The Gospel of The Curt… The Gospel of The Cynic… The Gospel of The Irreverent.

The Gospel of The Curt… The Gospel of The Cynic… The Gospel of The Irreverent.

Introducing Paul and his merry troupe.

When I was first introduced to the way, I came out of a bunch of young, devoted, zealots, who just knew they were “the ones” and everyone else was blinded and destined to remain “Babylon, the great whore.”

We were “the true church” ‘cause we said so.

It’s not that our core belief system was radically different from “Babylon, the great whore.” Nah, we believed pretty much the same things taught by the catholics, the baptists, the pentecostals. We were different only in the fact that we met in living rooms of our homes and had no stained glass artwork to grace our meetings.

We were know-nothings — and PROUD OF IT.

I think this PRIDE thing is what binds all false religions together.

They’re like that Pharisee “I thank thee oh God, that I’m not like that poor slob…”

So, I walked into my very first meeting of the way, and EVERYTHING was boring — compared to the theatrics of the “christian” churches I was use to. No sound system. No electric guitar. No bass. No choir.
No polished grandstanding preacher quoting ONE VERSE then boasting for ONE HOUR.

No. My first meeting of the way was FILLED with old dudes and dudettes Not the gullible kind —instead they were the cynics. The irreverent. The curt. The ones who’ve been ‘round the block a time or two. You couldn’t fool them with “christian” tripe.

In the old days… whenever I would ask a “christian” minister a question about God’s word— you know one of those theologically puzzling questions — the minister would stomp his foot and say “SON, THIS IS THE WAY IT IS, YOU SEE.” And his answer would be emphatic. So emphatic you dare not bring the question up again.

But when I got to the meetings of the way, (Paul’s guys) and asked questions… it blew my mind… they would answer like this…

“Well, it seems to me to be thus and so…”
Or..
“i have concluded that thus and so…”

Oh my God, these guys were gracious. No foot stompers.

They were genuine students of the scriptures. Genuine students of Paul’s 13 letters.

Opps… the coffee is ready… maybe I’ll finish these thoughts later.

Grace to you. Every dang one of you.
Jones.

———
The Gospel of The Curt… The Gospel of The Cynic… The Gospel The Irreverent. — part two.

Now to Romans, chapter 4… verse 5
“Yet to him who is not working, yet is believing on Him Who is justifying the irreverent, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.”

What’s this??? God justifies the irreverent?
Count me in.

The KJV is even more weird on this verse… it says “God is justifying the UNGODLY.

Pick your poison.

Is God justifying the irreverent or the ungodly?

Either way… I’m in. Those proud boys from the babylonian whore would never venture into being irreverent or ungodly. — Nothing to be proud of there.

Remember our brother, Paul… says that the cross is a “snare” (the actual Greek word is “SKANDAL”). —

Scandalous — God justifying the irreverent.
Scandalous — God justifying the Ungodly.

I’ve noticed over the years… that the proud, works-oriented, guys… cannot stand a YEAH or NEY answer. They go on and on and on with their answers — I might say 8 words, and they freak out with 1,800 or more words in reply.

The 8 words are curt. Full of meaning. Full of power. Full of life.

The 1,800 or more words are full of confusion and babbaling.

Curt: “God is the savior of all.” (I TIM 4:10)
Curt: “God is the savior…” (I TIM 4:10)
Curt: “God is… “ (I TIM 4:10)

Plumb the depths of these curt replies… if you dare. There’s meaning to be found there.

Note: God is not the savior of JUST the “true church” (even though we see them as babylon the great whore).
Note: God IS the savior — you don’t save yourself buddy. God is the savior. Shuck that freewill stuff. Pride is not very becoming on you.
Note: God is. — Two words, jammed with meaning, begging to be plumbed.

God is justifying the irreverent.
The irreverent are the cynics… when they see “spiritual” B.S. and call it out.
The cynics are speechless when Paul shows up with his message of “God Gives Life, And Breath And All To All.” (Acts 17:25, Romans 11:36)

Finally a gospel for cynics, the irreverent and the curt.