An Invitation Too Good to Pass Up

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15

          My sociology professor wanted us to share our personal thoughts and experiences with religion... an invitation too good to pass up. This is a bit lengthy and to my delight, my professor received it in the right spirit. I trust it made a good impression on her and cracked open the door to experiencing God as He really is.

                Religion is a topic that tends to polarize people. As a born again Christian I'd probably be considered a “fundamentalist” by many. Although I do agree with some of this term’s descriptions in our text, I do not lay claim to that designation. In fact, I’m not a fan of religion at all.

           It may appear that identifying myself as a believer in Jesus, yet disavowing any connection to religion is contradictory, but I think not. In my opinion, religion is man’s attempt to figure out God and then get right with Him. Our programs generally degenerate into systems of regulations to be strenuously adhered to if one wishes to get into and stay in God’s good graces.  Follow the rules and you’re safe.

          Because we like law keeping, God gave us His concept of the standard to adhere to. It's found in the Old Testament in simplified form, the Ten Commandments. Judaism further codified them into about 631 laws covering every aspect of life. To date, only one person perfectly kept the Law…Jesus. Everyone else has failed.

          I believe God's interested in relationship, not religion. Of the two, relationship is the more challenging. I have been married for forty-five years. If my marriage was solely based on abiding by a set of rules that both of us had to follow, we wouldn’t have much of a relationship, if any at all.

          I have faith and confidence in my husband, not because he “religiously” follows pre-established guidelines, but because I know him. I know how he thinks, what he likes/dislikes, what makes him happy or sad and what he considers important. This comes from decades of living together intimately, not from reading a rule book and acting accordingly.

          Religion promotes the concept that unless you get it “right” you face the wrath of God. Therefore, getting to know God personally isn’t as important as learning how to behave in a manner that you think keeps Him placated. This never works. Everyone goofs up. Therefore, many Christians don’t have any real assurance that they've met all the “requirements” necessary for getting into heaven, which really isn’t the most important thing.

          Our ability to mess things up, even with the best of intentions was no surprise to God. He knew this and fixed the problem before we had a chance to make any mistakes. He desires is relationship with His children; we want is a sure-fire program guaranteeing  our eternal destiny.

          Developing a relationship with God takes time. It’s progressive. I have known him personally for over four decades. I know less now than ever because I continually find Him deeper and richer than I’ve imagined. There are standards that I willingly adhere to, but not because I think they will earn me brownie points with God. These guidelines make my life simpler.

          For example, I no longer drink or do drugs. I’m free to do so if I want to...I just don’t want to. I don’t need the high or the escape they provide and I certainly don’t want the negative impact on my health that repeated useage produces.

          I don't worry about losing control and saying and doing things under the influence that I’ll regret later. Furthermore, I don’t fear about being stopped by the police and potentially arrested for any number of violations.

          Also, I go to church on Sunday and have done so for decades. Unlike my early religious upbrings upbringing where Sunday service attendance was mandatory, I go to church because I want to. And I don’t consider it ritualistic. That term, to me, speaks of just going through the motions, doing the same thing repetitively.

          I’m thankful that God refuses to be boxed in and likes changing things up.  I have responsibilities that require I be in attendance, but I don’t do these out of compulsion. Corporate worship has a different dynamic than individual. What occurs when the body comes together demonstrates how much we need each other. Christianity isn’t for Lone Rangers.

          I take communion every Sunday, however, I’m not limited to that time only. I can receive it anytime using water and crackers, coffee and a bagel or grape juice and bread. The physical elements aren’t what’s important. Communion is remembering Jesus and what He’s done for me. It's a time to re-member with Him. I’m now part of Him and this is a chance to remind myself of this very important fact.

          Rather than trying to show God I'm a good kid by my behavior, I spend time with Him in conversation. I ask what’s on His mind. Is there something He wants to do today that I can participate in? Perhaps there’s someone who needs prayer. He tells me how to pray in agreement with what He’s doing and I'm assured I’m just not spouting out hot air. What I’m say, based in faith, makes the difference. And I spend more time listening than talking. His side of the conversation is always more interesting. Because His Word tells me that I am already seated with Him in heavenly places, I spend time with Him there and it is a fascinating realm.

          Instead of telling people they need to “get right with God” to “turn or burn. ” I prefer to tell them that, as far as God is concerned, He’s not mad at anyone. He not counting sin against us because they've been taken care it. Christ’s crucifixion was just a physical manifestation of what had been done before time began. The only thing keeping anyone from spending eternity with Him, which includes right now, is the decision to say, “No thanks. I’m not interested.” Because we are blessed with free will, God honors our choice.

           God is concerned about sin, but not for reasons most people think. It has consequences. What is often labeled the “wrath of God” is simply the natural offshoot of bad behavior. The times I experience His “wrath” so to speak, is when He identifies things in my life that are harmful, destructive, and definitely not of Him. He is jealous for me, not of me. He wants the very best and like a good parent will do everything possible to keep me safe and out of trouble. He knows that sin causes me to think I’m His enemy and that He is mad at me. Because of the way sin distorts my mental capacity to know and understand Who He really is, God hates sin in every form. He wants nothing impeding my relationship with Him.

          I understand how religion evolves and develops, sometimes with the very best of intentions. However, I’ll stick with relationship. It’s not always clear cut and at times can be very mysteriously unsettling, but I have God’s assurance that because I’ve placed myself in His Hands, He can keep me out of harm’s way. And I’m taking His word for it.