I will miss Robin Williams. I still remember watching Mork and Mindy when I was young. I loved Mork from Ork. He made me laugh even if I didn't quite get all of his jokes. I remember watching him as Popeye and it was one of my favorites when I was a kid. I would watch it whenever it was on. I have never seen a comic genius like him and I don't know if we will see one after him.
It saddened me when I heard that a man who could make so many laugh struggled to find happiness and joy in his own life. My heart goes out to those affected by suicide. I am not one who claims that depression is a state of mind that can be overcome. I know that it is a terrible disease and one that I have struggled with on some level off and on for most of my adult life. But, this blog is not about depression or Robin Williams. This blog is being written to address the question that I have been asked for a long time: Do those who commit suicide go to hell?
For centuries different branches of the church have taught that suicide would send someone directly to hell. To early church fathers like Clement of Alexandria and St. Augustine, suicide was an unforgivable sin. Grace was not available to those who took their own life because it was considered self-murder, a violation of the sixth commandment. But, is that the correct view of suicide?
Suicide is a grave situation and it would appear to be one of those sins that is unforgivable. However, to see suicide as a sin that is unforgivable is having a small view of grace. I hold to a big view of grace. My view of grace is that God's grace is more than enough to cover all my sin. One of the greatest verses in the Bible is Romans 5:20: "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more." The law was given to us so that we would know what sin was; it was never meant to save us. Grace is the thing that was meant to save us. To hold a view that a sin like suicide can condemn followers of Christ to hell is to believe that God's grace is not big enough to cover the sins I commit at the moment of my death. That is a belief system centered around fear and paranoia. That is a belief system that is based on law not on grace. Grace is what covers the sins of those who have given their life to Christ as Lord and Savior. That grace is powerful. That grace is so powerful that it can cover all of our sins, past, present and future.
A few months ago, Pastor Rick Warren's son committed suicide after many years of battling mental illness. Rick Warren is a godly man and insisted that his son was the same. He defended his son's Christianity despite his suicide. Rick Warren believes that he will see his son again in eternity with Jesus because Rick Warren has a big view of grace.
I don't know what Robin Williams believed. If he believed in Christ as his Savior, then I believe I will see him in eternity with Jesus. If he didn't believe, then suicide will not be what will condemn him; it will be rejection of God and His grace. That is the unforgivable sin because it means we have rejected the one thing that could cover our sin and save us, grace. And, it's not a one-time rejection; it is a lifetime spent rejecting the Gospel message.
Suicide is an unfortunate result of mental illness, but as Christians I think it's time to stop teaching that believers automatically go to hell because of it. There is no biblical evidence for it. Only two people in the Bible committed suicide and neither showed evidence of following God when they did it. There are passionate believers in Christ who struggle with depression and there are some who give into the temptation to end it all. We need to stop throwing out God's judgment and be there for the families of those affected. We need to have a bigger view of grace.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Saturday, August 9, 2014
A different perspective is needed
This is my first post in a while because of a few reasons: 1) it's been a busy summer; 2) I had to finish my masters (woohoo!); and 3) I didn't have anything worthwhile to write about. But, that last reason has changed.
Iraq is a mess of evil right now. Unless you live in a cave, you should know what I'm talking about. Christians are being persecuted very heavily as I write this. They are being driven from their homes by radical Muslims. They are not the only groups that are suffering. There are other groups that are being forced to convert or die. And, how many of us Christians in this country are hurting for our brothers and sisters in Iraq? How many of us are praying for them?
Our perspective in this country needs to change. We can become so focused on our own agendas. We like to focus more on God's favor for us or how our church can grow or what mega church pastor is being asked to step down rather than on those who are suffering for Christ.
In this country we tend to see things through rose-colored glasses. We keep those same glasses on when it comes to church too. We like to think about God showing us His favor. We teach and encourage one another to declare God's favor in our lives, but would we say the same thing if we were running for our lives? Would we tell an Iraqi Christian who has suffered for the sake of Christ to declare God's favor over their lives? Certainly God wants to bless His children like any loving father would, but isn't Jesus enough of a blessing for us? Everything else is a bonus. Everything else is the cherry on top.
Recently I was talking with my sister in law about verses in the Bible that I think we need a different perspective on. Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 are verses that we love to use in our country. Jeremiah 29:11 is often used for graduation gifts or used to give us encouragement during a difficult time. We like to say to someone who is struggling, "God will not give you more than you can handle. And he has a great plan for you. Remember Jeremiah 29:11!" The sentiment is good, but the problem is that Jeremiah 29:11 was written in the midst of total destruction. God was speaking to His people after Babylon had completely ransacked Jerusalem. And, this was all brought on because of Israel's constant sin against God. So, this verse was spoken after judgment had come upon God's people. This was not a happy time for them. This was spoken to give them hope that God would restore them. And, what was that restoration going to look like? Jesus. Jesus was the restoration that God was promising.
And, this brings us to Romans 8:28: "And God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." This verse is used to teach that God is going to work everything in our lives out for our good. No matter what may come, it's all going to come out lilacs and roses. God is even going to bless us abundantly because Jesus promised his followers the abundant life. However, if you read the entire context that this verse is found in, you find a different interpretation. God has already worked out good for those who love him. That good is Jesus. Romans 8 starts with, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." No condemnation for those in Christ! How can it get any better than that?
Our problem in America is that we like to add to the Gospel because somewhere inside of us we don't think it's good enough. We want to look at God as the great being in the sky who will bless us abundantly if we declare His promises over our lives. We look at God as our CEO running our Fortune 500 company. We look at God in many different lights so that He can fit in the box we have made for him. The problem with all of that is that God ceases to be God and becomes an idol. Our brothers and sisters in Iraq see God as their only treasure. Jesus is enough for them. That is why they refuse to deny their faith. That is why they will radically love and forgive those who do this to them. That is why they will never abandon Jesus because Jesus has given them everything they could want or need.
Our Jesus in this country is much too small. That is why we have to add to the Gospel. We are satisfied with that Jesus because when anything bad happens, that Jesus doesn't get us through. We need to have a different perspective. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes so that we can see just how great and awesome Jesus is. Then will we become truly enamored by him. We will become passionate about him. Then will we become compelled to preach the true Gospel not some watered down version that we have to add to because it's not quite good enough.
Shall we cling to the old rugged cross where our great Savior died for us? Or are we going to keep making Jesus into our image?
Iraq is a mess of evil right now. Unless you live in a cave, you should know what I'm talking about. Christians are being persecuted very heavily as I write this. They are being driven from their homes by radical Muslims. They are not the only groups that are suffering. There are other groups that are being forced to convert or die. And, how many of us Christians in this country are hurting for our brothers and sisters in Iraq? How many of us are praying for them?
Our perspective in this country needs to change. We can become so focused on our own agendas. We like to focus more on God's favor for us or how our church can grow or what mega church pastor is being asked to step down rather than on those who are suffering for Christ.
In this country we tend to see things through rose-colored glasses. We keep those same glasses on when it comes to church too. We like to think about God showing us His favor. We teach and encourage one another to declare God's favor in our lives, but would we say the same thing if we were running for our lives? Would we tell an Iraqi Christian who has suffered for the sake of Christ to declare God's favor over their lives? Certainly God wants to bless His children like any loving father would, but isn't Jesus enough of a blessing for us? Everything else is a bonus. Everything else is the cherry on top.
Recently I was talking with my sister in law about verses in the Bible that I think we need a different perspective on. Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 are verses that we love to use in our country. Jeremiah 29:11 is often used for graduation gifts or used to give us encouragement during a difficult time. We like to say to someone who is struggling, "God will not give you more than you can handle. And he has a great plan for you. Remember Jeremiah 29:11!" The sentiment is good, but the problem is that Jeremiah 29:11 was written in the midst of total destruction. God was speaking to His people after Babylon had completely ransacked Jerusalem. And, this was all brought on because of Israel's constant sin against God. So, this verse was spoken after judgment had come upon God's people. This was not a happy time for them. This was spoken to give them hope that God would restore them. And, what was that restoration going to look like? Jesus. Jesus was the restoration that God was promising.
And, this brings us to Romans 8:28: "And God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." This verse is used to teach that God is going to work everything in our lives out for our good. No matter what may come, it's all going to come out lilacs and roses. God is even going to bless us abundantly because Jesus promised his followers the abundant life. However, if you read the entire context that this verse is found in, you find a different interpretation. God has already worked out good for those who love him. That good is Jesus. Romans 8 starts with, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." No condemnation for those in Christ! How can it get any better than that?
Our problem in America is that we like to add to the Gospel because somewhere inside of us we don't think it's good enough. We want to look at God as the great being in the sky who will bless us abundantly if we declare His promises over our lives. We look at God as our CEO running our Fortune 500 company. We look at God in many different lights so that He can fit in the box we have made for him. The problem with all of that is that God ceases to be God and becomes an idol. Our brothers and sisters in Iraq see God as their only treasure. Jesus is enough for them. That is why they refuse to deny their faith. That is why they will radically love and forgive those who do this to them. That is why they will never abandon Jesus because Jesus has given them everything they could want or need.
Our Jesus in this country is much too small. That is why we have to add to the Gospel. We are satisfied with that Jesus because when anything bad happens, that Jesus doesn't get us through. We need to have a different perspective. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes so that we can see just how great and awesome Jesus is. Then will we become truly enamored by him. We will become passionate about him. Then will we become compelled to preach the true Gospel not some watered down version that we have to add to because it's not quite good enough.
Shall we cling to the old rugged cross where our great Savior died for us? Or are we going to keep making Jesus into our image?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)