True Faith

I was able these past two days to watch two documentaries on 4 college guys traveling the country (in one) and Europe in the other. These guys set out to engage culture's perspective on Jesus and the afterlife. They probably had to edit over 400 interviews each of people's responses to these questions: Who was Jesus? and What happens when you die? These are both compelling questions and most people were able to answer these questions, the ideas were not foreign concepts. After watching the first film where they set out to ask Europeans what their view of identity, sex/relationships, and consumerism were, I felt very discouraged in my own faith. Who am I to have been given the Gospel of Jesus Christ (and the scripturally, grace-centered view as there were many who claimed to be Christians but still thought they had to do enough "good" to get into heaven). This misconception is a plague in the world today and yet here I am on my soap box thinking that I have found the problem of the world (you're welcome). I don't know much about anything but by the grace of Jesus Christ I know that Jesus came down, lived life as a God-man, and died on the cross, bearing God's wrath for all my sin, and then rose again (HECK YEAH!!!!!). But back to this idea of works-based salvation. What struck me the most was that in the ENTIRE two documentaries the ONLY people who understood that we are broken, fallen, in total need of God's grace and are otherwise incapable of going to heaven were two homeless guys in Georgia. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." Grated it is "all kinds of evil" so to get rid of money is not the only way to get rid of evil but I think Timothy wasn't kidding around! There is far more evil associated with wealth than anyone would be willing to admit and I KNOW that I must sound so prideful, judging you and your wealth but maybe Timothy was on to something. What if a life of "barely getting by", a life that really does consist of trusting God to provide, maybe thats more important than this idea today of financial stability. And yet here I am, sitting in my queen bed, on my MacBook Pro, (I feel like I could go on and on about the opportunities my parent's wealth has provided for me) I mean, I get to go to college for Pete's sake!! and I want that for my children, but to fear the unknown and to trust God is to live like Christ in the purest and most honest way. I am walled in my privilege and have no need to trust my Savior for the little things, which can often make some of the medium (and even the super big things) really difficult to see Jesus in the chaos. I do my devotional, I spend time in the Word, only to allow it to saturate, without sharing this Good News that Jesus frees us from legalism, from works-based salvation. Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! He has conquered death and sin and in Him we are co-heirs, conquerers of death! What an undeserved gift of life that we are called to react to!! Thank you Jesus for allowing me to get this out. Please let me proclaim your name despite myself. In your Holy name, amen.