There are over 2.8 billion Christians on the planet and over 41,000 denominations. Over the course of my life, I've been a part of a few of those. My wife was raised and we were married in the Roman Catholic Church, I was reared in The First Church of Christ. I've also attended Korean, Apostolic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Wesleyan, and Non-Denominational Evangelical Churches. I've been a part of the United Methodist Church for the past 16 years. My experiences with all the denominations have been very positive - each showing me a new and beautiful facet or expression of the Christian Faith.
And while exposure to those expressions were very helpful to me, over the course of my Spiritual journey, I sometimes found myself confused. I had many Spiritual questions and the answers were often complicated by the tenets of a particular denomination.
The people of Jesus' society had many rules and complex regulations about how people should live in order to be right with God. I'm sure many of them were overwhelmed by the complexity of living out First-Century Judaism.
The Bible tells the story of a religious leader, an expert in the Law, who queried Jesus:
Matthew 22: 36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Jesus distilled religious complexity in a way that only He could.
Love God.
Love Others.
There are many other beautiful tenets, expressions, and nuances of the Christian Faith, but sometimes it's really helpful for me to just remember the basics.
Love God.
Love Others.
Simple.
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