BABBC
October 20, 2024
What my thinking is is this — I am under the impression that people aren’t understanding the difference between BABBC and other religions and philosophies — at least, many others see things differently than me. Anyways, we usually place religions and philosophies into the same bucket. That’s certainly okay, because it’s only natural for any person to assess opinions based on their own experiences practicing their own beliefs, what they have derived and concluded from learning, and the entire history of their lives up until the present moment. There’s no difference between people in that sense… To put it more bluntly: who cares what other people think? We all have other more practical things to think about — like, “Is it time to mow the lawn?”
I mean, other than simple curiosity, what difference does my opinion make? Who’s even going to give it a fair hearing?
Taking all of the different ways of thinking, those usually become individuals’ mindsets, in which some become hardened and some remain pliable… close-minded or open-minded.
Now, I have to admit that I am trying to be “cute,” using an unknown acronym for this essay’s title which stands for Born Again Bible Believing Christian — which is my particular metaphysical persuasion. (I guess I’m just a bit overtired.)
I think many are familiar with the Christian apologeticist’ use of the phrase “relationship not religion.” Also, people take offense at that for some reason unbeknownst to me. I can only surmise such a reaction is from a hardening of mindset, causing the mind to close to possibilities — to what sometimes is referred to as a “closed mind.”
Right here and now I will interject a Bible verse to move closer to the point of this essay, and this is Jesus talking: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.” — Revelation 3:20, Berean Standard Bible.
My point? You see, anybody with a hardened mindset ain’t gonna open that door for nobody. Right? …Not even Him. That’s too bad. If one would decide to open the door just a crack they just might see who’s a-callin’.
The underused word “persuasion” might be useful here, but it’s not a muscle and only a few exercise it at the proverbial gym anymore, do they?
Just a small detail here, to remind readers, depending on which type of culture a person comes from, talking about either the heart, the mind, or the soul, we are talking about the same thing — the inner person.
All the same, being a Born Again Bible Believing Christian, I have discovered that all the work has been done for me, and on my part, all I have to do is receive the techniques and then go to the gym to practice them. In addition, there are many different roads to travel and still go in the same general direction…
Yet, what I understand to be the pivotal difference from pragmatic applications of religions and philosophies, in general, is that they require continuous attention and upgrades and for the adherents to keep up with the demands of each upgrade. Besides that, they turn out to be a myriad of one way streets with few to none clearly marked alternate routes and without a defined destination.
Now, I am going to point out a road sign here: Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” — John 10:10, New International Version. (I strongly advise taking this exit.)
I suppose I should end this discourse here, but…
Whether good times or bad, I have learned is I just have to talk to Jesus and he talks with me (not audibly, of course, not with shaking mountains like God did with Moses and the Hebrews, but like with with Elijah’s experience recorded in 1 Kings 19:11b-13 :
“…the LORD is about to pass by. And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ “
You see, after being Born Again, as the New Testament provides, there is no wind, no earthquake, no fire, but there is “a still small voice, a “gentle whisper” as the New International Version describes it.
Oh, life still has its troubles, but it is possible to learn what the apostle Paul did: “…I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.” — Philippians 4:11. Perhaps Paul also got encouragement from the apostle James who wrote: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” — James 1:2–5, BSB.
This is the “muscle” needing exercise in the allegorical “gym” I was attempting to use…
Still and all, I can hear the complaints now about my quoting Scripture verses, as if I am utilizing some kind of deceptive debate techniques, but I am not. These quotes are very well written by people who have experienced the presence of God in their lives.
I, too. have experienced the gentle whisper of God through the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus on the day of Pentecost.
Furthermore, I have learned the lesson where Paul talked about being content even when trouble comes my way.
I have learned to go have a talk with Jesus when I have no idea what is happening and no clue why it’s happening to me.
Oh, I have found out that He is so patient with me when I am so dull of mind and slow on the uptake and when I have chosen to do the wrong thing when I should have known better…
Yes. Yes. Yes. After being Born Again, a person enters a learning process just like being a baby in a spiritual sense, trying to focus for the first time, seeing a new world for the very first time, learning how to walk and talk, stumbling and getting back up, learning how to eat, learning how to treat people… Learning and learning and learning…
Still and all it’s a matter of me receiving without deserving, growing without striving all on my own, and so on.
Jesus has already done it all for me. All that remains for me to do is to cooperate, to follow, to accept.
Any religion or philosophy that I have ever come across, places all its demands on the person, not the Head Coach.
The rewards of accepting Jesus as one’s personal Savior are always gifts. All that’s left is to untie the bows and open the packages.
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.” — Ephesians 2:8–10, BSB.
