For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, nor sovereignties, nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8: 38-39, Concordant New Testament
I learned something new this week. I learned that after we die upon this earth that there is a final judgement and that those who do not pass the Lords muster will be condemned to a eternity in hell. Well, that was the conversation I had once again with a good friend who it seems is firmly steeped in the Eastern orthodox Christianity. I cannot lay the blame for this way of thinking solely as his feet, however, as many a believer has held to this line of Christian theology. Growing up, this was the fear that I had, that I would not perform well enough to please the Lord and spend eternity in heaven. My friend often relates to me that he lives with guilt that God would not see him as worthy of being saved. As scary as this might sound, I hear it a lot from believers. So much so that I have began to ponder this question, who would God kill? Realizing that millions of people die on this earth every single day only adds fuel to this dumpster fire of a debate. Yet, we're also assured that our time on this earth will be limited in length {Genesis 6:3}. Knowing this, there is no way that we can expect to live on this earth forever. So I ask once again, who would God kill? This week we lost a good friend who I had not seen in a few years. I knew him as a good man with a tight knit family. Yet, the Lord chose to allow him to pass at this moment. My own mother passed away in 2016, and not a day goes by that I do not miss her. She was indeed a Godly woman who loved the Lord. Did God kill her? Would God purposefully kill one of His children whom He loved so much? Would He kill someone whom He had promised to never forsake {Deuteronomy 31:8}? This is not just me sparking a debate, this is the thinking of many a Christian believer today. That despite promising His love for us, that God would someday find us unworthy of His love any longer and deem us forever to hell. Is it any wonder that many believers live in guilt that they are not doing enough to please God? It is indeed a horrible way to live.
Fear is not in love, but perfect love is casting out fear, for fear has chastening. Now he who is fearing is not perfected in love.
1 John 4: 18, Concordant New Testament
Does God desire us to live our lives out in fear of Him? Christian theology has created for us a ogre of a God who breaks His promises and brings suffering unto those He supposedly loves. I know of this line of thinking because it's how I was raised. Back in the day, there were very few who were questioning the teachings of the church concerning God. I grew up learning that God loved me, but that if I didn't perform in a way pleasing to Him, that an eternity in hell awaited me. In the same breath, many a pastor would assure me that God loved me. The turning point for me came with the realization that I was not defined by the flesh container that is my physical body. THIS is the temporary, finite part of our time on this earth. This is what will someday vanish from sight. However, as we're told, our true identity is in spirit and not flesh {Romans 8:9}. Not only that, the apostle Paul speaks to us about our One true spirit within us, that of Christ Jesus {Galatians 2:20}. That old man, that old creation has been put to death by Jesus on the cross {Romans 6:6}. What now defines us is Christ Jesus who lives in us. So, let me revisit my question, would God kill His Son a second time? It's a good story if you can sell it. Paul also assures us that Christ died once, for all creation {Romans 6:10}. The works of the flesh may indeed go against the Lords standards. Yet, we're assured that through the work of Christ Jesus on the cross that the debt has now been paid {2 Corinthians 5:21}. Unfortunately, many well intentioned believers such as my friend continue to hold tightly to the old covenant way of thinking. That is not our future. Our identity is now in the new covenant through our Lord Christ Jesus. We are His brand new creation {2 Corinthians 5:17}.
Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving to sin, for one who dies has been justified from sin. Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, having been roused from among the dead, is no longer dying. Death is lording it over Him no longer, for in that He died, He died to sin once for all time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God. Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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