Yes, the church should be about salvation.
But if you have a worldly (focusing on what to DO instead of on what Christ DID) view of the achievement of that salvation instead of God’s one and only plan,
then you’re going to venture into a collective salvation model that he’s talking about,
instead of an individual relationship based salvation.
I’m going to ramble a bit here because it is important to me and your comment makes me feel comfortable. It is what I’m looking for. (so many I’s and me’s I read like Obama)
I don’t do church and I believe in part because when I was young my Granny was sick and had missed several Sunday’s at church. Nobody had come around to her house but her church sure sent a bill.
My mother attends church and I’ve told her that story and that is part of my reason why I don’t like churches. She told me that my Granny (I can’t ask her now, she’s gone)that my Granny pledged money and that’s why.
Well. wouldn’t that be like a contract then? She pledges money to her church but what is the churches responsibility or part of the contract? Just to collect the pledge?
Isn’t their part to attend to her spiritual life—why didn’t they come around to visit and check on her? She may have failed to give money but they failed her heart—I know, I was there and it hurt her.
I also hear church politics from my mother—I don’t like that. I’ve noticed some people holding church in their homes, I am thinking I could enjoy that but I’m apprehensive.
The thing is, I was excited about some of what Pope Francis said at first but it started to go down hill after that. This last one really was a final straw for me. No, I don’t need the church to talk about money, abortion or homosexuality. I want to hear about the bible and through the bible I will learn these truths.
I’m not an educated person and sometimes I fall asleep reading the same line in the bible over and over again—trying to wrap my mind around it— in hopes that one more reading will help me understand it. It feels like when I first learned to drive on a standard shift car...clunk...lurch...clunk.
That’s what I’m looking for in spiritual leaders—help me understand the bible. Help me to get closer to God through understanding. Maybe if I understood better I wouldn’t fall down so often and my life would get better. If I am a better person through understanding God, won’t I then be a better person to others around me?
I don’t like driving by huge churches with scrolling signs—it’s ugly and cold. Just teach me about God, help me understand and develop a closer relationship to God. That’s what I had hoped from in the Pope, I am disappointed.
I suppose one good thing about pope Francis— he sure has made more of us start talking about our beliefs— even if by controversy.