You Cretan!

Ever been called a Cretan before? I have, and it wasn't just by my own mother. If you have ever watched the movie The Cutting Edge (I know what you are thinking), then you probably heard D.B. Sweeney's character referred to as a Cretan when he dropped Moira Kelly's character on her can. If we look back through history and the ministry of Paul in the New Testament, then we will find the definition of a Cretan.

Paul wrote a letter to Titus, who was on the island of Crete to assemble Christian converts into the church there. Cretans were well known for being a people who were lazy, gluttoness, dishonest, and pretty much self-absorbed in their own pleasures. Paul writes in 3:3 (NIV), "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures." Think back to the time before you knew Christ. When I do, I see someone who "believed" in God but never really knew what it meant to walk with Christ, and I was still wrapped up in seeking my own pleasures instead of those of Christ.

I have talked with a few people about just coming to check out CATB, and more than one have told me that the church will catch on fire if they step foot in there. I have had a hard time finding a way to tell them that they have done nothing worse than I have. But we must perservere and keep plugging away at explaining that Christ does not care for what they have done if they just ask forgiveness for their sins and accept to follow Him from then on. What is the simplest way to explain this simple concept in simple ways that they can simply understand? Post your thoughts and experiences here please. I know I can use the advice.

Try this on for size: In the Parable of the Parable post, I threw out using anecdotes from our own walks with Christ when we talk with people about how He has affected our lives and grown us. When it comes to those tough nuts to crack, throw out examples from your life before you knew Christ. Let them know that you are no different from them. Most non-believers have a stigma that Christians are these perfect people walking around with the perfect answers to life. Negative. Nothing could be further from the truth. Let them know what you struggle(d) with before you accepted Christ and after. Heck, tell them about King David the murderer and adulterer!

Failing miserably at perfection,
Jesus Freak Out!