Squares, Triangles, Circles, and Hearts
Squares:
“The main subject of the Bible is not communicated through a list of commands.” (Cartwright, p.
37) I have heard many people speak of the Bible as if it was just a rule book that Christians are
supposed to follow. People use it as a way to point out people’s sins and wrong-doings and
oftentimes act as if you will not get into Heaven if you do not follow everything the Bible tells
you. However, this isn’t the case. The only way into Heaven is redemption through Jesus Christ.
“In the end, you don’t go to Heaven because you are good and you don’t go to Hell because you
are bad. You go to Heaven because you asked to.” (Cartwright, p. 44) Again, growing up, I was a
child who was in some cases taught that you would go to Hell if you were not good. That bad
people went to Hell and the good people went to Heaven. But the Bible reminds us time and
time again that this is not true. It does not matter how many good deeds you do in life. You can
do all the good things in the world and if you don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ and
have been redeemed through Him, you will still not get into Heaven, regardless of the many
good things you have done.
“We don’t need a new or fresh word from God. We need to be content with the word that He
has already provided.” (Cartwright, p. 49) The Bible is not a book that changes as the years go
on. It is not a book that is updated with the times as our world is constantly changing around us.
It has been around for thousands of years and the word will be as strong and fresh as it was
when it was first written. The Bible is a story from start to finish and the only thing that needs to
be “fresh” is how and when the story will be concluded and that is something that God and only
God knows.
“Church baggage can also develop from a poor church experience.” (Cartwright, p. 68) I know
quite a few people who no longer go to church or have a hard time going to church just because
of the church environment. Churches can actually make or break new believers in my own
personal opinion. I believe that if a church is not opening and welcoming to people of all kinds,
then it can do more damage than good. A church is meant to be like a hospital – a refuge for the
sick, broken and ashamed and if people feel like they are being judged or cast out because of
their sins or because of their it can push them further away from God than pull them closer.
Triangles:
“No attempt is made to define God or talk about His origin.” (Cartwright, p. 39) I have never
thought about God’s origin or if He had a definition. I have always just assumed that God is
God and He was the creator and there was no need for Him to have a definition or a point of
origin.
“Rebellion is not something large and grand. It is small and subtle.” (Cartwright, p. 41) I have
never considered the definition of the word rebellion being small and subtle. When you
think of the words rebellion, or rebellious, you think of big, go big or go home acts that
really set you apart and push you away from people and things that are trying to keep you
on the “straight and narrow” so to speak. However, rebellion is any small act of sin and we
are born with a sinful nature. It doesn’t have to be something big and bad. It can be
something as small as telling a tiny, white lie.
“This is also why the much repeated cultural moral teaching “You are taught to hate” is a
lie.” (Cartwright, p. 42( I have heard that phrase my whole life pretty much. It’s hard to think
of babies having an inward sin and having the ability to hate even as innocent infants. It’s
especially hard to think of that concept as a parent. I have two children of my own and I
have always just assumed that they don’t know of all these deceitful things like lying and
stealing and hating, and that they would learn them from the behaviors of others later on in
life. However, that isn’t the case either. All of these things are sins and sin is an inward issue.
We are born with it. It is not something that is “taught.”
Circles:
Why did God choose broken people to communicate His message? If He already had a
hard enough time getting people to believe in Him, why would He choose people who
were broken and “just like us” so to speak?
The Hebrew Bible consisted of only 24 books in the Old Testament canon. When it was
switched into the English Bible that we have now, it now consists of 39 books in the Old
Testament canon. Why weren’t they just left combined the way they were?
Heart:
“I’ll firmly establish my covenant with you and you’ll know that I am God. You’ll
remember your past life and face the shame of it, but when I make atonement for
you, make everything right after all you’ve done, it will leave you speechless. –
Ezekiel 16:62-63.” (Cartwright, p. 43) The introduction of this verse was my favorite
part of the entire chapter readings. It is a comforting reminder that even after all
the bad things we do and the sins we commit, when we accept Christ as our savior,
He will atone for it. He meets us with such grace and mercy that we will be
speechless. He will love us and accept us no matter what we do as long as we
choose to love Him and give our life to Him.
