We got back last night from San Antonio. I attended a Living Proof Live event led by Beth Moore. It's hard to explain what this is - kind of a rally - but more like a Christian retreat. It's an in-depth Bible study crammed into two days. If you look past the 10,000 attendees and the rockin' worship music (although that really sets the mood), it's just a sitdown study with Beth.
The topic was "Inheritance". And we looked at God's promises from Old Covenant to New that reference an inheritance. It's a real big deal - God promises not some kind of ethereal, spiritual eternal existence, but a real tangible physical life that we will live with him and others in a real physical kingdom with real property and real relationships. As Christians, we are co-heirs with Christ. True story! We are heirs of God. So, back and forth we went from scripture to scripture seeing what God had revealed for Beth to teach us. It was awesome.
Afterward, I got to go with 1000 of my closest friends to an area backstage to rub elbows with other readers of Beth's blog and attend a Q&A with Beth and her daughters. It was really neat. I also hooked up with my friends Phyllis and Carolyn with whom I sat for the Fall Bible Study I did at First Baptist. It was nice to see them and catch up a little bit.
While I was at LPL, Mike was taking in the sites - his first trip to San Antonio. He spent a good five hours walking around the river walk (dining and drinking coffee and checking out the shops). We met up Saturday afternoon to take a river tour. It was really fun. Mike wants to be a river boat tour guide when he grows up. We had a great dinner on the river and got back to the hotel in time to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel (we've been without cable since we got to Texas). Sunday, our plan to go to Six Flags was nixed because we were just too tired. So we took the long way home through Fredericksburg and Austin and called it good.
Showing posts with label eternity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eternity. Show all posts
Monday, August 25, 2008
Saturday, May 3, 2008
My Attempt to Answer Inevitable Questions
Why believe in God?
At some point I recognize that I am not in control. For a while I fake it and try to force my will on the world around me, but I fail. If I don’t admit that God is in control, then I must admit there is only chaos and therefore, no hope. But if I do admit there is a God, how do I deal with that? How can I make him accept me and get me through? I can bargain with him that I’ll be good and follow the “rules” in exchange for His good graces. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work, because I am incapable of being good all the time and following all the rules. So I make another deal to make sacrifices and/or work off the bad things I do and rules I break. But I don’t do that either. I can’t even keep track of all the rules I break, much less the work to make up for them. (It also shows that I’m still trying to be in control.) This brings me to the Good News. God knows the trap we’re in. He sent Jesus to do the work and make the sacrifices on our behalf. Because Jesus had nothing for which he needed forgiveness, God accepts Jesus’ work and sacrifice for me. And not just for me, but for anyone who will ask. It’s that big! God even gives me the faith I need to come to him and ask for forgiveness. All free.
Where’s the catch?
Well, there really isn’t a catch. It’s just a matter of believing it and accepting it. Of course, if I don’t think I have anything for which I need forgiveness, then I really still haven’t recognized that I’m not in control. The trouble comes when I try to still buy my way in, “OK, God. Sure. I’ll believe whatever you want me to believe, if it’ll save my bacon later.” That’s not really belief; it’s trying to buy insurance. Usually the way you can tell it’s true belief is because I’m so blown away by the implications of this whole thing that I become sold out for anything God is doing. I want to help. I mean, look what he’s done for me? The least I could do is get to know the guy, see if he could use me in some capacity, let other people know what’s going on.
What about baptism?
Jesus told his disciples to go into the world baptizing and making disciples. Almost everywhere in the New Testament of the Bible, when people come to believe in Jesus, they get baptized. But nowhere does it say that if you don’t get baptized, you void your salvation. It doesn’t say that! As Jesus was dying on the cross, one of the criminals dying on a cross next to him admitted to the wrong he’d done and then said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (That’s in Luke Chapter 23.) Jesus didn’t say, “Somebody get over here and baptize this guy before it’s too late!” This leads me to believe that God is in control. He does what he wants regardless of our attempts to earn his favor.
So if a person won’t get baptized because they’re stubborn, there’s probably an issue there with their faith. But I can’t know that for sure. I’m not in control, remember? If they won’t get baptized because of extenuating circumstances, I think they’re ok.
Is it ever too late?
There will come a time when it’s too late. But since I don’t know what happens as a person is dying, I don’t know when that too late moment is. Who knows but as a person lies on their deathbed completely unresponsive to the people around them, that they may be having one last chat with Jesus? It’s not like he wants them to jump through a bunch of hoops or get a perfect score on some arbitrary test. Accept that you aren’t in control; admit that you’ve screwed up and deserve punishment; accept Jesus’ sacrifice in your place; and believe! I see it as a moment of clarity when a person breaks down and asks for forgiveness. Then Jesus reaches out and takes their hand and walks them into eternity.
I believe God wants everyone to spend eternity with him, but he won’t make them. Some people don’t want God in their lives or their afterlives, unless he plays by their rules. They put him in a box and decide how he should behave. They refuse to let God be God. I guess some of us still won’t admit, even at the end, that we’re not in control.
Why wait?
Really, waiting until the end is kind of playing with fire. (Ha Ha) Especially since, I can say from experience, life is hard. God is in control. Instead of fighting for the reins, let go. Follow where he leads and rest. It's not easy; it's not all sunshine and roses; it does bring peace. And yes, I still have a really difficult time with the control issue.
At some point I recognize that I am not in control. For a while I fake it and try to force my will on the world around me, but I fail. If I don’t admit that God is in control, then I must admit there is only chaos and therefore, no hope. But if I do admit there is a God, how do I deal with that? How can I make him accept me and get me through? I can bargain with him that I’ll be good and follow the “rules” in exchange for His good graces. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work, because I am incapable of being good all the time and following all the rules. So I make another deal to make sacrifices and/or work off the bad things I do and rules I break. But I don’t do that either. I can’t even keep track of all the rules I break, much less the work to make up for them. (It also shows that I’m still trying to be in control.) This brings me to the Good News. God knows the trap we’re in. He sent Jesus to do the work and make the sacrifices on our behalf. Because Jesus had nothing for which he needed forgiveness, God accepts Jesus’ work and sacrifice for me. And not just for me, but for anyone who will ask. It’s that big! God even gives me the faith I need to come to him and ask for forgiveness. All free.
Where’s the catch?
Well, there really isn’t a catch. It’s just a matter of believing it and accepting it. Of course, if I don’t think I have anything for which I need forgiveness, then I really still haven’t recognized that I’m not in control. The trouble comes when I try to still buy my way in, “OK, God. Sure. I’ll believe whatever you want me to believe, if it’ll save my bacon later.” That’s not really belief; it’s trying to buy insurance. Usually the way you can tell it’s true belief is because I’m so blown away by the implications of this whole thing that I become sold out for anything God is doing. I want to help. I mean, look what he’s done for me? The least I could do is get to know the guy, see if he could use me in some capacity, let other people know what’s going on.
What about baptism?
Jesus told his disciples to go into the world baptizing and making disciples. Almost everywhere in the New Testament of the Bible, when people come to believe in Jesus, they get baptized. But nowhere does it say that if you don’t get baptized, you void your salvation. It doesn’t say that! As Jesus was dying on the cross, one of the criminals dying on a cross next to him admitted to the wrong he’d done and then said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (That’s in Luke Chapter 23.) Jesus didn’t say, “Somebody get over here and baptize this guy before it’s too late!” This leads me to believe that God is in control. He does what he wants regardless of our attempts to earn his favor.
So if a person won’t get baptized because they’re stubborn, there’s probably an issue there with their faith. But I can’t know that for sure. I’m not in control, remember? If they won’t get baptized because of extenuating circumstances, I think they’re ok.
Is it ever too late?
There will come a time when it’s too late. But since I don’t know what happens as a person is dying, I don’t know when that too late moment is. Who knows but as a person lies on their deathbed completely unresponsive to the people around them, that they may be having one last chat with Jesus? It’s not like he wants them to jump through a bunch of hoops or get a perfect score on some arbitrary test. Accept that you aren’t in control; admit that you’ve screwed up and deserve punishment; accept Jesus’ sacrifice in your place; and believe! I see it as a moment of clarity when a person breaks down and asks for forgiveness. Then Jesus reaches out and takes their hand and walks them into eternity.
I believe God wants everyone to spend eternity with him, but he won’t make them. Some people don’t want God in their lives or their afterlives, unless he plays by their rules. They put him in a box and decide how he should behave. They refuse to let God be God. I guess some of us still won’t admit, even at the end, that we’re not in control.
Why wait?
Really, waiting until the end is kind of playing with fire. (Ha Ha) Especially since, I can say from experience, life is hard. God is in control. Instead of fighting for the reins, let go. Follow where he leads and rest. It's not easy; it's not all sunshine and roses; it does bring peace. And yes, I still have a really difficult time with the control issue.
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