Christians are having to fight for air. Not because of opponents, but because of faulty doctrine, many are just trying to survive their own dull faith. Why?
Why is this gigantic belief system walking with such visible limp? Has faith finished its course and followers of God must now seek alternative steroidal support? Or, have we created a man-made belief system that has subtly shut the corridors down to reduced travel.
I believe it is the latter. And here's why.
The central Christian doctrine of wholeheartedly living a life in Jesus in present tense has been subverted into a life-after-death insurance policy for souls. Hell-less has been the highest motivator. Heaven-full would come in second. Living a current life with interactive relationship with the Trinity has gone unconsidered by some of the most influential among Christian movements.
I am saying that in my earlier experience with the church that far too many were a part of it simply to keep from going to Hell. Compassion? Not. Unity? Not close. Evangelism? Non-existent among these I describe. Heaven was okay; but only because Hell was to be avoided at all costs.
This thinking kills faith because faith is for the moment; the right now of where we live. And if we are merely crossing our fingers in hopes that we avoid Hell when we die, the basic calling is to sit, wait, and see how it goes once dead.
Faith, however, calls present life into a new realm. What makes faith come alive is to discover that God's calling is not for us to avoid eternal damnation; but to make us disciples to spread the powerful hope of the resurrected Jesus to the four corners of the world. What makes faith come alive is when we begin to realize we have more than an eternal destiny. We have a mission.
We are raised at baptism to walk a new life; not to wait it out til last breath. We are urged to realize our citizenship is in heaven....now; not someday remotely out there. Faith comes alive when we dare to leave the security of our on control by yielding to His Holy Spirit leadership.
Pews are not shelves for bodies to sit in hopes of hearing their names called from the Book of Life after it's all over. No. Christians are God's army called to active duty. We have burdened neighbors to encourage, heart-broken families to embrace, and enemies who hate-our-guts to love.
We have work to do and faith works!
The very command to love God and to love others is faith come alive. If we groom a church-people to focus inwardly on their life-after-death mode, then we will have trained a people to be dead-while-alive indifferent.
What makes faith come alive? Hearing the call of God and the need of others with no respects for ourselves; this will change the world where we live....in the present tense.
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