God Beyond Religion: Three Main Points for the Christ Follower to Focus on

No matter what religious tradition you come from this in my view is good advice. It is mainly intended for Christians, and I would say specifically deconstructing Christians, but it would be good for any if they are willing and able to receive it. What is a good focus for a deconstructing Jesus follower? Here I would like to describe three main points to answer the question.

1. Believe that God is love as defined by the Apostle Paul in 1Co 13:4-8  "Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, (5)  is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. (6) Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.  (7)  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  (8)  Love never ends." The passage defines God.
2. Stand firm for justice, especially for the poor and less fortunate. As much as one has the ability, minister to the needs of the poor bringing about fairness and justice in all things. Actively demonstrate a concern for others and the planet and all that inhabits it. This means that one should be concerned for the economic, social, governmental, and ecological health of Planet Earth.
3. Learn to have a healthy love, respect, and concern for oneself, and then in turn apply and give this same love to others. Demonstrate the following attributes; Gal 5:22-23  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  (23)  gentleness, and self-control." This spiritual fruit should be the goal and standard for each and every person.

Take note:  IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE ABOVE THREE POINTS ARE NOT LOOKED AT AS A LAW THAT MUST BE KEPT TO PLEASE GOD OR ENDEAR ONE TO GOD.

It all begins as it should with the belief, which in my view is a subsequent fact, that GOD IS LOVE. Further, it has at its most basic understanding the belief, in my view is a subsequent fact, that God indeed, keeps no records of wrongs. This is the foundation that allows us to completely love and trust God. In fact, this is the only kind of God one could love, and a different kind of God could not truly be loved because of fear. 

It is at this juncture that Jesus of Nazareth plays an integral role. Not only did he teach that God is love, he demonstrated what God would be like were God human. That is but half of the mission of Jesus. The other half was to face death with the perfect faith that the loving Father God would raise him from the dead, thus overcoming death and proving once and for all, that all are eternal children of Papa God. This provides the catalyst for being able to achieve focus two and three.

If we realize that we are all children of the God who is love, we would naturally stand firm for justice for all, especially those who are downtrodden and less fortunate. It is belief in the fact that God does not keep records of wrong that is the catalyst for loving God. God's mercy, grace, forgiveness and love is what sets the human mind at ease and creates peace of mind. Peace of mind nurtures love. More than that, we would likewise be concerned and committed to respecting and protecting the planet and all that lives thereon. Ecology would be important to the one believing in a loving, merciful, totally forgiving creator.

Finally, developing a healthy love and respect for self will build upon the peace of mind from knowing that God is love. The realization that we are all eternal children of the creative source, makes it possible to be more selfless. This is the source of our love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. With a focus on a loving creator, these attributes will grow continually. This is the main reason that Paul received the mystical revelation that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not counting sin. The only righteousness we have is imputed to us by God. Not for faith in Jesus but faith in God's original declaration that was recorded in Genesis 1:31. We are righteous because in creating humanity, God said it was very good.

This in my view is essential Christianity. All of the instructions of treating one another well found in the Sermon on the Mount are predicated on our faith in a loving creator, and our ability to love and respect ourselves.