As a Christian, there is no group that annoys me more than other Christians. Yeah, I know we’re all suppose to be forgiven and part of some greater body, but I feel like my part in the body is to point out how stupid and wrong the rest of you are sometimes. I wish I didn’t have to, I wish people were wise enough and intelligent enough to figure things out on their own, like God probably wants us to, but Christians inevitably end up like every other people group: a few winners and a lot of losers (I miss George Carlin).
One of the more annoying things is how Jesus and God get portrayed in modern Christian culture. Usually this done by experts who have gone to some Bible college of some kind but always and inevitably never read a word of the Old Testament, only the New Testament and seem to disregard the former as out of date. When I say out of date, what they usually mean is that the old Law doesn’t apply anymore (which is true to a degree) and that the Jesus is your buddy now once you become Christian (Did I mention I miss George Carlin?).
When I was a teenager, I found this notion of Jesus being my friend to be laughable and really quite childish. I guess I can’t blame my youth pastors too much, considering they never encountered the string of bad friendships I had growing up (I was a needy, co-dependent freak and my “friends” were largely abusive assholes; Don’t worry I’m much better now). It’s a really bad analogy to make when you’re dealing with an Omega.
Yes, God loves us. He loves us enough to have sent His only Son to die so that we may be redeemed in His eyes. That’s a fundamental belief that draws the line between the Christian and the non-Christian. Most of the other stuff tends to be details we can’t agree on. My disagreement lies with this notion that Jesus is your friend now. Yet every Sunday I recite the Nicene Creed and clearly state that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father awaiting to return. And apparently that day won’t be a fun day for a lot of people.
But neither God nor Jesus are not your friends. Jesus died for our sins. God created all that is. You cannot possibly be so self-centered as to think that a being of that magnitude would want to sit down and be your friend. I know, He loves us, but that doesn’t mean he likes us. Two very different concepts.
It’s hard to explain actually. I just get really uneasy when people say that Jesus is their friend. I feel like there is something seriously wrong with that concept and yet I can’t seem to articulate it that well. I sit down and read through the Bible and I see a loving God who is so holy that we would literally burn alive in order to be purified in His presence were it not for the saving grace brought to us by Jesus. What kind of a friend needs a surrogate to grant you access to his mere presence.
No God is God and you are not. As a Christian, you should worship Him and pray that His Will be done throughout the entire world and through you as well. You should thank Him for the life you’ve been given and thank Him for the salvation He gave through the blood of His Son. Anything more seems dysfunctional to me.
If you cannot accept that God is who He is and that everything he does is holy, from redeeming our sins to burning whole cities to ash, then you are not ready to serve Him. God is God and His Will is pure and holy, even when said Will involves killing entire groups of people and their assorted cattle. This is hard teaching to accept, I know, but it’s a lot simpler to follow.
God is not your friend. Jesus is not your friend. The Holy Spirit will come as He sees fit to fulfill the Will of the Father and bring glory to their names and their beings. Calling them friends cheapens their holiness, their awesomeness, their sheer might, and their love and forgiveness toward us all.