Unlearning can be More Difficult than Learning

Several months ago I wrote about the need to break bad habits being as difficult as setting good habits. I think that the same is true when it comes to unlearning the false things we've been taught and learning the truth.

Unlearning old truths that are no longer valid (and probably never were) is even more difficult because it means that we have to admit that we were wrong. Often our misguided opinions are based on things we learned from misinformed people, but sometimes it's just because we are ignorant of the real facts. Nobody likes to admit their ignorance, nor their having come to the wrong conclusion about something or someone.

Right now I find myself in the process of re-learning a lot about God.
I'm unlearning about the god of the church and learning about the true character of God from the Bible. I'm finding the Jesus of the Bible to be a very different sort of God than the Jesus that I've learned about from the church.
I see the church trying to gain attention and relevance in today's world, and I see Jesus humbly going about the Father's work.
I see the church pointing accusatory fingers, and I see Jesus offering a helping hand.
I see the church more interested in gaining voters, and I see Jesus seeking souls.
I see the church providing comfort for its members, and I see Jesus leaving the flock to find the lost ones.
I see the church taking the easy way and talking about persecution, and I see Jesus taking the narrow and difficult way and calling for followers.

Next weekend I'll be at an evangelism conference followed by a church revival. I wonder if they'll really want to hear about the Jesus of the Bible. He may be a little bit different from the Jesus of their church.

John <><