Sunday night I joined my friend Tyler for a "house church" about five, maybe ten minutes ago. The people were very welcoming, inviting, cordial, and honest. Most of the time was spent just hanging out, and for the lesson we watched and discussed the Bullhorn Nooma video with Rob Bell (I actually saw a couple "bullhorn guys" while I was in Mt. Vernon for John's wedding; they were standing on the street corner, waving condemning signs and judging people to hell). One of the discussion questions arose: "Why do you love Jesus?"
This is a question every Christian should have an answer to. If you don't have an answer... Well, that's not good.
I didn't verbally reply, but in my head I thought: "We live in such a brutal, ugly world, where we are born once, we die later, and in between is nothing but suffering with occasional moments of happiness. It's entirely depressing! I love Jesus because he offers us something so much greater: in a world where life means nothing, he offers us life with meaning, purpose, and joy. Where the world is a bad place where everyone is out to get one another, he offers us a community of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and belonging." It's nothing too theologically rich, but it's honest.
This is a question every Christian should have an answer to. If you don't have an answer... Well, that's not good.
I didn't verbally reply, but in my head I thought: "We live in such a brutal, ugly world, where we are born once, we die later, and in between is nothing but suffering with occasional moments of happiness. It's entirely depressing! I love Jesus because he offers us something so much greater: in a world where life means nothing, he offers us life with meaning, purpose, and joy. Where the world is a bad place where everyone is out to get one another, he offers us a community of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and belonging." It's nothing too theologically rich, but it's honest.
6 comments:
I was having a conversation about this with my friend Eric a while ago. He said that why Christians love Jesus is that with his crusifiction (don't know if I spelled it correct) he took all our sins away. "But how", he said, "can he take away all our sins? Jesus wasn't a sinner." But Eric actually hates Christians...a little bit, he's a bit weird too he's sort of a atheistic communist and he's kind of anti-America too. So I don't know if I agree with him, although in some points about Christianity he's right.
And after death, I think it's hard to say. I believe people have souls and that after death they leave your body, but I don't know where they go, or how those souls will end.
Wow it surprises me that you know about Hitler, cause I've heard that most Americans don't even know who he is.
A lot of people don't like Christians, so Eric isn't alone. I can't blame him--we Christians have a sorry history (crusades, inquisition, and in America the witch-hunt trials), none of which Jesus likes. It's sad that a lot of Christians take the gospel and twist it around into something... dare I say it... evil. The gospel speaks out against inhumanity, and it advocates social justice, love-in-action, and caring for people however they need to be cared for. A lot of people miss this, though (I don't know how, it's all over the place in the scriptures! God's biggest concern seems to be social justice!).
A lot of people wonder how Jesus can forgive us of our sins if He was perfect. He WAS perfect, but you have to understand the Jewish background. See, the whole Christian thing is called the 'new covenant'; a covenant is kind of like a treat. Under the 'old covenant', people had to make blood sacrifices for the forgiveness of their sins (the way God set it up, blood sacrifices are needed for sins to be forgiven); in the olden days they would sacrifice goats or cattle or doves, whatever (the Old Testament deals a lot with this). Under the new covenant, the way of forgiveness is the same: a blood sacrifice. So Jesus serves as a blood sacrifice, and when we embrace his sacrifice (through faith, repentance, and baptism) we experience the forgiveness of our past, present, and future sins (our sins aren't held against us; in God's eyes, they never even took place! He's forgotten them!). I hope that helps you understand how Jesus can forgive our sins even though He's perfect (I'd like to hear what Eric has to say looking at the crucifixion from this angle).
Hmmm, I don't know who told you that Americans don't know about Hitler, because we most certainly do (history class). No one's really a big fan of his (except the Neo-Nazis, of course).
But communism also has a sorry history, and he's a communist, so as I said a bit weird ;)
He said that all Christians would have an answer to his question, he said:"They will always have an answer to this question, they answer your questions with questions,they keep talking and talking untill you just nod along"
But he also said that Jesus said that you can find faith everywhere, you can see or find God everywhere. That Jesus had actually said this:"split a piece of wood and you will find me lift a rock and i'll be there" That's what Eric said...
We in the Netherlands think you only get taught American History during history class, it's good to hear you also learn about European history :)
Don't let Eric think that Christians have ALL the answers; we really don't! There are lots of mysteries in the faith, lots of paradoxes and such, but if we do have a biblical answer to a question, we'll give it if we're asked for it (who wouldn't?).
I'm sorry that your friend sees Christians as a bunch of bigots trying to string everyone along to adopt their own beliefs. That just isn't the case (although some Christians, sadly, do tend to be that way)! And I'm sorry that so many people think that Christians only befriend people who aren't Christians just so they can convert them. That, too, just isn't the case: I have many friends who are not Christians and who refuse to be Christians, but I still like them; Jesus Himself was friends with people who did not like him, even someone who betrayed him (Judas). I like to talk about spiritual things, but I'm not so dumb as to think that everyone will (or should!) agree with me, or that I have it all figured out (I don't). I'm just like everyone else; Eric and I are probably a lot alike.
Jesus did say, "If you search for me--I mean, really SEARCH for me and want me--you will find me." The scriptures even tell us that before we start searching for Jesus, God is already stirring our hearts so that we're motivated to search for Him! So God is coming after us before we even give a thought to searching for Him; that's crazy, if you ask me! Hah.
I don't think Eric had bad experiences with Christians, he just doesn't like them I guess, I'll ask him. Maybe he also has more questions you have an answer to and I don't ;)
And about your friends who aren't Christiams, you say they refuse to be Christian, so you have tried to convert them?
I don't really try to "convert" anyone. What I meant was, we have had spiritual conversations but they are complacent in the lives they are living, so they have no desire to embrace a different way of life (the way of life that Jesus calls "the Way"). We are all entitled to live the way we want! So I respect their decisions and we're still good friends. They know I'm a Christian and they're cool with it; I know they're not and I'm cool with it. So, no, I don't really shove, "Convert! Convert!" on them; they know that if they want to become a Christian, I will help them as much as I can on their journey, but I am not going to shove it down their throats, hah.
Post a Comment