Deconstruction - what is that?

Social media grants us a privilege to relate to the representatives of different denominations of the same Christian faith family. Some are closer to what we have been taught, and with the others we have bigger differences.

To begin with, Romans 8:14 states that the children of God are led by the Spirit of God. There are the ones who recognise the Presence of the Third Person of God, and the others who do not. John 14:26 says that Holy Spirit whom Father sent us in the name of Jesus teaches us all things (and reminds us of the words of Jesus).

The ones who do not (yet) recognise and talk about the Spirit of God have their own journey. God is with them, and ever ready to lead and teach everyone who is sincere and with an open heart. (And, we can be sincerely mistaken.) We can err, doctrinally and in other ways, but the main thing is to continue going and growing. We discover new things, as we receive new bits of revelation, and it changes our outlook. If you look back, you can probably see that you are no longer where you were some time ago. There has been growth and progress. Every new revelation has delivered us bigger freedom in Christ.

The number one thing is to recognise Christ. - There are also numerous churches where Bible is mentioned, and a daily bible verse is read, while there are not too many references to Christ, simply for they have not yet managed to come to a realisation that God is still alive. - I came from one such church, and it took a journey, beginning with meeting and understanding Christ, which meant for me personally also meeting the Third Person of the Godhead, His Holy Spirit. My spiritual journey started from a Lutheran church, and it took a Spirit-filled Lutheran pastor to help me see across 'the big divide'. But, I can also testify that Holy Spirit and the Presence of God was always there. Even when I did not know Him, He was there and with me, for He saw me seeking. I went through several steps in my journey of seeking what I perceived to be 'an absolute truth' - and yes, you can see that God was there already then, orchestrating my steps and helping me at every step of the way.

There are denominations which have taken certain Scriptures, and elevated them above the others. (We know about the attitude towards the women, or 'the weaker vessels' in certain churches. There are entire doctrines to illustrate that point. - But the Question is, is it biblical and is it something that Jesus taught?)

In the days of Jesus (when He was walking His earthly walk, living in our likeness here - in the midst of His Creation) there were Jewish Orthodox traditions, and laws. The Jewish Orthodox tradition has been separating the women from men to the present day (if you have ever visited a Synagogue, then you are aware of the fact). But Jesus came to set all men, including the women, and the children, free. That includes freedom from tradition, or the ideas of men.

Human ideas, and human tradition can be culturally important, and they have relevance in their sphere of cultural/religious influence. 1 Timothy 2:12 states that the women have to keep their mouths shut at church, for God (or, is it Paul speaking here?) does not let the women teach or assume authority over men, and women should be quiet, and in full submission. There are Christian circles which stick to this particular verse, and women are not allowed to do anything spiritual in these churches.

But, is it tradition what Paul is talking about here? Is the role of a woman to be merely as 'a neck' while the man is 'the head', or a home-maker, who is confined to her kitchen, rearing the children and having marriage as her ultimate life goal? (Now, if someone wants to live such life, and is fully content and does not do it due to silent spiritual coercion, this is a worthy life path too, no doubt - the children are taken care of, and can grow in the best possible way). But, does a leadership position in life, in the business world, in politics, or elsewhere outside of home, mean that a woman at a career path is 'a Jezebel'? - I am sure that we have reached by today into a place where we do not see this as 'feminism' in a negative sense (as it has been often negatively presented, especially in Christian circles). Feminism simply means freedom to women. And Jesus was all about bringing freedom to mankind, and setting the people free. Surely, it applies also to the women. For no matter how or in which order God created the woman, the fact is that she too was created by God, and not to be a second rate being whose only life mission was to 'bring pleasure to her man'. For all God created, was very good.

This is only one such issue (out of many) where all the Christian circles are not in full agreement. I come from a Christian background which does not use the word 'deconstruction of the faith' in their vocabulary. But deconstruction applies to both divides. The new can be born after the death of the old. When we come to a point where we are willing and ready to let go of our old mindset and patterns of thought, God can expand us, and let us see in a new way, bit by bit, a revelation at a time.

The Catholic church is still in a cradle. But does it mean that they are not Christians? They recognise the same Christ. They are open to some aspects of our faith, like the miracles. Then there are other Christian circles which shut out everything miraculous. But also they are the family of the same Christian faith, even if their ideas and teaching differ from ours.

Christ came to bridge the differences by becoming a bridge. And He has called us, His followers, to follow in His footsteps. Not highlighting and pointing out the differences, but finding common ground, and using this the way Paul used a shrine to an unnamed God, to usher the people to a higher ground where they can see better. Acts 17:23 ► New International Version For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

This is how we win the hearts of men. And women. And children. To Christ. And not necessarily to our denomination. For God knows, there are many things about Him that we do not yet fully see. But to a sincere heart He reveals Himself. We make mistakes as we go. The main thing is to have an open heart. Open and teachable. But the word 'teachable' is not indicative of any man-splaining, or similar abovementioned approach where one party thinks that his teaching is of God, and no matter what, the other party needs to succumb to it, no matter what. Teachableness has to do with maintaining a soft heart instead of a rocky, hardened one. And being open to the leading and instruction of God who is today in our midst and with us in the form of His Third Person. His Holy Spirit.

Better for us to be aware of His Presence in our life, and teachable and submissive in the sense of being ready to learn of Him. For there can be many teachers and instructors in Christ, the ones who have gone ahead of us, and who have learned by trial and error, and whom God has called and placed into churches, all over (for not everyone is a pastor, there are different ministry callings and gifts) to help edify His church, which is not a building in the human sense, but which has been built of living stones, or His saints - believers in Christ. Similar to the world where we give birth and help our young ones until they grow into responsible adults who step out and assume their roles in the world, in God's blueprint for His Church, His saints, or Christian believers have their roles to fulfill. And while there are practical tasks at church where we can all help out, the currently too prevalent pattern of 'doing church' has not laid enough emphasis on raising the ministry gifts and callings in the local churches which have been mainly centred around doing good works, and practical ministry, while somewhat neglecting the spiritual need for the edification of the saints.

Ephesians 4:11-13 ► New International Version So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The above in KJV Bible translation (which is not the only accurate one, as many have been debating and choosing to believe, creating schisms and divides over the professional linguistic skills between the people at church - as if all the translators in the middle ages were Spirit-filled and hence closer to God and able to do a better job than any living Bible translators today - but since it was translated in the Hampton Court Palace which is only a couple of miles from my living place, let us use it here for greater understanding of the heart and mind of God underlying these verses - for the NIV word 'service' might be seen as practical ministry only, as opposed to the spiritual one which has been reserved in many church circles for the 'ordained' men, and in other circles for the 'ordained' men and women only as opposed to the saints of God, or 'the living stones' which make up 'the spiritual building' or a household of the Christian faith):

Ephesians 4:11-16 ► King James Bible And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.