Anything more than the words above according to Jesus Is Sin. Always be ready to give an account to those who ask of you, reasons for your faith. Or in other words, " let your words be seasoned with salt or flavoring in answer to those who would question you about your faith in Jesus.
Today we have "many" flavors of Christianity. Almost like Baskin Robbins ice cream you can get anything you want. Be very careful what you search for. There are entanglements even in the name of Christianity that will trap and deter from the basics of the faith in Jesus. Searching for Nirvana here on earth is a mistake, there is not one to be found. Jesus told his disciples that "you will have much tribulation or if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you too. Why? Because we are now in the war zone and there is no demilitarized zone. There may be cease fires from time to time but only that. The war is a continuing struggle for light against dark and the struggle can be subtle also.
Even in the halls of Christianity, there can be tremendous deceptions that make it hard to tell where the shots are coming from. "Friendly Fire" can kill just as easy as the enemy's can! Casualties happen even in the best of intentions. Look at the Paul and Barnabas story. Nuff said! There will always be differences of opinions in the way that anyone looks at things. In trying to find a unity in the Body of Christ we must always be diligent not to alienate those who might look at things just a little differently and harm them with our "tongues" and or actions.
Even our Christianity can become a cult-ish type of environment if we are not careful. Isolation, wrong
headed heirarchies uneven or unbalanced rewards to some and not to others and mind-bending tendencies are things to watch for and are cause for alarm.
In an effort to serve Christ we must be simple and uncomplicated and reflect in nature the Christlike things that our Lord did. Paul was stern in his writings to the Churches he looked after. There were many wrong things taking place and corrections that had to be made, nevertheless he warned those who over saw the work of the church "not to lord over them." (Or those who maintained fellowship with one another.) This tendency is dangerous and can split Churches wide open and destroy years of working together. I know, I've been there done that.
What is serving? Loving your brother, feeding the poor, visiting the sick and imprisoned, giving the shirt off your back if your brother does not have one and you do. Do you have a nice house? How does your brother feel if he does not? Will there be envy? Dis-arm it right away. Help him too. Level the playing field if possible. Though we will always have inequities between one another it is how we deal with them that matters. Remember Ananais and Saphira? Take a look at their attitudes and be watchful. It wasn't so much as what they had as what they did with it. Holding back in giving stifles the true Spirit or quenches it. If you have it give it in moderation, if you don't pray and the Lord will help.
Most of all do not get trapped by men's words that may offer up a type of Christianity that may not be true. Check it out. Don't check your mind out at the door.
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