Unfortunately, I believe many churches are not discussing many of these foundational terms in Christianity. If you are attending a Christian church and you haven't heard your pastor use words like sanctification, atonement, or justification my advice would be to find another church! These are some critical terms in understanding what it means to be a Christian. Don't misunderstand me. In order to become a Christian all we need to do is to place our faith in Jesus Christ. We don't have to know anything other than the fact that Christ died for our sins and rose again. My point is that we are not going to grow into the fullness of the Christian life without a little bit of study.
I believe some church leaders are selling their congregation short by ignoring some vital concepts and terminology. I'm afraid many pastors are opting for the "feel good" dumbed-down message rather than the necessary building blocks for a spiritually mature life in Christ. I can't imagine more of an insult than if my pastor said, "Grant, I want to explain this amazing concept of sanctification and how it will transform you into the likeness of Christ, but I've decided to skip it because I don't think you'll understand it." I know what you're thinking! Are you kidding me?? Give it to me!
Yes, some of the concepts and terms in Christianity can be a little confusing. But, the important thing to remember is we build upon what we know. Building blocks....one at a time. The rewards are so rich! God wants us to go deeper with Him. Plus, He desires nothing more than for us to be honest and say, "God, I'm having a tough time understanding ________. Can you help explain that to me?" Imagine praying and meditating on these ideas as God fills our mind with His wisdom and understanding. James 1:5 says if we lack wisdom to ask God who gives generously.
My prayer is that you won't settle. Let's dig deeper!
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