back to basics

Until recently I have spent nearly 35 years of my life working in and around education. In that field one of the huge catch cries that is toted out on a reasonably regular basis is "lets go back to basics". Which is an interesting statement in itself because the fundamental basics in the digital age were not even conceived in the 1970's. I am sure there are skills in reading and writing that are timeless, so back to basics is not without some merit in a crowded modern curriculum.


So the question begs are basics that we should be more conscious of in the complex spiritual age that we live in. Would Christianity be better for going "back to basics? This weeks author would suggest yes and I am inclined to agree with him. John Chrysostom was baptised 386AD and one of the most powerful preachers of his age. A trained orator before conversion he was able to use his skills well for God.

One of his key points that is a basic of Christianity is that we are baptised into death with Christ, so as he was born again, so are we. In that process we are dead to sin. His conjecture is that we have been empowered to reject sinful behaviour, so why don't we? The question was valid then, if not popular. It is also valid now and still not popular! We as Christ have been born into resurrection power to live life differently.

Do we accept too much in the modern Christian church? They certainly did the early church, otherwise Paul wouldn't have had to write so many letters. There are a myriad of things that are part of the culture around us that are not compatible with the House of God. They were there in 386AD and they are here now, but does it make it right?

So the question is not new. Are there areas in your life that are a bit murky? It may be time to do some about it!

We have been empowered to overcome. I guess we just have to use it!