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The Christian Golden Calves


Truth be told, as Christians, what we consider “biblical” often has more to do with our preferences than we’d like to admit. We constantly pick and choose the kind of God we want and can resonate with.

Some want a harsh God because they feel a deep-seated need for justice or even vengeance; some want a rigid God because they find security in the certainty of rules; others want a God who would never send anyone to hell because they struggle to reconcile love with eternal torment. We as Christians are constantly casting our own Golden Calves.

This isn’t to say there’s no absolute Truth, but I highly question our human ability to comprehend the complete Truth of an infinite being.

If you hold strong beliefs, present them with sound arguments and reasoning. Don’t just label something as biblical or unbiblical, expecting others to take your word for it. I’ve made this mistake myself, and I hope to do better moving forward.

Also, just because you strongly believe something and others in your circle agree, that doesn’t make it the Truth. When exploring an infinite being through our finiteness, we should get comfortable with the discomfort of uncertainty.

Getting to know ourselves better helps us explore why we believe what we believe. Eventually, we may find that our theology serves our own needs more than the needs of the world around us. That being said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Sometimes, we need to have our own needs met before we can serve others. But always, always leave room for growth and don’t be afraid to progress.

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." - 1 Corinthians 13:12

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