1/2010 11:46:06 PM] Aaron: also pure

[5/1/2010 11:48:03 PM] Aaron: Romans3:10As it is written:

"There is no one righteous, not even one;

11there is no one who understands,

no one who seeks God.

12All have turned away,

they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,

not even one."[c]

[5/1/2010 11:49:30 PM] Christian n00b: so nobody is righteous?

[5/1/2010 11:49:45 PM] Christian n00b: but we are to try to obtain righteous

[5/1/2010 11:49:48 PM] Christian n00b: ness

[5/1/2010 11:50:02 PM] Aaron: nobody is with out sin except Jesus

[5/1/2010 11:50:16 PM] Aaron: yes

[5/1/2010 11:51:07 PM] Aaron: to be rightous and to be granted or given righteousness for our faith are the differance that Romans has been talking about

[5/1/2010 11:51:31 PM] Aaron: there is a differance

[5/1/2010 11:51:42 PM] Aaron: the be righteous is to be sinless.

[5/1/2010 11:53:03 PM] Aaron: to be greanted righteousness of our faith is that even though we have sinned there is forgivness and the give of rightousness ( to be made or have the quality of being sinless or pure: aka forgiven)

[5/1/2010 11:53:31 PM] Aaron: give =gift i think

[5/1/2010 11:53:46 PM] Christian n00b: ok

[5/1/2010 11:55:36 PM] Christian n00b: so what this chapter is saying is that though abraham is uncircumcised (not following the jewish law), he is still granted righteousness from God because he believes God

[5/1/2010 11:56:04 PM] Aaron: no, he said while he was still uncircumised

[5/1/2010 11:56:19 PM] Christian n00b: well was then

[5/1/2010 11:56:29 PM] Aaron: before he was given the command to be circumsized

[5/1/2010 11:56:30 PM] Christian n00b: started off uncircumcised i should say

[5/1/2010 11:56:37 PM] Christian n00b: okay

[5/1/2010 11:56:40 PM] Christian n00b: beans

[5/1/2010 11:57:07 PM] Aaron: he was granted rightousness and forgiven before he followed the jewish law

[5/1/2010 11:58:26 PM] Christian n00b: so like an average joe schmoe can receive righteousness by believing before he is like doing all the things his church says he should be doing?

[5/2/2010 12:01:54 AM] Aaron: yes, that is the general thought that if; one believes that Jesus is God and died to be the final sacrfice for all mankind, and has asked to be forgiven. then he is saved. This is made evident throught the way that he chooses to live his life. and the church saying all the things you "must do" are adding pressures that are not required for salvation.

[5/2/2010 12:02:06 AM] Aaron: Reading the bible is not to save you

[5/2/2010 12:02:52 AM] Aaron: it is to build your knowledge

[5/2/2010 12:03:02 AM] Aaron: baptism is not to save you

[5/2/2010 12:04:47 AM] Aaron: it is a way to show that you understand the significance of the Death barriel and resurection of Jesus and to show others that you are a christian.

[5/2/2010 12:06:17 AM] Aaron: alot of time churches read into the bible more than it is saying and then try to increase the difficulty of salvation

[5/2/2010 12:06:54 AM] Aaron: did i answer your question at all?

[5/2/2010 12:07:03 AM] Christian n00b: yes

[5/2/2010 12:07:05 AM] Christian n00b: thanks

[5/2/2010 12:07:07 AM] Christian n00b: :)

Aaron is in exams, so we did not get a chance to read Romans 5 tonight. I hope to read it tomorrow. Until then I think I'll set up a twitter account. I may use the twitter to update things like things I find difficult or easy about my faith.

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About Me

Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
I'm 23, just out of college (Go Hokies!), and decided April 2010 that I wanted to be Christian. You see, I grew up in a Christian household, but never really considered myself Christian, and at some point in high school did not identify my as Christian, but what I dubbed a follower of God. After 7 or 8 years of going from bible study to bible study trying to find God, I only recently learned that I have to accept Jesus in order to find Him.

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