Even in Christ, We Walk Different Paths

by Jim Gordon

After being in the organized church for well over fifty years and seeing all the different denominations, beliefs and interpretations, one thing makes me sad. That one thing is to see so many followers of Jesus fight and argue over the different paths we take in our walk with God.

Now that is not saying that all roads lead to God, but while trusting in God and following the example of Jesus, we are going to take many different paths during our life here on earth. We are going to be different from other followers of Jesus, but we are following the same example.

Those of us outside the institutional church should not divide and separate ourselves into us versus them groups. In the same manner, those who are part of the modern-day church should not look down on and separate from those outside the institution. We need to accept that we both love God and are following the example of Jesus along the path that is for us.

I think this is what working out our salvation means. Not that we have to work to earn our salvation, but we continually learn as we follow the example of Jesus in our salvation. We, as Christ followers, will take different paths in our walk with God. We should not expect everyone to walk the same path.

I think this also relates to religion. Jesus was not a Christian and Christianity is not the only religion that leads to God. Many people follow different religions and quite often that is based on where they were born. As an example, most people born in the middle east follow Judaism or Islam. People born in the far east follow Confucianism or Taoism. People of the Indian (India) descent follow Hinduism or Buddhism. Can God draw people from each of these religions? Of course! Religion is not the answer. We were all created in the image of God and God loves the world.

We are to be accepting, loving and kind to all we have contact with each day. It seems we are more concerned about acting and believing the exact same things and following what we think is right. If we do not live that way, we want to fight, argue and separate ourselves rather than accept that God works in each of us in different ways. God made each of us differently, and God leads us along different paths as we walk toward a common goal.

Rather than expect everyone to be just like us, let us start loving one another the way Jesus loved people while he walked the earth. We should not let different religions, interpretations and ways of walking with God be a stumbling block to a loving fellowship with one another.

Besides, we are not going to show anyone how to follow the example of Jesus when all they see is arguing, disagreements and separation among those following Jesus. We will not be good examples of the love of God by insisting people conform to our way of thinking and following our rules and interpretations. The only way people will know we have something worth checking out is when they see those following the example of Jesus loving one another, caring for one another, building one another other up and being loving and kind to those who walk a different path.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

Did You Know The Bible Says Nothing About Marriage?

By Mike Edwards

There is no word for “husband” or “wife” in Hebrew (the older testament). There is also no word for marriage (pairing up) in Hebrew. The English Bible should more accurately use “to take” rather than using the word “marriage.” I will let you decide in a patriarchal society which gender is taking who. In the older testament, the man didn’t marry but took the women. Even the Greek (newer testament) didn’t have a word for husband or wife. We must be careful what we assume a biblical marriage is when biblical writers had no such concept of the marriage institution as we know it. Please see Jennifer Bird Marriage In The Bible for many of the insights below. 

In the Bible marriage was between two men

In the Bible marriage was typically a contract between two men – the father of the man and the father of the woman. A payment was often made by the father of the woman to the father of the man. In a patriarchal culture a woman was basically viewed as property – first to her father and then to the man given to by the father. Was this really God’s ideal?  I’m not a woman, but I doubt women want to go back to biblical pairings. The women in the Bible seem given to the man to have children and build his legacy. Men, if this is your cup of tea, you are reading the wrong blog! 

In the Bible marriage (pairing) often was not between just one man and one woman

It was a very common arrangement in the OT for men to have multiple women. Most are familiar with the stories of two supposed spiritual giants in the Old Testament – Kings David and Solomon. Who hasn’t heard David was a man after God’s own heart. Not always the God I know! Solomon had hundreds of women at his disposal. Polygamy was never condemned in the Bible. Do we really want to go back to biblical pairings? My wife would argue one man is enough of a cross/burden to carry!

In the Bible relationships weren’t based on mutual respect and love

We have laws in the Bible, supposedly advocated by God, where men were required to impregnate their brother’s woman if her man died. (Deut. 25:5) I don’t read where the woman has any say so in the matter, in case she didn’t want to have a child with her “brother-in-law.” My wife’s sisters probably feel the same way. Then in Deut. 22:13-21 God supposedly advocates a woman being forced to stay with a man who lied about her virginity. Again, the woman had no say so. Biblical relationships were hardly built on mutual respect and love. Times have changed hopefully?

Newer Testament didn’t exactly advocate for more women rights

It doesn’t seem much changed from OT times to when Jesus lived. When Jesus advised that a man could only divorce a woman for adulterous reasons, the disciples said “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” (Mt. 19:9-10) They seemed to think marriage is about men’s rights. Also, though Jesus didn’t exactly say so, you mean to tell me Jesus didn’t think women could divorce for the same reason? This passage has multiple interpretations, so we are free to speculate what an ideal marriage is in God’s eyes.

What about gay marriages?

If the Bible doesn’t speak about heterosexual marriages based on mutual and respect, it can’t possibly report on gay relationships based on mutual respect and love. We Must Rethink The Bible When It Comes To Gays!

What kind of marriage does God want? 

Personally, I don’t want anything to do with biblical pairings (marriages). And biblical marriages didn’t happen in churches administered by a preacher-type. Do my partner and I need a redo to have a godly marriage? I admit I can’t read God’s mind, but I know how I ought to treat others especially women. I don’t want any father telling a woman who she must marry for money. I certainly don’t want my parents telling me who to marry. They struck out. I have been married 41 years with three great kids. Turns out she is the saint, not their beloved son. Read the Bible for possible wisdom, but seek to have a godly marriage instead of a biblical marriage.

Did You Know The Bible Says Nothing About Marriage?

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com