I have found meaning in thinking about repentance as a serious reconsideration. Jesus knows how we are living. In most cases it is living for our self. We are our own king. We are living in the kingdom of self. Jesus says to us: take a hard look at how you are thinking and acting. Notice it. Recognize how you are thinking about things and how you are behaving. He says that there is another way of living and that we should strongly consider it. He says, come and follow me and I will show you how to live in continual presence with me, right now. This is good news, because we do not have to wait until some future time to be with God. Now if you decide to follow him, we will have to give something up. C.S. Lewis (in his allegorical book, the Great Divorce) said as much with his statement “you can’t take any part of hell with you to heaven.” That is the other part of repentance. Not so much that you have to first give something up and clean your act up, but that you have to follow him. And as you do, he will teach you a new way of thinking and acting. He will teach you how to live in a realm where the self is not the ruler, but God is. This is the process of dying to self, or crucifying the flesh as Paul puts it. This living in the kingdom of heaven now is what Paul refers to as “in Christ” and what John refers to as “life”.
This process of following Jesus’ teachings and example, learning to be like him and do what he did is called spiritual formation. It is the process where your being (heart) is formed, conformed, and transformed. The benefits of this transformation are many and significant. That is why it is good news. As we engage in this process, we increasing are able to love God and others from a heart that is in communion with God. When that happens, God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. We become one with the Father, like Jesus prayed for us. This seems to be the way, the narrow path, the tree that bears good fruit, the “true” prophet, the builder who built his house on a solid foundation. And, hey, guess what else comes as a by-product? It follows that those that have communion with Him and obey Him will continue to have it after they die. All this is the good news, not just the going to heaven part.
That is why I think the question of who gets to go to heaven may be the wrong question. Instead of asking how can I be with God when I die, maybe we should be asking how can I be with God now. As far as who gets to go to heaven, this is for God to decide. Some believe his love and grace will include everyone. Others believe that only certain people will. Noah, Abraham, Lot’s wife, the Zoroastrians, all the people who lived before Jesus, all the people who currently have not heard of Jesus and will likely not have a voice in their culture to tell them about Jesus in their lifetimes, all the Christian non-disciples, all the searchers who have not found God, all the doubters, all those that have heard and are living in defiance, will any of these people get to go to heaven? Who knows except God? I believe that God loves us all, that he is merciful, and that he is just. But, I am not sure that question is for us to answer. Dallas Willard said that if any of us make it to heaven it will be because of Jesus. Note the wording of this statement. It doesn’t say who get to go, just why this will if they get to.
4 comments:
It starts with your consent: "Okay Jesus I will follow you."
What does this mean practically?
Who has God charged with the command to go and make disciples? Other disciples who have been through training. You need to align yourself to one of them who God has put in your path. Learn from them. That is the process that Jesus put into place when he gave the great commission. Get a mentor and learn from that person. If not me, then other disciples. But you must be willing to learn from them. Jesus promised to be with us as we did this.
The other guides you have are the Holy Spirit and the Word. You have to learn how to us the Word and sense the Spirit.
How do you do that? What have we been doing all this time?
While it is true that you can do nothing without God, it is also true that if you do nothing, it will most certainly be without God.
You seem to be stuck on what you are supposed to do and what God is supposed to do. I sense that you are reluctant to do anything on your own and that only God can work His magic in you. You must have been taught this from someone. What is the belief you have about this that is creating a reluctance? Where are you hearing this? What about the direct teachings of Jesus? Did you do your homework assignment this week? What do you make of it?
Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Aaron. This is not rocket surgery. Remember, his yoke is easy.
Have you had another MUG time?
What is it you feel you should be doing?
They are all saying the same thing. They are metaphors to drive home his point of not just hearing his words but acting on them. Acting on his words is the narrow gate, the true prophet, the tree with the good fruit, the person who he knows, and the house built on a firm foundation.
Hearing and not acting on it is all the opposites.
Pretty direct teaching.
That sounds cool! It is great that you have a sense of direction at such a young age. Many stuggle with this.
There is a difference between vocation (calling/career) and who you are (being/heart). Which one do you think God is most concerned about?
I was referring to a reluctance to put effort into doing things that could put you in a position for heart change. I was wanting you to make explicit any underlying beliefs you have about how this might happen. And where you might have learned those beliefs. You want to go there?
You got the direction right - from the heart to life. It doesn't always work the other way. Being a missionary does not make one's heart right. But having a right heart can create a missionary (something like that).
Which question from Sunday night are you referring to?
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