| Getting to Heaven vs. Joining the Jesus Movement |
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I just got back from a planning week where I spent some time alone in a tent and I also had the chance to spend a day with a great friend and spiritual mentor. Anyway, I came home more deeply aware of an internal struggle I'm having with my faith family.
Primarily, the issue is whether following Jesus is about me or Him. You see, I grew up being taught that putting faith in Christ was about me getting my ticket to heaven. Basically, the gospel presentation appealed to my most self-centered instincts.
The more I read the gospels the more I realize that Jesus didn't share that kind of gospel. His gospel was about an invitation to join the Kingdom of God (maybe it could be called the Jesus Movement). I've noticed, for example, that he invited a couple of would be disciples to join the movement by saying, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19) Notice that he didn't say, "follow me and I you will get to go to heaven when you die."
Please don't hear me wrong. I have nothing against going to heaven. I just don't think that the invitation to follow Jesus is primarily about getting to go to heaven.
Here's what I'm wondering. If, in the evangelical faith community, we start looking at discipleship through this new set of lenses (maybe not totally new just a little different prescription) how would that impact our world view? Could it be that we would become more about the transformation of our entire generation now than the transportation of our generation as they die off one by one? Just wondering! |
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