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All in Theology
"He's the real deal," is a common expression to affirm someone's credibility. This expression is often applied to an athlete or someone with great talent or used to confirm some claim or observation about a person.
Over the past 45 years, my wife has loved on and cared for hundreds of children. Many people along the way have noted her gift with and love for children and their love for her.
I've seen it in her as Mom and Nana and in her work in church nurseries, in our ministry overseas, and in her current work at a preschool.
Words need to match action for a person to be the real deal. The opinion of others isn't enough, people need to see it for themselves. In other words, it should be obvious to all.
Every election cycle voters put great hopes in their candidates, as leaders who will bring change or stability or both. Yet, there's no one person who will garner everyone's support because people have such diverse concerns and issues.
Recorded history reminds us of the ups and downs of civilizations and cultures. History is cyclical. Life, in general, is cyclical, just as the seasons within a year. The greatness of a nation or era of civilization is preceded and followed by periods of mediocrity or worse.
The problem is consistency and succession of leaders and their governing power. Even religious and theological views vary because they're tied to ever-changing generations and leaders within each generation.
Thankfully, there is one leader who is enduring, trustworthy, and compassionate. He was not elected by people, nor is He limited by human fickleness and frailty. He is powerful, yet humble. Superior, yet approachable.
People need and want strong leaders for the most part. Sometimes strong leaders do well, but too often authority and power corrupts a person. Then, corruption breeds more corruption and oppression is unleashed upon those who desire and need strong leadership.
The problem is that no human leader can be supremely benign and powerful in a way that is fair and beneficial to all. Even very good leaders, well-respected and loved leaders, die because they are human. This creates a leadership vacuum in their absence.
It is easy to lose focus and perspective when we get absorbed in one line of thought. Absorbed in a cause, a challenge, a debate, or an impassioned view of an issue. When you see the word government what comes to mind?
Are you concerned about a new presidential administration or the state of our nation? How about wars and refugees? Violence seems to pop up all over the world and our nation is not immune to it. Concerns about the economy, international trade, and jobs, international unrest, immigration, freedoms and rights all come to mind.
But all of these are issues and concerns of human government. As you read this on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, you might be wondering, "What kind of Christmas message is this?!" "How about something uplifting and hopeful?" Exactly my point!
The Christian faith is not a set of abstract beliefs. A confession of faith is more than words and thoughts written out or spoken.
Genuine Christian faith is anchored in Jesus. Not only what is believed in Him as the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, but in relationship with Him.
Genuine Christianity is centered on the person of Jesus Christ, not a set of doctrines to be practiced or beliefs to hold. The book of Hebrews makes this very clear.
