things I think about...things i'm passionate about

There are things that I think about…that I’m passionate about, that I’m learning about, that I haven’t been writing about. As a result I feel like part of me is missing, like the real me is not really here. This harks back to a post I did in November called “belief and experience”, which was in response to a question I was asked about the charismatic gifts of the Spirit. I actually wrote it back then, but didn’t post it. I don’t really know why…well ya actually I do. I’ve written more stuff too, that I haven’t posted. I suppose that’s normal. Anyway, here’s a bit more of the real me. Ready or not….

“What I believe. I believe that the fully functioning BODY OF CHRIST will operate and be completely comfortable in all of the gifts of the Spirit, since all of the gifts are a reflection of Christ. I believe the gifts of the Spirit are just that...gifts... given by God, by grace, through faith, unearned, to people who may or may not know what to do with them, who may or may not abuse them. I believe they are all valuable, precious, and necessary. I believe we are awkward and bumbling and uninformed. I believe they were promised to his children a very long time ago.

I believe that a BODY OF CHRIST that does not operate and is not completely comfortable in all the gifts of the Spirit is missing something, no different than a physical body missing an eye or a leg or a half a lung. We can still move and breath and function and be happy, but there are some things that we are meant to be able to do that we simply can not do. We can still be Christ to people, but not the full revelation of Christ. We may have the truth, but not "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth". We may be of some help to some people, but not to the extent we could be.

I don't see OUR BODY as fully functioning. There are pieces missing. I love OUR BODY. It reflects the body of Christ much more accurately than other churches I've been involved with, but it is not complete. There is still much to learn. If TRUTH + FAITH = EXPERIENCE and we are not experiencing, then we need to learn the truth. Jesus is the truth, and the Spirit is the Spirit of truth and we need to learn of him. We also need faith, but faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God...so let’s hear it…let’s start asking questions.”