Vikings4Jesus

I have so many questions...not for you, Michael...so many questions about faith and God... No answers for so many of them, either.

Like: Why blood? I mean, if salvation could come any way you want it to (and if you are the creator of all that is) then why not water? I mean, why does something have do die? Why does God have to die?

Or: If God is Almighty, why did the Jewish people keep getting wiped out?

and on and on and on...

So, your friends are happy being Jewish. That just sounds so strange to me. I'm happy being half Swedish...um... Should I be on the lookout for Vikings4Jesus?

I don't think anybody loses their cultural identity by coming to Christ anymore - unless we're introducing people to a different Jesus. Time was that you had to embrace Western European culture to be a Christian. Not so, anymore...I think...I hope...

Are your friends Jewish by culture or by faith? There's a huge difference. Jews by faith can become Chrsitians by faith and retain pretty much all of their traditions and history. I know a number of Christians who celebrate the Jewish holidays faithfully. You can live a life that upholds the Torah and still be a Christian. What we're talking about here is having a relationship with Jesus. He doesn't ask you to wear a cross or put up a Christmas tree - He asks you to trust Him with your life. No culture, just a changed heart. "Just" - as if that's easy. But we can chuck the church services and the bumper stickers and the worship CDs and live our lives honoring the Messiah - Jesus. And I know that Messiah is a culturally loaded word, too.

Okay - I got interrupted and lost my train of thought...

Here's the thing. I don't think you have to take on a whole new cultural identity (per se) to be a Christian. You take on a whole new being. And there may be things from your past that you will find you want to change - and isn't that what sin and redemption are really about anyway?

Jews4Jesus. Lemme ask you - why were your friends so upset? What is it about being Jewish that they really like? How would coming to saving faith in Jesus change that?

So...

Here's fodder for the conversation:

"Your concept of salvation can't be bigger than your concept of sin."