"When Christians get to the point where they read only Christian books, go only to Christian movies hang out only with other Christians, eat only Christian cookies, and wear only Christian underwear, it's time for a reality check. That's sick, and it is a sickness unto death.
Once we are free from the need to defend, protect and hide, we have the freedom to show up in places where proper Christians don't go for fear of getting dirty. And it is in our showing up that the authenticity of who we are becomes the "flavor" that attracts others to the ice cream maker." (pg 192).
In the latest book by Steve Brown, Three Free Sins, is an exceptional read that for once, frees Christians and non-Christians alike from the stereotype that in order to live once saved, we have to walk a perfect and holy life. Do you really think that's possible? God knows we can't be perfect and nothing we do will pay for the gift of our salvation in Christ, so we need to stop being weighed down by the fact, we will all fall short sometimes. We need this to be about what God thinks, than what the world thinks and start living a life worthy of God.
In this book, Steve admits he crosses into uncomfortable territory is not acting or even sounding like your typical preacher, because after so many years of being like that, he realizes that isn't what people want when they want to know God. They need to know the walk will be difficult and that God doesn't always seem to play fair, especially when things happen to good people and if we are truly honest with ourselves and who we really are deep down inside, then people can be changed.
"If you're a Christian, you probably have, as I have winced at the revelations of the horrible sin of some of our leaders. Every time a Christian leader falls morally, runs a Ponzi scheme on unsuspecting brothers and sisters in Christ, builds a mansion, or buys a Mercedes from the tithe money from Social Security recipients, or creates an empire that begins to crumble, the rest of us want to run away and become Buddhists. Every time the curtain rolls back, and we see the hypocrisy, the greed, and the shallowness of the church, we are embarrassed and are less arrogant bout the church against which Jesus said, " the gates of hell shall not prevail." (Matthew 16:18). It's hard to be triumphant with that much dirty underwear hanging out in public.
Listen up! Don't waste the dirt! Don't hide the sinners! They're ours. Do you think God is doing something in our midst that we've all missed. Everybody who is reading this has secrets, and if those secrets were publicly revealed, you would flee in embarrassment from friends, neighbors and fellow church members. God, for his own reasons, has revealed a few of the dirty secrets of a few of us. But that is only the surface. A mother lode of secrets has already been uncovered; but I fear that, if we don't start getting this thing right, God won't just stop with them." (pg 180).
I received Three Free Sins compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review and feel a breath of fresh air has come. What a wonderful insight into the way God planned for us to live and for us to treat others. I applaud Steve Brown for being willing to step over the threshold and cause a few to be a bit uncomfortable, but in the end, there is a freedom waiting for us that can not be explained until you live it! A perfect 5 out of 5 stars!
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Seems like a good read!!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much it costs here in our country. :)