Monday Munchies...Better late than never
Sorry I'm so late...school is getting intense. Here's to a welcome return to my questions. So I might as well come out swinging. If there was no heaven, would you still be a Christian?
This is a question that really shocked me when I first heard it. This question is phrased very dramatically but really makes you evaluate things. Another, perhaps less dramatic way to phrase this question is; what is the goal of Christianity?
Is the goal of Christianity getting to heaven? I think not. The goal of Christianity is this…Christ. I have to even breathe deep when I type that because of the giant task that lies in believing that statement. If we believe that statement then we have to figure out how to get to Christ.
In truth, there is nothing that we ourselves can do to get to Christ. Christ must call us, and we must answer. Christ initiates the relationship and Christ sustains the relationship, all we do is answer the call. The call is what is so hard about this task. The call is the cross; suffering, pain, rejection…and through that serving, life and freedom. It is not until we loose our lives can we find real life. It is not until we submit ourselves to be slaves of God do we find our real freedom. This is the call of the cross, this is the way to Christ, and this is the goal of Christianity.
My answer to the first question then must be relentlessly yes. Being a Christian while living on earth is the only way to really live while on earth. Live is better as a Christian, there is freedom, there is hope, and there is love. Christianity concerns itself with this life. Heaven is gonna rock my face off, it’s gonna be better than anything I can imagine…to get to be eternally in the presence of God! How awesome! Never the less, Heaven is a bonus, not the goal. The goal is Christ, and that is what we must concern ourselves with as Christians.
I struggled with weather or not I wanted to give yall my answer to this question and maybe just ask it. I think it was good for me to include my answer, but ask yourself honestly…if there was no heaven, would you be a Christian. If not, why? If so, why? Do not let my words be enough to convince you of anything. Trust the Holy Spirit, think for yourself.
1 comment:
That’s a tough one Vitamin A. I think I understand biblically and mentally that the goal of Christianity is Christ, and I would like to think I had the right motives in following Jesus, but that’s tough to think about. I think the longer I follow Him the more I begin to see that Heaven isn’t the ultimate goal, but Jesus is. Here are some thoughts on the way I have begun to see it.
Take a look at 1 John 5:13 and John 17:3.
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)
“3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
I think these verses are saying that knowing and believing in Jesus is eternal life. We are able to know Jesus right now on Earth, so I think that eternal life is not something that begins when we get to Heaven, but something that starts as soon as we accept Christ.
I believe that Heaven is a real place but it is not eternal life. Knowing Jesus is eternal life. I think that Heaven is a place where all of the things that hinder our ability to know Jesus fully are removed, our sinful nature, death, sorrow, etc. We are left to be in the presence of God for eternity, and it is from God that every good and perfect gift comes from. (James 1:17)
I guess I am basically trying to say that Jesus is what makes Heaven the way it is, not Heaven itself, so I agree with you that the goal of Christianity is Jesus not Heaven.
Think about this, could it possibly be we follow Jesus not to get into Heaven, but to stay out of Hell?
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