Church time!

I went to church with my grandparents this morning, and the sermon was very good. It was based on 1 Corinthians 8, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite chapters. I recently wrote a paper on it, and it's very closely related to 1 Corinthians 10:13, which is one of my favorites as well. If I could scan in the notes I took, I would, but unfortunately, I'm not that high tech. I suppose I could type it though.

How can people who are so diverse and at this time so divided ever live, work, serve, and worship together in any type of real Christian unity or harmony? In this chapter Paul lays the foundation for addressing this question, the question he will deal with all the way through chapter 10.

This foundation has two essential "layers" that must be laid or steps that must be taken in our personal lives.

STEP ONE
We must confront our pride with exclusive love for God. (vs. 1-7)
1. The problem was/is... Knowledge without love fosters pride.
2. The answer was/is...remember by whom and for whom you were created.
STEP TWO
We must confront our pride with practical love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. (vs. 8-13)

And then I missed the rest because I was sleepy. Very devout, aren't I?

This chapter addresses one of the biggest issues in my life right now. I grew up in a Baptist church, private Christian school most of the time, and now I am at an Anabaptist college, where most, if not all, of the foundational beliefs I was raised on are at least considered doubtful, if not altogether rejected. How do I reconcile my upbringing with the new concerns that my education is creating within me?

I'm supposed to be folding laundry, so I can head back to campus after a weekend at my grandparents, but I wanted to get all this down before I forget or ignore it. I don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but there are some big issues that I have to think about. Things like the infallibility of the Bible, homosexuality, the role of women in church, pacifism. Does that sound like fun to you, Internet?

Plus, I give props to any college student who is involved in a church. I've never had to evaluate a church for myself before. I trusted my parents to choose for our family. Now I am on my own, and I am wary of being either too lax or too picky. Now I only have two Sundays in the semester left, and the results of my churchgoing adventures of nine months are that I know two churches that I will not be attending.

Let me just say as a sidenote that folding the fitted sheet for a bed is very complicated.

Maybe this is enough for now. I don't want to overwhelm you, Internet. Plus, I hear my grandma getting the cookie sheets out. :) Maybe I will post tonight, after I get back to campus.

Until then!