As a church I feel like we are selling the wrong product, maybe because it is easier to sell but as a result we are creating many fake/half hearted christians.
The idea that the reason you should become a christian is because that is the only way you can get to Heavan is a very popular idea. No one wants to go to hell so as long as you can convince them that jesus is the only way to heaven this is a great way to get someone to accept Jesus, if the goal is to make lots of “christians”
As I see it the reason someone should become a “christian” is because God has called us to be his sons and daughters. He wants to know us personally and wants us to surrender to him, calling him abba and making him the center of our lives. And with any thing we make the center of our life we should always be striving to make it more center and do a better job of following him. That is what God has to offer because of Christ’s death on the cross, heaven is just a continuation of what has been offered on this earth. Heaven will be the fulfilling of what we were meant to be and hell will be the opposite.
As Christians we need to start explaining christianity as it really is, and yeah maybe we would have less people become “christians” but the church would not be broken, the church would be what it was meant to be not what it is. The church would be strong and maybe people on the outside would want to be a part for reasons other than heaven. If the church was how it was meant to be I believe that people would see the difference and have a strong desire to have part in that.
Nice post, but then how do explain Acts 16:31 if our main focus is on knowing Him and surrendering to Him then what do we need saved from? Also I think heaven is rather important considering it was mention about 256 times in the New Testament. Hell is mentioned about 23 times.
“but the church would not be broken,” As long as His church is made up of fallen people like you and me it will be broken.
Just my thoughts!
Don’t get me wrong, Heaven is a big part of the picture. But if we continue to tell people they should turn to Christ so they can go to heaven we will continue to have a bunch of “Christians” that don’t really care about God when it comes down to it. Heaven is where what this life on earth was meant to be will finally come true so it is awesome and important. Don’t think I am taking away from heaven at all, but heaven IMO is part of the big picture. The big picture is being in communion with Christ whether on earth or in heaven. Heaven will simply be the first time it will be full, pure and complete.
Yes the Church will always be broken BUT the American church today is apathetic, lazy, lacking passion, and full of people who don’t want God they want Christianity.
Also one last little note about “being save” we need to be saved before we can be in communion with God whether on earth or in heaven.
I couldn’t agree more…as long we maintain that we can do absolutely nothing to earn salvation or God’s love.
To go along with what you are saying, why do we have churches full of “Christians” who say they “love” God but their lives clearly show that they love themselves much more than God. Very little REAL sacrifice is being made by believers today, its awfully comfortable to be a “Christian”.
I think the reason we have Christians that don’t care about God is because of what you stated at the end. We are lazy. America has made church a poplular and comfortable place. We don’t talk about taking up our cross daily anymore. But I feel the time is near when the sleeping church will awake and only those committed to loving Christ will stay.
All that said heaven has always only been the temporary home for us while Jesus rebuilds our planet earth. I still don’t find anything wrong with becoming a Christian to be saved from hell, but it becomes the duty of the church to then disciple the newbie to understand all that God really is. Then a person can learn how to center God in their lives. Whether they do or not is up to them.
Something has made us lazy. Partly it is easy to be a “Christian” you really don’t get an crap for it in America, but the other part is because people are becoming “Christians” so they don’t have to go to hell. That is like marrying someone for there house. I hope it is time for the church to awake but I just do not see that right now… it seems to just continue slipping. Yet I pray daily that it would. But I guess at this point we must just agree to disagree, I do feel like the church is handling things wrong and that needs to change in order for the church to awake. I will live my ministry the way I feel God has called us too and I can not change how you do yours, though honestly the idea of calling people to Christ so they can get out of hell scares me and feels like a very wrong way of dealing with things, and getting people in to something they don’t really understand.
I am not totally sure if I understand your post. The amount of scripture in overwhelming that discusses heaven and hell. John the Baptist preached repentance for the Kingdom of God is near. Jesus focused so many of His stories on heaven.
Personally I came to know Christ at a VBS based on my desire to not go to hell, but to live forever in heaven.
“That is like marrying someone for there house.”
Heaven is not a house or a place, but it is a forever existence with the One true God. I have no problem putting my focus on this.
The church is awaking as we speak, just take a look at other countries, that will spread to America. Jesus will never let it slip out of His hands. He built it and we are His bride.
BTY this type of discussion is excellent, and is just what we need in our lives.
Like I said a few posts ago, I am not down playing heaven at all. It is where our communion with God will be pure, full and complete and I look forward to that.
That is interesting that is how you came, not saying that does not make you a “Christian”, what I am saying is that by representing the gospel like that I fear we are creating many false “Christians.”
Ok I can see what you mean by that but I am not sure that most people understand that when they get the talk about why they should accept christ(so they don’t go to hell) Also along with that I agree but that is why I say it starts here on earth, we just can’t have it fully then
Ok in other countries but it will not awake in America until either the Church changes or there is more persecution but I do full believe that the church in america is as we speak getting weaker and lazier. I do agree he will not let the church slip from his grasp.
I agree 🙂