There is a new/ancient Christianity breaking forth like new wine bursting from an old wine skin of weak and short sited theology. In the past three centuries, there has been a pervasive theology that provoked Preachers and Evangelists to scare the HELL out of people and the HEAVEN into them. A ticket out of hell was given after saying “the sinner’s” prayer:
“Lord help me a sinner. Forgive me of my sins, I renounce Satan and I ask Jesus into my heart amen.
Once said you were told your entrance into heaven was secure. Go and sin no more! phew! But more often than not people never got to hear how beloved they were and went back to their old ways.
The central issue of salvation is not a ticket out of hell. It is the discovery of a true reality of one’s birthright, which opens the mind and heart to a “new identity” with God, self and others in the spirit of inclusive love and justice. Our relationship with God is not centered on how well we manage sin. Our identity is not defined by our failures or our past but on who we are, beloved children of God! To identify oneself as a person of the future, a new creation and not the person of our past victimizations and failures is the refreshing wine of this new/ancient Christianity.
“12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15

May you arise to the possibility of a new way of living!