Reject Fear

Sometimes, I think that Christians treat Jesus as some sort of cosmic 401k.

Which place would you like to be after  you die? Would you like to be sure that you don't end up in the terrible one?

I am so tired of this. It misses the point on so many levels.

For the first, if someone turns to Christ only because they are afraid of Hell, I doubt they'll stay there very long. Rather, I think this leads to the "faith" which only causes a person to doubt their salvation over and over and over again-- afraid that they may have missed one of the crucial steps to secure their place in Heaven.

Fear has no place when it comes to Christianity because God is love and perfect love casts out fear.

What is the other option?

I think this comes easily when one looks at the realities of Heaven and Hell. Heaven is the best place imaginable and Hell the worst (and beyond, for both). But why? Heaven is only good because it is the fullness of God's presence and Hell is only terrible because it is an absence of God's presence.

I cannot come to Christ seeking Heaven. I can only come seeking Christ.

The good news is if we seek Him and His kingdom, all these things will be given unto us as well.

But there's more good news. If the only good thing about Heaven is the presence of Christ, then I already have that. Not to say that this world could ever be Heaven-- it can't. But the thing I will have in full there, I experience more and more every day that I am here. Heaven is now, it is a reality in which I live.

All I'm trying to say is this: do we focus on the afterlife at the expense of focusing on the person of Christ? Does Heaven become just another gift we seek instead of the Giver?

Just something to think about.

All my founts are in you, Jesus.

Here's to embracing life now.
Cheers.