existentialist christianity

Karen and I were talking on the phone last night, as we always do, and I told her, “You know what I’ve been thinking about lately?” 

“Marriage?” 

“No. How existentialist thought has pervaded Christianity in America.” 

“Oh.” I continued, “Have you ever heard youth ministers or senior ministers say, ‘There’s a hole in your heart that Jesus can feel. He can make you feel whole when you let him into your life’? That has more to do with existentialism than biblical Christianity. It’s turning Christianity into a solution to emptiness in your heart, whereas biblical Christianity deals with your status before God—not how you feel.” 

And this is something I’ve been thinking about lately. Through Bible Studies and conversations with lots of Christians over this internship, I’ve come to realize that a lot of Christians equate salvation with feelings. First of all, feelings are not caused by something divine but by the chemicals in our brain fluctuating in various levels (high levels produce happiness and low levels produce sadness). And secondly, that concept is found nowhere in the scriptures. Yes, the scriptures talk about peace and joy, but they are always side-notes to the true meat of what salvation is all about: and that is our status before God. Prior to Christ, we are sinners, condemned, unholy. But in Christ, we are innocent, pure, righteous, blameless, approved and favored. Our status before God is changed. That’s the root of Christianity—not feelings.