What is the Point?

I've been meaning to write on this question for some time, but have put it off because I've been unable to get my head around to formulate what I needed to write. I guess one can call this writer's block. There have been events in my life and things that I've witnessed, and also on books that I've read which triggered me into asking a question like this.

I believe this is a question that drives to the heart of who and what we are, and drives to the heart of what we think and believe. From what I've witnessed, it seems its really not a question that one really likes mainly because its a question that actually challenges the very core of what we profess to believe, what we profess to be, and then from that basis, of how we live these things out. Therefore when asked this question from this kind of perspective, I would imagine that it actually leaves one feeling terribly uncomfortable, just to say the least. With all that said, however, I believe this is a very important question for the following reasons:

• It causes us to examine our motives
• It causes us to examine the reasoning of our thinking
• It causes us to examine the underlying issues of our insecurities
• It causes us to examine the direction of one's life
• It causes us to examine if what one believes is based on truth, or that its based on emotions.
• And last, but certainly not the least, it causes us to examine if what one believes adds or takes away from Jesus Christ.

I remember writing a blog on about Bible Doctrines, titled, "Bible Doctrines, Are they Really Relevant?," of which I tried to get us to examine them in the light of trying to find out what the point of them were about, and as such what their actual relevance were. And so, as with them, the question can be also asked as to what is/was the point of them. However, we know what the points of them were/are, and they can be clearly seen. With that said, we know there are doctrines that are not like that, and do, and has done caused a great deal of confusion, division, and etc. And it's at these kinds of doctrines the question could be fairly leveled of what is the point of them.

In a very recent hotly contested argument between 2ThePoint and myself, this very issue of beliefs and what the point of them were came to the fore. In that argument I made the following points of how what one can actually test their validity and relevance.

• Why is it there
• What does it do
• What is its purpose
• Does it build up and edify
• Does it focus in on Jesus Christ and magnify Him
• Does it bring us to that place of unity of faith and of the Holy Spirit
• Does it give clarity of understanding of the Word of God
• Does it draw us closer to Jesus
• Does it leave you in awe of the majesty and splendor of Jesus Christ

And if it actually doesn't do that, then I honestly believe the question could and should be asked, "then what is the point?"

I think that when examining these kind of things from this perspective, I really believe that it can be extremely disconcerting because it places what one believes to a specific criteria which is, in a sense, being judged, and no one really likes that at all. I know I don't, but if I am to have the view of Christ, or the mind of Christ, then I have to have my beliefs put to the test so that in the end they are what brings glory to him, and builds and strengthens one another in Christ. And essentially that is what we are suppose to be about.

So, with that, I trust that you will be encouraged and blessed by what I have shared. And moreover, I trust you are challenged in the way you believe, and that you will grow as a result of it.

Blessings,