Sunday Morning Scramble School - Christianity Fact or Fiction

NOTE: Elements of today's SMSS are taken from Pastor Peter Wang's sermon at CBM Camp on Tuesday, July 31, entitled "In the Flesh," and covering Philippians 3:2-11.

Well, if you've read our Camp What-a-nut Experience post, you'll know that we have a lot of SMSS to cover. So today, we'll be talking about...wrong beliefs about Christianity! Don't worry, there's nothing controversial...I think. xD

WB#1: Legalism - the belief that you can earn your way to heaven by doing good deeds; or that the better you obey the rules, the better Christian you are!

ODYSSEY APPLICATIONS: Lucy in Have You No Selpurcs? (Album 9: Just in Time), Saul in the Saint Paul series (Album 23: Twists and Turns, Album 26: Back on the Air) 

• Lucy is the goodie two-shoes in Odyssey Generation One. Whether it's complaining about missing the church clean-up day (Return to the Bible Room, Album 2: The Wildest Summer Ever) or being a good campaign manager to Curt's very true-to-life campaign thinking (By Any Other Name, Album 8: Beyond Expectations), Lucy always tries to do what's right. But occasionally, she'll congratulate herself...in Have You No Selpurcs?, Lucy felt proud of herself for always making the right decision in the game and looking down at Curt for making the wrong choice.

WB#2: Intellectualism - the belief that you're a great Christian if you know a lot about the Bible

ODYSSEY APPLICATION: Olivia in Wooton Knows Best (Album 54: Clanging Cymbals)

• Olivia tried to gain Wooton's approval by memorizing 1 Corinthians 13...and when he didn't choose her to be his assistant, she went all unbrotherly love on Matthew. Mr. Parker gently reminds her that "as proud as your mother and I are of you memorizing Scripture, it means more to us that you apply it." Man...that should totally have won Best Scene at the Averys.
• SIDENOTE: There are tons of professors who know the Bible in ten different languages and memorized multiple chapters, yet aren't Christians. Memorizing Scripture doesn't mean anything unless you use it. You use or you lose.

WB#3: Cultural Christian - the belief that you're a great Christian if you do Christian things like going to church

ODYSSEY APPLICATION: Mandy in Only By His Grace (Album 48: Moment of Truth)

• Mandy is the goodie two-shoes in Odyssey Generation Two. But when her parents seperate, Mandy thinks that if she does all these good things, like feeding the hungry and helping Whit teach Sunday School, God will make her parents get back together...but it's by grace that God blesses and tests us!

Now, let's look at some right beliefs from Philippians 3:8-10 (HCSB)!

Philippians 3: 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ

In The Toy Man (Album 39: Friends, Family, and Countrymen) and The Chosen One (Album 47: Into the Light), the Washingtons give up a life of "comfort and ease" to gain Christ by operating Whit's End Connellsville and bringing Kelly into their home to share God's love.

3:9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ-the righteousness from God based on faith.

This verse compares the self-righteous attitudes that Lucy, Saul, Mandy, Olivia, and Joshua Meanie have all had to the righteousness we can have from God if we have faith in Him!

3:10 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death

Here are the signs of knowing Christ: knowing the power of HIs resurrection, sharing in suffering with Christ, and becoming like him (not trying to be him, like Connie did in Let This Mind Be in You, Album 4: FUNdamentals). A Christian is a person who is grateful because they are transformed by the grace of God (A Christian is much more, I'm just sharing one aspect of it)! As we look after the conversions of Whit (Thank You, God, Album 3: Heroes), Connie, Eugene, Katrina, the Sellars, June, Aubrey, Leonard, Grady, and Kelly; we see how God's love takes over and transforms them. And hopefully, like our friends in Odyssey, we can continue to grow in knowing and loving Christ. 

NOTE: I think we have a pattern here! We'll alternate on reviewing and SMSSing and throw  in Odyssey in the real world articles every once in a while. Please comment and let us know what you liked and what you want changed! And enjoy the new logo, created by the wonderful Wooton Bassett over at the Unofficial AIO Blog (see the links on the right). You can also become a follower of the blog by joining on the right column; it'd be great if you did to get a better idea of who's reading and adjusting for the right demographic and other technological mumbo jumbo. School begins Monday; so pray for me and Ally - for rest and to have time to post! 

ANOTHER NOTE: We're working hard to bring you two new features to the blog...and they'll hopefully be out by the end of the year! Get excited!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Albums 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 23, 26, 39, 47, 48, and 54 are all available for purchase at CBD by clicking here. Simply type in the name of the album in the search box.

For more information on these albums, visit AIO Wiki by clicking here and typing in the name of the album in the search box.

Read our first Sunday Morning Scramble School on Idolatry, featuring more Odyssey and McKalister Park references.