If you missed the original overview of the struggle--check it out here.
My second challenge to my faith was that there were so many great people who do great things who don't know Jesus. That really put a wedge in my faith in Jesus. I had so many awesome people in my life who did awesome things, who loved people and who wanted to do good things for the world. Beyond that, almost a separate issue, was that I saw non-Christians being even kinder and more loving than Christians. I was challenged by that and really, I was confused by that. I see so many good people in the world doing good things. I was surrounded by non-Christians who were sincerely kind and wonderful. People who didn't know Jesus, but loved people.
Growing up, I had always heard that your life radically changes when you meet Jesus. I was confused because I saw people changing without Jesus. On one hand, that's really awesome that people are doing great things. On the other, it led to the question of...What is the actual purpose/reason of Jesus? People who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus still radically love, still fully forgive.
And, it kind of seemed like those who didn't know Jesus were almost "more noble" because when they did kind things or cared about people, they didn't have any ulterior motives like they wanted that person saved or whatever terminology you want to use. They just did a nice thing because it was a nice thing. One of the hottest phrases in Christianity or "Christian-ese" is "planting a seed". Christians do a nice thing because it's a nice thing, but to also "plant a seed". Always another motive, and that bothered me.
It sounds odd, but I was challenged by the fact that there were so many good people in the world. I wondered what the actual purpose/reason of Jesus was.
My second challenge to my faith was that there were so many great people who do great things who don't know Jesus. That really put a wedge in my faith in Jesus. I had so many awesome people in my life who did awesome things, who loved people and who wanted to do good things for the world. Beyond that, almost a separate issue, was that I saw non-Christians being even kinder and more loving than Christians. I was challenged by that and really, I was confused by that. I see so many good people in the world doing good things. I was surrounded by non-Christians who were sincerely kind and wonderful. People who didn't know Jesus, but loved people.
Growing up, I had always heard that your life radically changes when you meet Jesus. I was confused because I saw people changing without Jesus. On one hand, that's really awesome that people are doing great things. On the other, it led to the question of...What is the actual purpose/reason of Jesus? People who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus still radically love, still fully forgive.
And, it kind of seemed like those who didn't know Jesus were almost "more noble" because when they did kind things or cared about people, they didn't have any ulterior motives like they wanted that person saved or whatever terminology you want to use. They just did a nice thing because it was a nice thing. One of the hottest phrases in Christianity or "Christian-ese" is "planting a seed". Christians do a nice thing because it's a nice thing, but to also "plant a seed". Always another motive, and that bothered me.
It sounds odd, but I was challenged by the fact that there were so many good people in the world. I wondered what the actual purpose/reason of Jesus was.
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