We claim Greenville University to be a Christian school. From the outside looking in, others see the potential it has and perhaps the masks the people have glued on. On the inside, however, this is not to be true. The masks have come unattached and hang around the necks of those until they enter into the chapel and raise their hands in praise. Now, no one but the Lord knows who is true to their faith, and we are called not to judge, but we are also called to let our neighbors know when they are in sin. So here lies the truth of what Greenville University truly does hold within.
The church should come together to hear the word of God; they should hear the good news of never having to be alone and experiencing new life. Those moments when the church comes together are not the time to speak of politics and shove views down someone’s throat. It is a time when we read scripture and reflect our views of the world off of what the Bible tells us, not how we think or feel. Elizabeth Fisher, a dear person in my life whose faith is admirable says, “We need to stand for the Truth of God’s Word. Our political views should flow from our beliefs in God, for he influences all of our thinking. Ultimately political views, though, are not important in church, what is important is our walk with Christ.” The time for worship and meditating on the word is not a time to finally get your act together and ask God for forgiveness of what we may have done last night or said to our room mate this morning, it’s suppose to be just another moment to be with God.
There are many people who claim to be devoting their lives to Christ, yet when you sit down and have a conversation face to face with them there’s nothing but hypocrisy. It’s misleading.
“We are called to be examples of Christ. Jesus never had favorites, looked down on people, or separated them because of their race or religion. He saw everyone in the same way – in the eyes of love. We should live the same way. When we don’t we are being hypocrites because we say we follow the one who loves yet we do not live like we do,” Fisher says.
One cannot claim to be of the Lord and hate the girl down the hall. One cannot say racist things and laugh at those who are hurting and claim to be a child of God. God did not turn away anyone because of their race, he did not laugh in anyone’s face while they were at the lowest moment in their life, he did not let anger overpower him. He was the calm in the storm, the bind to the separation in the world. He was love when there was no reason to love. This is what God calls us to do: love the ones who persecute us, be patient with those who unravel us, and be near to the brokenhearted.
Nothing is more heart breaking than seeing people walk with masks on deceiving themselves of their salvation. Their salvation is not through their acts, it’s not through raising their hands in a worship service, or speaking in a language foreign to the tongue, it’s not base on their ability to quote bible verses or sing in the worship band. Salvation is rooted sully in the grace and freedom of Jesus’ blood. Nothing else frees them of the shackles of sin.
Walking among the people of Greenville University, there are genuine people, but there is a whole lot of brokenness and wrong mindsets. Just by having “Christian” rules set in place, being a good person, and attending chapel four times a week, does not give anyone the assurance of Heaven. Nothing but the mercy and love of Jesus Christ gives us salvation. For by the act of love is how they will know Christ’s people are among them. Loving others is possibly the hardest thing to do at times, but God calls us to love one another, for this is the greatest command of all. We can not claim to be a Christian school, yet alone a Christian ourselves, if we do not choose to set aside our selfish ways and pick up the cross rather than our own thoughts and feelings.
Media by Di’Mond Salmond.
