- Going to heaven, or
- Loving the King
I’m not saying you have to pick one at the exclusion of the other—the two DO go together!—but it’s a question posed by Francis Chan in Crazy Love, and it’s something worth pondering.
He says, “We’re willing to make changes in our lives only if we think it affects our salvation. This is why so many people ask me questions like,
- Can I divorce my wife and still go to heaven?
- Do I have to be baptized to be saved?
- Am I a Christian even though I’m having sex with my girlfriend?
- If I’m ashamed to talk about Christ, is He really going to deny knowing me?
Are we more concerned about meeting the bare minimum to squeeze into heaven when we die than we are about growing NOW in a relationship with the Lord, a relationship that will find ultimate culmination when we’re with him face to face after we die?
Of course we want to spend eternity in heaven. And we should!
But is it because the King will be there?
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8 comments:
I want to get to the place in my life and heart that I don't even hesitate on this question.
Sadly, I think we are lazy on the whole. And we are disgracefully forgetful of what He did for us at Calvary. I think we'd be a lot more sickened by our sin if we kept it in the forefront of our mind. *sigh*
This coincides perfectly with something I read in Beth Moore's "Praying God's Word" this morning: "...God is far more interested in our getting to know the Deliverer than our being delivered." Of course that's not to say that He doesn't want to deliver us, but is that ALL we are really interested in? I do hope that I can become much more focused on loving the 'Deliverer' in this new year.
This reminds me of what a former pastor used to say, that in looking forward to the Lord's return we're supposed to love His appearing, not our disappearing (II Timothy 4:8). Not that it's wrong to look forward to leaving this world, but I've heard people treat it really lightly, like, "I sure hope the Lord comes back before that big test on Friday."
If only we loved Him as we should.
I've never thought of this before. I think it's a valid (and convicting) question. And it may help us when we run into people who are in the situations listed...to show them that it doesn't affect their salvation, but it does indicate their love for Christ. (while remembering that this applies first & foremost to me!)
Love your mindset (or should I say heartset?) here! I think we've all known folks like this who seem to be more interested in all they can do but still get by rather than living and loving a relationship with the Father. Thank you for the food for thought.
I think it's a tragedy that so many people consider the "prize" in the gospel to be heaven. It isn't. Christ is the prize, the treasure. Heaven is just the place in which to enjoy the treasure. It's like considering the honeymoon suite to be the highlight of the honeymoon--rather than the enjoyment of the beloved.
Oh, to see Christ as my treasure and to love Him more and more each day.
I have really benefited by reading everyone's comments today. Such good thoughts! Thanks for sharing.
I hope the honeymoon analogy sticks with me, Rebekah. It makes it so clear that the PERSON is more important than the PLACE. (A hurricane hit on my and Jeff's honeymoon - it was a good thing it was his company I was more into versus the landscape. ha.)
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