By centering our discernment on God as revealed through Christ, we gain a deeper and more personal understanding of what it means to test everything and hold fast to what is good. Does it align with God’s character, his promises, and his commands? Jesus is the perfect image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15) and the clearest expression of God’s love, grace, and mercy.
Harvey Deutschendorf shares how intimate, trusting relationships where one can openly share hopes, fears, and experiences are particularly valuable. Building strong connections involves actions like listening, being supportive, keeping commitments, and showing genuine interest in others’ lives. Overall, investing time and energy into meaningful relationships appears to be more rewarding than pursuing material wealth when it comes to finding contentment and joy in life.
The purpose of emphasizing a broader understanding of sin is not to condemn or overwhelm us with guilt. It’s to remind us we all need God’s grace and a humble heart. Sin is like a disease that affects our hearts and minds, distorting our perceptions and hindering our ability to love others as God loves us.
If God is genuinely transforming our lives, if our values and actions are shifting because of our faith, shouldn’t that be something worth talking about? I’m not talking about those awkward door-to-door pairs in matching outfits, forcefully shoving their beliefs down your throat (yeah, that’s a hard pass).
In essence, faith or belief should lead to transformation through a process. Our value systems, which in turn govern our behavioral systems, should undergo continuous and ongoing transformation, albeit this does not imply that everything changes instantaneously. If a belief is truly genuine, it cannot stay dormant in our mind but must emerge as part of what we believe.
Because of His presence, power, and position as God, He is easily able to overpower us. It’s easy to love God because of what He can give us rather than who He is. If we look at the story of Israel in the Old Testament, we see that they often stray from God, only to experience dire calamities before turning back to God and being rescued. This process is then repeated.
The first step in avoiding the ‘savior complex’ is to acknowledge our own brokenness. As individuals, we are flawed, imperfect, and prone to making mistakes. When we serve others who are in need of a physician (Luke 5:31), it is far more difficult to develop a ‘savior complex’ if we have a clear understanding that we, too, are also in need of the same physician.
Deconstruction holds significant importance for the church as it allows for growth, authenticity, and a more vibrant faith community. The process of deconstruction challenges long-held beliefs, traditions, and practices, thereby inviting people and the overall body of Christ to examine and reevaluate our understanding of God, scripture, and the Christian faith.