Hybrid Christianity

In biology the term hybrid often refers to the offspring of two different species, or of two different genera. The end result is not always better and many times the offspring is sterile, unable to reproduce any fruit after it's kind. There may well be another type of hybrid roaming the earth today, the hybrid Christian. The species has blended a little truth with some deception and sadly thinks that they are OK. They have in fact created a God in their minds that does not exist and has no power to save them.

Paul, in 1 Corinthian speaks about this topic. He calls this hybrid - "carnal". Carnal Christians are those who talk the talk, but do not walk the walk. They make the claim, but do not deliver the goods. They use grace as an excuse for sin rather than knowing grace as the power of God to overcome sin.

The Bible says to remain carnal has dire results:

Romans 8:6-8 says: "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

In Paul's day, people were claiming to know Christ but continuing on in sinful lifestyles. Not much has changed today. People say all the time that because they are a certain denomination or because they are in a certain church it's OK to do certain sin, because their church, they say, has no problem with it. The lead singer of the rock band, Blink 182, said at one point that he was a Christian – but he added something to the effect, “I’m the type that drinks and party’s and uses foul language.”

The Bible says:

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

That’s a huge deception in our culture for that 'type' of Christian doesn't exist. Biblically, there is only one kind of Christian, and that's the kind with a surrendered life to Christ and whose actions, words, deeds, practices and habits reflect Jesus Christ. Hybrid Christianity is turning the world off of Christianity because it's unable to produce fruit because it's sterile (having a form of godliness but lacking its power).

Perhaps we need a better understanding of what the grace of God is.

On seeing several criminals being led to the scaffold in the 16th century, English Protestant martyr John Bradford remarked, 'There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford.'

We still say that today – except for the grace of God, there go I. What does that mean? It means I was on that path to hell, but a Power that is higher than I called the Grace of God came down and changed me – and now I’m eternally grateful because I’m not the man I used to be. I don't live in the sin I used to - because of grace! You see grace is the power to overcome sin – not an excuse to co-exist with it.

You smell like the sheep

Every 'sheep herder' or shepherd carries with him or her, the distinct smell of the sheep in which they care for. That's because they are intricately involved in their care and feeding. If a certain sheep was stuck or in danger, the shepherd would go put his arms around the frightened animal and rescue it. In Jesus' time, shepherds would bring their flocks together at night and build a pen around them for safety. There would be four or five different flocks inside of one pen. How did they sort them out? Easily. The next morning the shepherds would gather at the opening of the pen and as the sheep came out the shepherds would call to them. Every sheep recognized the voice of its shepherd and would automatically follow his voice. The sheep literally knew the voice of the one who took care of them.

We know that Jesus is the Great Shepherd. But we also use the term 'shepherd' for another person today: A pastor. I believe the greatest compliment that any pastor (shepherd) could ever receive is, "Pastor, you smell like the sheep." This has nothing to do with the olfactory sense mind you. But it's a statement that says, "Pastor thank you for being there for me - thank you for taking care of me - thank you for not be untouchable and unreachable - thank you for being a genuine friend." In the sports world have you ever heard of a "player's coach"? Well we need more "player's pastors", "sheep's shepherds" if you will.

What I would love to see today is the end of the professional minister. Those who care for a flock only because they love the pedestal of praise or who only care about the problems of the sheep when they're 'on the clock'. These are the ministers who insist that a pastor should never have close friends within his own congregation. How truly sad. Perhaps it's time that we stop giving credentials to those merely looking for recognition or a paycheck. Title and position seekers need not apply. To be an under shepherd for the Great Shepherd means that we have to smell like the sheep. Isn't that how Jesus smelled?

The Missing Books of The Bible

I've spent a little time recently reading the Gnostic Gospels, aka, the missing books of the Bible. After having read them, I now know why they were missing. They are the most non-sensical, moronic ramblings that make absolutely no sense that I've ever subjected my eyes to. Check out my "Duh-Vinci" blog below for some honest to goodness quotes from the Gnostics. I honestly believe that whoever wrote them (by the way, they are erroneously named after disciples and other real Bible characters who had nothing to do with writing them - mainly because they were long dead before these books were ever written) must have been snorting mushrooms and licking toads and then sat down to write on the 'deeper meanings of life'. If you ever hear from anyone that these writings reveal more about Jesus, or give us greater insight into Christianity, you may safely write them off. The Gnostic Gospels make Nostradamus look like William Shakespeare.
There is clearly a difference between Holy Spirit anointed revelation (The Bible) and incoherent babbling. The more we learn about the Bible and how we got it, the more obvious it becomes that God has truly preserved His Word through the course of history. That's not surprising because Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." Matthew 24:35.