Responsibility Follow-Up
The comment on yesterday's blog may lead to more questions than answers, but then I guess, to some degree, that's what blogs are for. Anonymous said:
"But isn't the ultimate goal SALVATION?"
(It's hard to figure out exactly where this comment is leading, so I can only talk about where it leads me.)
As I have grown in my faith and watched other Christians around me do the same, we have begun to talk less and less about salvation. The idea that a person must be a Christian in order to be saved has been engrained in many of us since childhood, but our focus has since shifted to our relationship with the living God, which we are part of because we want to be and not because of the promise that we will gain something at the end of it. So the ultimate "goal" has become to seek God with renewed conviction every day and make the most of the current relationship. Salvation to me, is not as much a goal as it is an incredible, undeserved blessing that will happen after everything is said and done, and when this current, finite relationship is transformed into something infinte.
A relationship with the living God tells me, for one, to be accepting of believers who subscribe to other religions and not to make judgments about their salvation. If they find truth in Judaism, Buddhism, etc., then I respect that and trust that God will handle the big issues in a way that only God knows how. This may be a crazy thought, but I love the idea of a whole hodge podge of people in heaven. Some Christians seem to get really excited about the idea of entire populations going to hell, but I'm going to think out of the box on that one. I think there's room in heaven for people who believe differently than I do. I'm not even a tenth as loving as God is.
John 3:16 says (NIV):
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus stands at the gate to heaven, so perhaps my ideas about who's gettin' in are more of a hope than an observation. But is it possible that there will be more opportunities to know Jesus via the second coming? Perhaps we ain't seen nothin' yet.
As I was growing up I remember being almost scared into being a Christian because I thought I would go to hell if I wasn't. I believed in the Gospel and I was beginning to know God through Jesus, but it was the fear of going to hell more than that relationship that kept me going. I had similar thoughts in college. I had a German professor who regulary confessed her atheism, and I remember thinking, "Why not Christianity? Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?" Oh how I've grown to despise the word safe. Don't get me wrong, I love the feeling of safety, but while it seems to offer protection and do all sorts of wonderful things, it also keeps me from reaching out beyond my comfort zone, which not only keeps me from growing but can result in complete stagnancy.
Salvation is an important subject. Anything that deals with eternity should be treated with the utmost respect and care. But as I mentioned in yesterday's blog, I think Christians go wrong when the attitude of moral superiority springs forth -- we have it all figured out and are going to heaven, Scientologists, Buddhists, etc. have it all wrong and they are not...
What happens to a six-month old child, born to a Buddhist family, who dies unexpectedly without every having the opportunity to decide which religion he wishes to pursue? This child is not a Christian, but do you make an exception for him and let him into heaven? Where do the exceptions cease? What happens to the Muslim who has never been introduced to Christianity, yet has great faith, believes that Allah is good, and does his level best to help everyone in need in his community? He has great faith, but do you discount it because it is not like ours?
If salvation were not promised at the end of this Christian journey, would you still travel it? If I had stopped to ponder this question at age twelve, I don't know how I would have answered. I knew that I liked the feeling of safety that went with the thought of my own salvation, but if that feeling had been taken away perhaps I would have become somewhat indifferent to faith in general. After all, I didn't know Jesus all that well yet and God seemed like a distant father-figure (caucasian, with white hair of course). But now, after having had several years to grow to know God through Jesus Christ and develop an intimate relationship with both of them, if the promise of salvation is somehow removed, there is no question in my mind that yes, I will continue on my faith. My faith is real, God is alive in it, and I cannot abandon it for anything.
My ultimate point is this. The God I know is full of love, mercy, and grace, and would not want to spend eternity apart from any of one of us, regardless of the belief systems that we subscribe to on earth. What does that say about salvation? And what does that mean heaven will look like? I guess we'll find out when we get there.
"But isn't the ultimate goal SALVATION?"
(It's hard to figure out exactly where this comment is leading, so I can only talk about where it leads me.)
As I have grown in my faith and watched other Christians around me do the same, we have begun to talk less and less about salvation. The idea that a person must be a Christian in order to be saved has been engrained in many of us since childhood, but our focus has since shifted to our relationship with the living God, which we are part of because we want to be and not because of the promise that we will gain something at the end of it. So the ultimate "goal" has become to seek God with renewed conviction every day and make the most of the current relationship. Salvation to me, is not as much a goal as it is an incredible, undeserved blessing that will happen after everything is said and done, and when this current, finite relationship is transformed into something infinte.
A relationship with the living God tells me, for one, to be accepting of believers who subscribe to other religions and not to make judgments about their salvation. If they find truth in Judaism, Buddhism, etc., then I respect that and trust that God will handle the big issues in a way that only God knows how. This may be a crazy thought, but I love the idea of a whole hodge podge of people in heaven. Some Christians seem to get really excited about the idea of entire populations going to hell, but I'm going to think out of the box on that one. I think there's room in heaven for people who believe differently than I do. I'm not even a tenth as loving as God is.
John 3:16 says (NIV):
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus stands at the gate to heaven, so perhaps my ideas about who's gettin' in are more of a hope than an observation. But is it possible that there will be more opportunities to know Jesus via the second coming? Perhaps we ain't seen nothin' yet.
As I was growing up I remember being almost scared into being a Christian because I thought I would go to hell if I wasn't. I believed in the Gospel and I was beginning to know God through Jesus, but it was the fear of going to hell more than that relationship that kept me going. I had similar thoughts in college. I had a German professor who regulary confessed her atheism, and I remember thinking, "Why not Christianity? Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?" Oh how I've grown to despise the word safe. Don't get me wrong, I love the feeling of safety, but while it seems to offer protection and do all sorts of wonderful things, it also keeps me from reaching out beyond my comfort zone, which not only keeps me from growing but can result in complete stagnancy.
Salvation is an important subject. Anything that deals with eternity should be treated with the utmost respect and care. But as I mentioned in yesterday's blog, I think Christians go wrong when the attitude of moral superiority springs forth -- we have it all figured out and are going to heaven, Scientologists, Buddhists, etc. have it all wrong and they are not...
What happens to a six-month old child, born to a Buddhist family, who dies unexpectedly without every having the opportunity to decide which religion he wishes to pursue? This child is not a Christian, but do you make an exception for him and let him into heaven? Where do the exceptions cease? What happens to the Muslim who has never been introduced to Christianity, yet has great faith, believes that Allah is good, and does his level best to help everyone in need in his community? He has great faith, but do you discount it because it is not like ours?
If salvation were not promised at the end of this Christian journey, would you still travel it? If I had stopped to ponder this question at age twelve, I don't know how I would have answered. I knew that I liked the feeling of safety that went with the thought of my own salvation, but if that feeling had been taken away perhaps I would have become somewhat indifferent to faith in general. After all, I didn't know Jesus all that well yet and God seemed like a distant father-figure (caucasian, with white hair of course). But now, after having had several years to grow to know God through Jesus Christ and develop an intimate relationship with both of them, if the promise of salvation is somehow removed, there is no question in my mind that yes, I will continue on my faith. My faith is real, God is alive in it, and I cannot abandon it for anything.
My ultimate point is this. The God I know is full of love, mercy, and grace, and would not want to spend eternity apart from any of one of us, regardless of the belief systems that we subscribe to on earth. What does that say about salvation? And what does that mean heaven will look like? I guess we'll find out when we get there.
posted by Jen Austin at 1:02 PM
3 Comments:
this is an awesome post, Jen. I think it's so easy to consider our religion the best and only true religion, and the only way to salvation, but this goal of trying to convert everyone to our specific religion, whether it be Baptist, Catholic, or any other type of Christian religion just somehow doesn't seem right to me either, and i'm sure can be very off-putting and annoying to others... you're right, how can we say if someone has truly found the path to salvation or not, just because it may have been a different path than ours? i think this is what you meant, that we shouldn't just say we're a Christian and feel safe in that alone that we're going to heaven just because we feel like we've "done the right thing." because i honestly can say that if it was based on that, i'd get a ticket straight to hell for an eternity when i die... but thankfully, it's not about what i've done, but God's grace and love... thanks for this awesome reminder!
i think also that in going forth, that it be done in a way that is not so pushy and annoying, like "if you don't believe this then you're lost forever." but being more of a peaceful, respectful and basically kind person, in my humble opinion, is a good start.
it sort of reminds me of how not only have Christians been raised with an idea that only people who believe in certain aspects of the Christian faith will end up in heaven, but even as Americans, that our country is the best and every place else in the world sucks and should be just like the United States.
Don't get me wrong, i'm proud to be from where i'm from, but with some of the higher decisions and laws and this idea of global "americanism" and patriotism almost to the point of racism and race-bashing, it's hard to believe that being "american" is the only way to be. I think other cultures should be respected, and if someone decides they don't want to respect another culture, they should at least have some knowledge as to why they don't respect the culture, and not just because the men wear "towels" on their heads.
it sure is a nice and secure feeling in thinking me being an American and me being a Christian makes me "the best", but just as you said, it keeps me from reaching beyond that comfort zone, and man, that ain't cool...
i'm rambling... sorry...
you rock, Jen. thanks again for this post that really makes me think...
uhh i'm so dumb.. i just reread this and the part where i said "i think this is what you meant.." i didn't mean it the way it may have sounded, but more like this is what it made me think about... i'm sorry...
No worries! Thanks for the great thoughts.
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