Questioning Hell?

I'm back!  Did you miss me?  Sorry for the absence; life got a bit crazy.

So, have you read Rob Bell's Love Wins?  Okay, so it came out last year (and I read it about that time, so my memory is a bit fuzzy on the details), but the questions Bell raises in the book have both represented a segment of the Christian population, as well as have created a firestorm of controversy.  So many times people accept what is taught them without stopping to wonder if it is correct.  Does the typical understanding of hell really come from the Bible, or is a later development that gets read into the Bible (especially as words such as "hades" get translated as "hell", two words that have very different connotations)?

I encourage you to think about what place "hell" has in your understanding of God, life, and Christ's work on the cross.  What does the Bible actually say?  Below are two links, one to a blog series and the other a single blog entry, that challenge the typical understanding of "hell."  Read them and come back here to let me know what you think!

95 Tweets Against Hell
Hell Yes. Hell no! Or Who the Hell Cares?

What do you believe about hell?

By Paths As Yet Untrodden...

Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (from the Book of Common Prayer)

Isn't that what life is so often like?  "Life is a highway" as the song says.  We are walking along the way.  God, through Scripture and the Spirit, gives us two main things for this journey of life.  We have the Way we are called to walk, a Way of loving God and our neighbor, a Way of Justice for all and hope for the oppressed.  God has give us the Torah and shown us the best way to live this life.

But, that's not all!  God doesn't just give us a map and sends us on our way.  God promises to be there with us every step.  Jesus promised never to leave us or forsake us. God has sent us his Spirit to live inside of us.  We know that God is for us, so who (of consequence) can be against us?

So, as we set out on our unknown ventures and untrodden paths, let us remember each step of the way that the  God who loves us more than we can ever imagine is with us every moment, every breath, every heartbeat.

AMEN!

The Good News (REALLY!)

The true gospel (good news) that Jesus brings is this:  "God loves you, and..."

"God loves you, and will give you peace."
"God loves you, and will never leave you or forsake you."
"God loves you, and will keep you safe."
"God loves you, and accepts you as you are."
"God loves you, and forgives all of your bad choices."

The most important message that Jesus came to give was that each of us (YOU included) is especially beloved by the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  No matter what is going on in your life, no matter what struggles or joys you are facing, you are infinitely LOVED.  Isn't that good news?

What is the good news you want to hear from Jesus today?

What is the Question?

You might have heard people say "Jesus is the answer."  But, what is the question?  What is the question that Jesus answers.  What is the problem that Jesus solves?

Previously, I wrote about the work of Jesus bringing or transforming us from "the bad" to "the good."  The work of Jesus is transforming the universe.  In the end, I believe that Jesus is the answer to every problem we face, whether we know it or not.

• Are you lonely?  Jesus (and the loving community he creates) is the answer.
• Are you scared?  Jesus (and his loving power) is the answer.
• Are you worried or stressed?  Jesus (and the loving peace that surpasses all understanding) is the answer.
• Are you an outcast?  Jesus (the loving friend of the outcast) is the answer.
• Are you frustrated with the Christian church (or just some Christians)?  Jesus (the real one) is the answer, and he can be frustrated with the church as well!   (Don't believe me, check out Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22).
• Are you feeling guilty?  Jesus (and the loving forgiveness he offers) is the answer.

No matter what problem you are facing, the Almighty God of the universe, who became flesh as Jesus the Messiah, is the answer.  Now, the real Jesus is not the same judgmental, exclusive "us vs. them" savior that many Christians say he is.  The real Jesus preferred the company of outcasts and criminals (prostitutes and tax collectors) to the self-righteous religious establishment.  The real Jesus suffered and died to show his love.

Also, here's an excellent blog article:  Atonement, Theoretically  Read it!!!

Can You Wear an Empty Tomb?

As (Western) Christians, we so often focus on the cross.  It's not a bad thing to focus on.  I really believe it's not.  It shows us just how much Jesus loves me.  We could sing, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Cross it tells me so!"

But, this Easter season, I wonder, "Can you wear an empty tomb?"  Do we sometimes focus on the death of Jesus as the substance of our "salvation" to the exclusion of the Incarnation and Resurrection?

I just wanted to say that.  Now on to the real post.

Going back to my last post, I questioned whether the death of Jesus was "necessary" or "inevitable."  I will admit that it might be both, but I'm going to argue that the death of the Messiah was inevitable, not necessary.  (If you disagree, please argue back!)  God freely forgives our errors and bad choices, freely heals our sicknesses and slaveries, and freely transforms our hearts into temples by and for the Holy Spirit.

Here's an analogy:  A firefighter, who has devoted his life to fighting fires and saving lives, arrives at a fire.  His experience tells him it's a bad one.  A neighbor tells him that the family, parents and children, are still inside.  He knows that if he doesn't act, they will all die.  He knows that if he does act, he might not make it out alive.  So, out of love and duty, he plunges into the burning building and makes a way for the family to get out.  He does not.  His last act in life was to get others to safety.

This firefighter is a hero.  We can say that he saved others.  We can say that he delivered them from the power of the flames.  We can say that he sacrificed his life for this family.  In a very real way, he traded his life for theirs.  But, we cannot say that the fire required the death of one to save the others.  We definitely cannot say that God required the death of the firefighter in order to save the family.

The firefighter knew that his death was inevitable.  He could have walked away and lived a longer life.  But, that is not the choice he made.  He chose to walk the path that led to his death, a path God knows only too well.

God knew that in order to transform the world that he had so lovingly created, a world twisted by selfishness, fear, and doubt, God would have to do something different.  The creation could not heal itself.  God would need to infuse himself into creation in a new way to renew the face of the earth.  God also knew what happened when those in power encountered a challenge.  He knew that when God became incarnate, some would love him, and some would hate him.  And, he knew that Jesus would die, nailed to a Roman cross.  God could avoid the pain of the cross, the suffering of the Son of Man, but to do so would be to walk away from the Creation God loves.  And, God could not deny himself.  So, God the Son became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.  He descended to the dead.

God knew this was going to happen.  And, he knew the end of the story.  He knew that the death of the God-man would lead inevitably to the resurrection of this same God-man.  He knew that the whole movement of transformation required the Incarnation, the suffering, the death, and Resurrection of the Messiah, and the sending of the Holy Spirit in power.  All of this was inevitable for the necessary transformation of the human heart and all of Creation.

Jesus came into this world knowing that he would suffer and die.  But, he loved YOU so much that he was willing to do it.

Problems with the Cross

Okay, so I know that we are in the season of Easter (I come from a liturgical tradition), but I felt my last full post was unfinished.  The question still haunts me:  "Why did Jesus have to die?"

I believe that Jesus, God in the flesh, did die on that Roman cross.  I believe that God is ultimately the King of the Universe.  But, I also believe that a lot of bad stuff happens that is not how God wants life to be.  That is why Jesus teaches us to pray "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  God's kingdom and will are not always (usually, or even often) done on earth.

The question I struggle with is whether the crucifixion of God's Son was inevitable or necessary.

Necessary means that for God's good purposes for transforming the world into his kingdom, the perfect blood of Jesus had to be shed as a sacrifice.  This means that the story of Abraham attempting to sacrifice his son Isaac by his own hand (which I find extremely disturbing) was perfectly fulfilled in God using the sinful hands of the religious and political leaders to kill (sacrifice) his own Son.  To put this even more crudely, God couldn't forgive the sins of the world without killing his own Son.

Inevitable means that God, in his infinite wisdom and foreknowledge, knew that when Jesus came as the Incarnate Word (preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God, healing and bringing life, shining light into the darkness) some people would love him, but many would hate him.  The message of God throughout the whole Bible is bad news for those who love power, pride, oppression, and greed.  God's kingdom is topsy-turvy to our fallen world.  So, many try to extinguish a light shining into the darkness.  The shedding of Jesus' blood was not the ultimate aim, but the Incarnation of the Word and the Victory of the Resurrection were.  Suffering and death was an inevitable step, but not a desired one.

What do you think?  I know I'm struggling with my own comfort zone with this one.  What about you?

Your Turn: Easter Edition

Happy Easter!  Before I go further, I'd like your thoughts.

So, how has (does) the empty tomb changed your life?

How has (does) the empty tomb change the world?

The Road to the Cross

A blessed Palm Sunday to you all!

Today is the beginning of Holy Week for many Christians around the world.  This week, we remember Jesus' last leg on the road to the cross.  The events recorded in Scripture that we remember this week brings to mind the question my children have asked me repeatedly, "Why did Jesus die on the cross?"

This is a disturbingly simple question.  Why did Jesus die a tortuous death on a Roman instrument of shame?  The traditional answer is simple on the surface: Jesus died to take away our sins.  This story of Christianity states that humans fell from a right relationship with God with Adam and Eve, that God requires blood to forgive sin (thus the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament), and that Jesus as the sinless Son of God became the final, perfect sacrifice for sin (the purpose of the cross).  Therefore, the good news is that Jesus forgives you all of your sins and you will go to heaven when you die.  So, the plot of this story is basically SIN-> FORGIVENESS-> HEAVEN.  This is a personal transaction between you and God and whether the transaction takes place in a baptism (infant or adult), confession/prayer (Sinner's Prayer), a repentant life, etc is the main issue of debate.  So, to "spread the good news" you need to either find someone who is in guilt and shame for their sins or to make someone feel guilt and shame for their sins and then tell them what they need to do to receive forgiveness (or possibly just announce their forgiveness).

This is not the only plotline in Scripture, and it is not the plotline accepted by the eastern part of Christianity (Eastern Orthodoxy).  And, I don't know that it is the most compelling story, if all of Scripture and experience are taken into view.  I will make the bold statement that Western Christianity (Catholic and Protestant) has settled for a soloist, while God had intended a symphony.

Thoughts?  Questions?  Arguments?

The Bad

So, how can we think about "the bad" in our world today?  Traditionally, Christians have talked about "the world," "the flesh," "sin," "works of darkness," etc.  Do these words still communicate to people today?

When I look for "the bad" in and around me, I see my selfishness, myself thinking about myself more than others.  Selfishness, hate, oppression, violence, this is what I read in the news every day.  Our world is falling apart, and has been for a long time.  Environmental degradation caused by selfishness and greed.  Exploitation of the poor and weak by the powerful.  Hate-filled rhetoric and actions that harm and kill.

Unfortunately, many public Christians focus on sex as the main source of evil in our world.  While I agree that misusing God's good gift of sex is bad, I really cannot think that it is the biggest evil.  Imagine a world in which people are loving and caring toward each other, acting with humility and lifting each other up.  Imagine a world based on mutual respect and peace.  Now, imagine in this world people still have sex with whomever they want.  First, I would argue, IF that is still a problem, then we can deal with it then.  Second, I don't even know that this WOULD be a problem, since if people are using sex as a means of caring for another in love, without selfishness, greed, or violence, I think that people would be having sex in a lifelong, committed relationship.

Selfishness and hatred are the roots of evil in our world (with a few others).  And, what is the opposite of those?  Love.  How does the Bible describe God?  What is God like?  Love.

Amen!  Come, Lord Jesus!  Come Lord of Love!

Out with the Bad, In with the Good

Something big happened at the cross and tomb of Jesus.  People die all of the time.  Occasionally, rarely, people come back from death (at least in the Bible) and near-death.  But, something happened with the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth (the “Event”) that changed the universe forever.  This, I believe.

What was it?  How do we use words to describe it?  How do we wrap our limited brains around it?  As I mentioned last week (two posts ago), we use metaphors.  We say what it was “like.”  We admit that we cannot fully understand the mystery of it, but we try anyway.  We do our best with prayer and humility, and have confidence in God that God will take care of the big stuff.

So, what do the metaphors used in Scripture tell us about what happened?

• Salvation: From danger to safety
• Redemption: From slavery to freedom
• Reconciliation: From separation to unity
• Sanctification: From ordinary to special
• Adoption: From alone to a part of the family
• Marriage: From single to a part of a loving relationship
• Washing/Cleansing: From dirty to clean
• A seed growing: From “dead” to alive, unfruitful to fruitful
• Resurrection: From death to life

So, from this variety of metaphors, we can see that Christ’s work takes us from “bad” (danger, slavery, separation, ordinary-ness, alone, dirty, dead/unfruitful, death) to “good” (safety, freedom, unity, specialness, part of a family, in a loving relationship, clean, alive/fruitful, life).  Somehow, the death and resurrection of one man accomplishes this for the world!

How do we think about the Work of Jesus in our own lives and in our own world?  What bad do you see in and around yourself?  What bad do you see in the world?  Do you think these things can help describe the “bad”?  What is the opposite, “the good”?

Credo (I believe, I trust, I have faith in)

If I’m going to answer the question “Why am I a Christian?” then I’d better first decide on what I mean by “Christian.”  Otherwise, the question is pretty meaningless.

Here are some of my thoughts on what I mean by “Christian:”

• I understand that reality is so much bigger, deeper, and more mysterious than the big, deep, and mysterious physical world we live in.
• I trust that the set of writings commonly called “the Bible” is a special place that reveals bits and pieces of this larger reality.
• A large part of this larger reality is trusting that there is a personal power (God) who organized, created, and maintains the universe and who is involved in a loving relationship with the creation.
• I trust that this God did something special with the descendants of Abraham of Ur and more specifically of his grandson Jacob (Israel).
• I trust that this God did something extraordinary and unique in the person of Jesus, the promised Messiah of Israel, specifically in his death and resurrection.  God did something deep and wide and mysterious because of his great love for me and you, the whole world!  This God-action did something major that was "out with the bad and in with the good."
• In addition to the good things God has done for us (known often as the Gospel), there is also instructions given by this God as a gift (Torah, or law), instructions on the best way to live together in this creation.

There are many questions that I have, and I will be exploring these items more clearly, but I think this covers the main points of what “I believe.”

Changing the Metaphors

God acted in a unique and extraordinary way in Jesus.  This is most certainly true.  From Jesus' birth to his death and resurrection, God was doing something new.  Something BIG!  But, what was it?  How do we explain what God was doing in Jesus and IS doing now in our world?  Jesus himself, the Apostle Paul, and all the biblical writers used metaphors to explain the inexplicable, connecting the invisible things of God with the visible things of our lives.  And, preachers and theologians have been using metaphors to relate to people ever since.

Metaphors are useful tools.  They help us to understand.  They capture a reality in a common experience.  We can say that love is a burning fire, jealousy is a green-eyed monster, it's raining cats and dogs.  But, we know that love is not really a fire, jealousy is a feeling, not a monster, and it's just raining a lot of water, not pets.  Metaphors are useful, but they are not reality.

Many metaphors have been used to describe the inexpressible reality of what God has done in the work of Jesus Christ for us.  Here are a few metaphors for the work of God in Christ:

• Salvation- Rescued from danger
• Redemption- Bought from slavery
• Reconciliation- Two warring parties brought back together
• Sanctification- Making someone special, separate
• Adoption- Adding someone to the family
• Marriage- A commitment of love and fidelity
• Washing/Cleansing- Like a bath or washing clothes
• A seed/plant growing- Agricultural connection

I want to mention first that there is nothing wrong with these metaphors!  They are deep and wide and valuable to our understanding of the work of Christ.  But, these are just metaphors.  At some point, the connection between the reality of God and metaphor breaks down.  Metaphors can be stretched and misused.  Metaphors can lead to confusion and misunderstanding.

The deep reality of God's work for us is LIKE these and other things, but it ISN'T those things.  So, in each generation and at each time, we need to recognize this fact, and we need to think about whether these metaphors still communicate with us.  

What metaphors for God's work resonate with you?  Why?  Which ones confuse you?

Following the Way

What precisely does it mean to follow the Way of Jesus?  Are the spiritual practices that we do only solitary or even "spiritual" actions?

• Learning about the Way of Jesus helps shape our minds and behavior.
• Praying helps develop our trust in God and compassion for others.
• Praise and Worship help us show our love for God.
• Giving generously helps us also trust God and show compassion for others.

These and other spiritual practices are important, but to paraphrase St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, I could be the best Bible-studier, the biggest prayer warrior, the most enthusiastic worshipper, and the most generous giver, but if my life and actions are not permeated by my love of God AND neighbor, then I'm just wasting my time.

The Way of Jesus all comes down to the greatest commandments.  We are to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, strength, body- EVERYTHING.  We are to spend our time, talents, and treasure to show our love for God.  And, Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15).  And, what does God command of us?  To love our neighbor as ourselves.  

There is a lot to say about personal holiness, faith, and other things to do between me and God.  But, if my memory serves me from my last reading of the Bible, then the number of verses related to loving our neighbor actually outweigh the verses for loving God.  That's because one of the biggest ways we show our love for God is to selflessly and completely love and serve our neighbor!

So, anyone who is "working on their relationship with God" or "close to God" and acts like a jerk, isn't actually working on their relationship with the God of the Bible, the Creator of the Universe.  Because, without love (REAL love), then you're wasting your time.

(Thanks to Seth who inspired this post by sharing this link: http://sojo.net/blogs/2011/12/27/bait-and-switch-contemporary-christianity  Please check it out!)

The Way

Going back to my last post on names, I think the "name" that resonates with me the most right now is "The Way", or more specifically, "The Way of Jesus."  I recently listened to the audiobook version of "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McLaren.  One of his focuses of the book was that the church in Acts was often called "The Way."

The phrase "The Way" makes me think of a way of life, a journey.  I have a theological education and have studied much about the church.  So, I know many of the "answers" to questions people have about the Bible and Christianity.  I have spent time figuring out the teachings I "believe" in.  But, often, my life has been empty and the promise of Jesus for an abundant life has sounded hollow.  But, when I have taken the time to "practice" my faith, things are different.

McLaren (and I'm going from memory, so don't quote me) likens spiritual disciplines (like prayer, study, etc.) to practicing for anything else.  Whether it is football, piano, a foreign language, or ballet, anyone who wants to BE a football player, pianist, fluent speaker, or ballet dancer, must put in the time practicing.  The same thing goes for the life of faith.  If we want to be people who live a life of love for God and others, if we want to live with passion, purpose, and integrity, then we need our practice!  And, we practice by carving out the time to do spiritual disciplines.  These disciplines can be fixed hour prayer, fasting, and the other things McLaren talks about in his book, or they could be other forms of prayer, study, fellowship, stewardship, and the like.  But, it is when I am making the effort to PRACTICE the Way of Jesus, the closer I feel to Jesus.  And, the more authenticity I have in talking about what God is doing in my life.

What about you?  Do you have experience with spiritual practices?

A Struggle with Names

I’ve actually found a struggle in writing these posts: What do I call my faith?  It is Christianity?  The Christian religion?  My faith?  My relationship with Jesus?  My spirituality?

“Christianity” connects me to the entire history of professed Christ-followers, both the good and the bad, the right and the wrong.  Oh, and it connects me to Christ, but I feel the linguistic link between “Christianity” and “Christ” has been strained through the misuse and abuse of the Christian banner.

“Religion” connects me to all who follow a faith tradition, no matter what that faith tradition is.  But, a religion can be a system of beliefs, symbols, and rituals.  Those are important to my “faith” but is that a box too small?

“My faith” is personal, it is mine.  But, does that disconnect me from the rest of the church/Body of Christ (another complicated naming).  And, is that trust (faith) connected to the church, the history, the beliefs, to Jesus?

“My spirituality” is also personal, disconnected.  It correctly connects my life to the spiritual, but what does that even mean?  Spirituality is an amorphous term, and not really native to my tongue.

“My relationship with Jesus” is also personal, connected to Jesus (or at least the Jesus I have a relationship with, even if that is not the true Jesus).  But, it is disconnected to history, theology, and the community.

In the end, I will probably use a combination of terms to refer to my life as I connect myself in beliefs, practice, and community to the people seeking to follow the Jesus proclaimed in Scripture (Old and New Testaments) and in the historical Body of Christ struggling with sin throughout our human lives.  This is Christianity, my faith, my relationship with the One who died and rose again for my sake.

God help me!

Others Obstacles

Okay, so I’m getting tired of talking about the negatives.  I wanted to get these out of the way first before I start building up some positive answers.  So, I will finish up the negatives (for the most part) today and start on the positives next time!

So, some other obstacles for people to be Christian:

1. Historical Problems:  The official, institutional church structures have a very good track record of talking for God, but a “spotty” record at best for living out that calling.  The Roman Catholic Church gets criticized often for the Inquisitions, Crusades, Clergy Sex Scandals, etc., but they aren’t the only ones.  Many churches in Germany joined Hitler rather than opposing him and throughout church history (for any church) there are the bad spots.  Again, pride generally makes the problems worse, and humility makes them better.
2. Denominational Infighting:  I am a member of a denomination and am glad I am in my particular tradition, but I must admit that the arguments between denominations often do not serve to spread the gospel (although I must also admit that sometimes they do).
3. Creationism/Anti-Scientism:  The opposition by some Christians to science and specifically the fights over creationism drive some or many away from Christianity.
4. Intrinsic Obstacles:  This is a category of things that are less “problems” and more just obstacles, including the belief in the supernatural, questions about the Bible, and difficult questions (like the problem of evil).  These can be discussed in a loving way, but most cannot be “solved” without damage to essential beliefs.

Are there any other obstacles you have heard people talk about or felt yourself?  

Obstacle #2: “Can’t stand the hypocrisy!”

One thing I’ve heard over and over is, “Christians are a bunch of hypocrites.”  As with any generalization, this is not true.  But, it hits closer to home than is pleasant.  Even if we discount all of the pastors/priests caught in scandals (sexual or otherwise) and the “family values” politicians caught in adultery, your standard Christian doesn’t come off too well. 

There are the well-meaning (I believe) folk who push their moral agenda with so much passion and vitriol that it looks like hatred (and this works for both sides of the aisle).  And, then there are the rest of us.  We attach ourselves to a Lord who commands us to love others as the second greatest commandment, who demonstrated what this looks like by dying on the cross for us, we are told to be people of peace, love, forgiveness, and prayer.  We even point to those who have changed the world through their faith and love (the oft-used example of Mother Theresa comes to mind).  But, often at our best we are “nice” and “good people.”  We claim to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, armed with the faith that can move mountains, and have a direct line to the King of the Universe.  But, is there evidence in our lives or the lives of those around us that this is true?  Are we saying one thing and doing another?

Are you a hypocrite?  I sadly admit that I am.

Obstacles to being a Christian

So, there are not only bad reasons for being a Christian, but there are obstacles to being a Christian.  (this, as well as everything else in this blog, is my opinion, but in obedience to a high school English teacher, I will not continuously state that)

Obstacle #1:  “Christians are mean”

This obstacle is probably one of the most unfortunate.  Jesus said that people will know that we are his disciples by our love.  The summary of the entire Torah (law) is to love God and our neighbors.  We confess that God is love.  But, Christians (or maybe “Christians”) often act in very unloving ways.  Whether this is bullies or fighting in church (which I’ve heard can be some of the nastiest fights of any organization) or fighting over an issue in public (homosexuality, abortion, and “Happy Holidays” come to mind), people who are representing Christ can come off as hateful, angry, and mean.

We are all sinners, this is true, but we are supposed to be fighting our sinful nature, not each other.  According to Scripture, followers of Christ are to live lives marked by love and service of the other, forgiveness, and peace.  And, there are many who are doing this, but unfortunately there are many that are not (and they get the most press).

Have you experienced mean “Christians”?  What happened?  How should we react to mean actions in the name of Christ?

Hey, you out there!

Okay, I know there are some people reading this.  Now, it’s your turn. 

• Do you consider yourself a Christian? 
• Do you know why you are a Christian? 
• Do you attend church? 
• Why do you attend church (or why don’t you attend church)?
• What do you struggle with?

Please comment below, even if it is anonymously.

Wrong Answer #3: Prosperity (Being a Christian will make my life better.)

I am not a Christian because it will make my life better, easier, and definitely not to make me more financially prosperous.  It is not about joining the right country club or making the right connections, either with influential people or even worse, a close connection with the “Big Guy” upstairs.  God is the King, and kings always have hangers-on who follow the king because they want more influence and access to the royal “gravy train.”  The only love that this answer includes is the love of self and the love of money.  Neither is a good reason to be a Christian.  Sure, Christians have been successful and influential, but successful and influential people have become Christians and have had their lives turned upside down.  Check out Paul of Tarsus in the book of Acts.  He had a great career going, he was a rising star.  Then, he began following Jesus and he got beaten, stoned (not the kind with drugs), shipwrecked, cursed, jailed, etc.  Not exactly success and prosperity as we normally see it, right?

At the same time, this is a dangerous answer to label as “wrong” because there are some true aspects to it as well, but I’ll talk about those later.

Wrong Answer #2: The Heavenly Insurance Policy

One of the evangelism techniques taught is to scare an individual into believing that they are going to go to hell when they die and that they need Jesus to get into Heaven.  The thing is, though I don’t know how effective this technique is, it is reducing Jesus into a ticket to Heaven, or a heavenly insurance policy. 

There is a story of an ancient Sufi (Muslim) mystic named Rabia Basri where she walked through the streets of Basra (now Iraq) carrying a lit torch in one hand and a bucket of water in the other.  When asked what she was doing, she said that the water was to douse the fires of hell and the torch was to burn up the rewards of Paradise.  That way, people would not serve God to escape the fires of hell or to get into heaven, but to serve God for the sake of one’s love for God alone.

Jesus is not a ticket.  He is not an insurance policy.  And, a follower of Christ cannot just say the Sinner’s Prayer or get baptized and then live however they want knowing that the policy is in the drawer.  Christian faith is not about heaven or hell, even if they might play a role in it.  I am not a Christian for fear of hell or hope of heaven!

Check back next time for Wrong Answer #3!

The “Not” Answers

I am a Christian.  I am happy about that.  I have no intention or desire of changing that.  There are reasons I am a Christian, but there are wrong answers (for me) for being a Christian.

Wrong Answer #1:  Because I’m an American

Personally, I hate this answer (okay, I hate all of these answers).  The United States has been culturally Christian, in part because the European immigrants were culturally Christian, which is because Christianity and the political structure of Europe overlapped in some very un-Christian ways.  But, many of our “Founding Fathers” (to whom I am very grateful, I do love this country and its wonderful Constitution, especially the freedom of religion clause) were theists, disbelieving in the divinity of Christ and other essential Christian teachings.  A person can be a patriotic American and be an atheist, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, or anything else under the sun.  A person can be a Bible-believing, Christ-following Christian and be from (and living in) any country on this planet (and possibly beyond this planet).  Christian and American are two totally different categories.  Saying that they are the same is some version of syncretism or even possibly a version of caesaropapism.  

Agree?  Disagree?  Write a comment!

Check back tomorrow for Wrong Answer #2!

The Easy Answers

There are many easy answers to the question: Why am I a Christian?  The easiest of them all is that I was born to Christian parents, baptized as a Christian, was taught to be a Christian, and grew up as a Christian.  This is all true, and not something to be taken lightly.  Our context as we grow up plays a huge role in who we grow up to be.  I for one am working hard to raise my children in the faith, to explain what we do and why we do it.  But, that is not enough.  Tradition has power, but tradition does not have within it the power of truth.  Just because something was handed down to me, even from antiquity, does not make it true.  My tradition is different from yours, and from everyone’s all over the world.  Tradition is relative.

Why am I a Christian?  Another easy answer is that it works for me.  Reading Scripture, praying, and attending weekly worship services help me in good times and bad.  The way I interpret the world based on my theology helps me make sense of everything; it gives me a sense of purpose and belonging.  The moral guidance of Scripture and the church help me to be a better person.  I think this answer is getting closer, but not there yet.  My faith, my religion is useful to me.  There is power in that.  But, this is still individual.  It’s still about me.  What is useful to me is not necessarily useful to you.  Usefulness is also relative.

Why am I a Christian?  Because it is true.  That is the only answer that holds true power, but it is also too easy.  If the story that Scripture tells about the world is not true, if God did not in fact come in the flesh, die, and rise again, then I would believe and hope in vain.  My faith is more than the comfort of eating turkey on Christmas Day or the usefulness of my Internet browser.  My faith is based on my interaction with the base level of reality in the universe.  But, it is not an intellectual assent to a list of statements, it is not based on signing an affirmation of faith.  There are many things stated by churches and Christians around the world that I don’t believe to be true.  There are even things in the Bible that make me back away from a literalistic “inerrant” view of Scripture.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  There are true statements about God, Jesus, the Bible, the church, and learning and molding your life around them is important.  But, that is not the substance of my faith.  That is not why I am a Christian. 

So, why am I a Christian?

Calling All Questioners!

I realize that this blog is new, and I might not have many readers yet.  But, are there any other Nicodemus’ out there?  Anyone else (especially those invested in the church as pastors, staff, council members, Sunday school teachers, etc.) who want to ask the big, scary questions, but are afraid of what they might find?

Because, here is the truth.  If you ask the question “Why am I a Christian?” you might find that the answers you can come up with are hollow.  You might find that your reasons for being a Christian, for belonging to a certain church, are similar to your reasons for shopping at a specific grocery store.  Are convenience, familiarity, and good prices the reason you go to church?  Is it because you know the people there?  Because your kids “need church”?

If you do join me in asking the big, scary questions, I hope you will be brave.  I hope you will search your heart, your life, and even your Bible.  Because, even though I’m asking these questions, and feeling a bit scared in doing so, I know in my deepest heart that Jesus is holding me securely in his hand and will never let me go.

My God is big enough to handle questions.  Is yours?


Please comment with the questions you have!

Why am I a Christian?

The man crept through the darkened streets, casting furtive glances over his shoulder.  Was anyone watching?  Did anyone see him?  He found the door, and knocked gently, praying that the one inside would hear, but praying also that he would not.

The door creaked open, the glow of an oil lamp spilling onto the man’s feet.  “Come.”  The word was loud against the quiet of the night, an invitation and a challenge.  The man entered and closed the door quickly.

“Rabbi,” he breathed.  In front of him stood a man with a gentle face, illuminated by the lamp. 

“Welcome, Nicodemus,” said the Rabbi. 

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I am Nicodemus.  Like the Pharisee who visited Jesus that night so long ago, I am a religious leader, wary of asking my questions in public.  But, some questions just need to be asked. 

I have been a Christian my whole life, studied at a respected seminary, and hold a position of leadership at my church.  I have far to go in my journey as a faithful disciple, but I am working at it.  But, recently I came across a pair of questions that made me step back and think.

1) Why am I a Christian?

2) Why should others be Christians?

It is not as though I doubt Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  But, these questions floored me because I am not able to give a good answer.  As a follower of Jesus and as a leader, I should be able to give good answers to these questions, but right now I cannot.  By a “good answer” I mean a well thought out, cogent answer that speaks to my whole being, that comes from my heart and contains all of my passion.  An answer that contains my love for God in all my heart and soul, mind and strength, body and spirit, as well as my love for my neighbor.

I can give some quick, snappy answers, answers that I have heard, consent to, and can rattle off without much thought or introspection.  But, how would that benefit me or anyone else?  Wouldn’t it be better to dig deep and sit with the questions?  Wouldn’t it be better to pray through the questions?

Note:

Why Anonymous?  The questions I am asking are good, honest questions, so, why hide my identity?  This is definitely not as high-stakes as those bloggers who could lose their jobs or lives if they are found out.  But, unfortunately, not everyone is accepting of those asking big questions, especially if those asking are in positions of church leadership.  I honestly believe that exploring these questions will ultimately lead to a stronger faith for myself and for others, but sometimes weak spots must first be destroyed before being rebuilt stronger.  I feel that the honesty of anonymity would be helpful in that.  If you don’t think there can be honesty in anonymity, then don’t read this!