The last time we were together here at Backyard Conversations, in the center of that blog, I stated this somewhat obvious but under-appreciated reality.

How we understand the world or come to understand the truth is a huge game changer.

I also said; “Typically we cannot see past our own perspective or paradigm. My way seems so natural and obviously right; at least to me. In a battle of paradigms, it is common for each in the discussion to be saying over and over to the other person in the debate, “You’re not listening to me!!””

It is also important to note that our opinion grids or perspectives on truth have all kinds of influencers (not unlike Tik Tok influencers!) and we are the sponge that soaks up the thoughts and opinions of our families and friends, church friends and co-workers, coaches and teachers, movies and music. All of these ‘voices’ – whether we are paying attention to them or not – are placing impressions in our mind about how things are, or what truth may look like.

This happens in the world of religion too. And evangelicalism as well!

As I noted in our Kingdom Offerings podcast of last week, stories can help us understand truth by connecting to our imagination. Check out this first person testimony offered recently (and quite bravely I might add) at a church service I attended:

=============

I grew up in a Christian home and we went to church every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening. I was the ‘perfect’ little Christian child – I memorized my verses, I got attendance stars, I went to VBS every year and into my teen years you could have called me a Bible Thumper. Even into college I was active in Campus Crusade and led Bible studies on my campus. I bought into a set of beliefs based on certain transactional Bible verses:


Psalm 37:4-5
Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

And this verse was the clincher for me:


Matthew 6:33
Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

The overarching idea was that life in Christ was good and easy and filled with joy and good things. That if you did your part, then God would do His part. I learned that sin was bad and that my main job as a Christian was to, as best as possible, avoid temptation, not sin, and tell others about Jesus.

Then things began to break down on all these assumptions. As time went by, I started to learn something different. Something outside of my so very safe paradigm – God didn’t always deliver on His end of the bargain. I wanted to be popular and to be prettier and to be considered smart and important by my peers. In my head I thought, “I did my end of the bargain – I sought first your kingdom – so where are my new clothes?”

And then, as I started to drift in my faith a bit and hang around some college friends who weren’t in my “Christian crowd,” I also learned that sin was actually kind of fun, that non-Christians were good, caring people and that when you didn’t do the Christian rules just so . . . nothing bad actually happened.

Then one day it all broke down. I heard a naïve prayer about the weather (as though God really cares about our picnic weather!) and said to myself, “That’s it. I’m done.” I took off the cross I was wearing around my neck. The one that had been there for a decade or more.

I decided to test God. I applied for a master’s degree in business and did not pray about it – and I got in! Proof, it seemed to me, that all this religious stuff was bogus.

Here is the deal though. This new life of freedom from religious obligation and legalistic simplicity didn’t cut it either. Very quickly I figured out that this so called life of freedom had no moral answers, no profound purpose – nothing but self-satisfaction and precious little of that. I found myself in tears, not jumping for joy.

Quite fearfully I went  home and told my mom I was struggling with my faith and that I was experiencing deep doubt. I thought I would get from her an earful of guilt or spiritual platitudes that offered no comfort or direction. Instead, she quite calmly and lovingly said, “Lots of people have doubts. I have had doubts and fears too.”

That simple statement by my mom started me back on my journey towards Jesus. Not towards religion, but to Jesus. Not a transactional relationship but a transformational relationship. I decided that I would enter into God’s Kingdom rather than trying to squeeze him into mine. And my life has not been the same.

I started studying the Bible in earnest, not just to learn about God, but to understand Him and His purposes. I began to actually fall in love with Jesus. I’m hardly perfect in my faith, I still have doubts and there are things in my life and for those around me that I deeply wish were different. But I can honestly say that my relationship with Jesus is deeper, wider, and fuller than it has ever been, and I am at peace.

=============
I don’t think this story is that uncommon. The traditional summary of the so called “plan of salvation” is all true:

1. God loves you
2. But sin has created a barrier between you and God
3. The wages of this sin are death and separation from God
4. But the free gift of God is forgiveness in Jesus Christ who paid the penalty for this sin, and
5. By faith in His death on the cross, we can be forgiven and go to heaven and be with Jesus.

All true. But this summarized (some might say minimized)  recipe doesn’t talk about sacrifice . . . or suffering . . . or yielding my authority over my life . . . or give me purpose besides getting to heaven. And too often we fall into a trap of ‘unmet expectations.’

We need to get the paradigm correct. We need all the truth available to us. All the grace, all the  hope, all the peace. How we come to understand the truth is a game changer!

AW Tozer said it well: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

We have to get our truth straight! Not every paradigm is equal in substance. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to examine what we believe to be true and then to act accordingly:

Hebrews 10:19-25
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Let us Draw Near, Hold Fast, and Consider How . . . according to true truths! But that is going to take some deep mind and soul searching.

I’m wondering . . . have you been trapped in an eddy of questions and doubt but you’re ready to break out? Me too! Religion and philosophy will not satisfy you in the deepest places of your soul. You are longing for purpose, community, and healing. It is in relationships that our lives have meaning. All of that is within reach in the Kingdom of God and all its blessings are yours for the having by faith in Christ the King.

We will keep after this set of thoughts for a couple more weeks! See you back here at Backyard Conversations to keep after it! Connect with me at dave@100foldministries.org if you have a bone to pick with my paradigm!

Peace to you!
Dave