Truth.

I'm a graduate of John Brown University and have degrees in Youth Ministries and Biblical/Theological Studies (sounds cooler than it is). I was born to Mexican parents and live as a citizen of the United States. My hair is black, eyes brown, skins brown and I'm roughly a hair short of six foot tall and a meal over 200 pounds. None of these features define me, due to the fact that they are all mutable within time and space, but they nonetheless serve as truths and apply to me. Easily said. Easily accepted. Now then... I'm a murderer. I'm a liar. I'm an adulterer. I'm a hater. I'm an idolizer of other gods. I'm a sinner. Many of these things I am at heart but they're not limited to that. I'm a lot of things. I'm also renditions of the formerly mentioned. There's a LOT of sins out there. I mean, to call yourself a sinner and mean it is to fully embrace your capability to do ALL OF THEM. Or else... why call yourself a sinner at all?... I don't mean that as a personal shot but as a wake up call to the heart, intellect and soul of all in Christendom. But anyhow, back to what I was saying... I'm flat out a sinner.

Redeemed? yes, but fully depraved. Incapable of doing any good if not in pursuit of the sovereign will of God (Basically, I suck). It's a hard pill to swallow if you REALLY know what it means. The word depraved literally implies "FULLY corrupt". Now, Let me ask us all a question (by "all" I mean everyone who fancies themselves a Christian)... Do you ever defend yourself? ...Why? Why would you defend yourself at all after admitting that you're a sinner? Along with this, why would you ever condemn another sinner if in fact you both have the same disease? Would compassion and a strong need for truth and redemption not steer you towards a Christ centered grace? Do the gospels not clearly show how Christ interacted with both the Pharisees and the whores respectively?

Truth's that can be seen, like me being Mexican, are easy to accept. Truth's that are found in the soul require more faith because they aren't mutable in space like physical truths. So basically, if faith comes from God working in ones soul, is it not faithfulness to trust in the faith of another in Christendom? KIND of a side note: Knowing Christ and his truth should HURT a christian-- Especially since their faith revolves around the idea of BEING a sinner. That's why the Pharisee, who does not realize his FULL ability to sin, judges the whore but the whore does not lose sleep over the Pharisee. Nor does the whore live to see the Pharisees shortcomings. As I say this, my heart is tempted with bitterness so I should stop before I embrace it. I'm also losing track of the point I'm trying to make so let's close with this... IF you believe in Christ, believe in His Christendom (if in fact they ARE part of Christendom) and have faith that they are driven by Christ instead of just dwelling on their depravity. IF you can't do that, you must approach Christ with the condition of your heart because there's something wrong. Could be guilt... Could be bitterness. Either way, that's all I got... Word to your consciousness. God is good.

Love.

I don't know what love means. Kinda sucks to admit, but its true. So much is involved in any "love relationship", whether it's family, romantic or friendship. Augustine, who was a crazy smart Christian philosopher, said that in any "love relationship" there is a lover, the loved and the love itself. In order to properly love someone else (the loved), the person loving (the lover) must first love themselves. He also stressed the fact that the love itself only comes from GOD (1 John 4:7-21). That's a mind trip, huh.... (Random thought but isn't it crazy that the Greeks recognized 4 different types of love? agape, philia, eros and storge?... Check 'em out sometime.)

Anyway... Augustine believed that if one of these ingredients to a "love relationship" were missing then it wasn't worthy of being called love. It was only worthy of being called an infatuation... Which means I'm one infatuated individual... and I do not love myself, others or consistently seek the Lord. How about you?

Again, let me be brief. Let us seek love-- On a personal basis, on a neighborly basis and even a communal basis. Read 1 John 4:7-21 and let it blow your mind. Until next time, word to your consciousness. God is love... which is sooo good :)