I feel like my heart has been breaking a lot recently. It's been breaking for friends, who are so sad and hurt and broken that I can't help but cry with them and for them. And it breaks a little too when I hear people misinterpret Jesus so greatly.
I was sitting in Biology the other day, perhaps Wednesday, and the teacher was discussing the difference between science and religion. Boiled down, the primary difference was faith and proof. You can't see a physical representation of God, you can't give tangible, visible evidence of His omnipotence or perform experiments to test His power, belief in the truth of these things is based upon faith. I mean really, what experiment would you use to prove that God always was, and is, and will be? But then the teacher said something else, I can't remember how exactly it tied in, but he said (as though he were a Christian speaking), "we're always right and good, so therefore you're wrong and evil and must be put to death."
I just sat there in the third-from-the-top row of the lecture hall in Sturm and was sad, so sad. Because that is so wrong, so untrue, so against what Jesus is about! Granted, there are many "Christians" out there who act and believe that they are good and righteous and all others are evil and therefore worthy of death (cough, Westboro Church, cough). But those are the people who have clearly failed to read the entirety of their Bibles. Those are the ones who have not accepted their own sin and failure. Those are the individuals who refuse to believe that the "wages of sin is death" and that the only hope of salvation is Jesus. They don't seem to understand that we "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God," and that that falling applies to every single human being. Some people seem to think that they are special, that they were "chosen," that they have some special sinless privilege that makes them better than all the "sinners" and "evil people" out there.
No, no, no. We're all evil, all sinners, we all hurt Jesus, and we all deserved death as consequence for our actions. There's no being special, no being chosen. The only difference between a follower of Christ and someone who does not believe in Jesus is this: accepting that we are broken, sinful, hopeless, and helpless people who are utterly incapable of saving ourselves. And then believing that despite our absolute horridness, for some wonderful, amazing, miraculous reason, Jesus loves us, and wants us, and cares for us. And that because of this unbelievable love, He has offered us grace and mercy by taking on our punishment for our misdeeds and has died for us. And that through His death and return to life, He has saved us. He payed for our sins with His own suffering. And He wants to adopt us into His family, to be our Father, King, and Best Friend. There is no special ingredient that makes a Christian better, or more deserving of this great grace. There is simply belief in the gift, and the promise of life with Jesus.
One of my new favorite passages in the Bible is Ezekiel 18. It paints this picture of grace and forgiveness and salvation so clearly. It says that no matter how bad we are, no matter what we have done, we are still loved, and we can still be saved by Jesus.
"20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
21 “But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
24 “But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!"
I simply love this. It starts out harshly. You sin - you die. That makes sense. Consequences for actions. But they God continues. If you turn from that sin, believe in Him, then these past sins are forgotten, you live. And I love the last part, "I take no pleasure in the death of anyone."
God does not delight in the death of His children, He does not rejoice if one chooses not to to believe in Him. He is hurt each time someone sins. He doesn't desire that anyone go to Hell. Why do people to to Hell, then? If God doesn't want anyone there, why isn't Heaven full and overflowing with all the people? I've struggled with this some, and I think it is a question we, as humans, will never be able to fully answer because we cannot see God's mind. But here's what I believe: free will. God chooses to let us choose. He does not force Himself upon anyone. He gives us the choice, the freedom, to accept His gift of love and grace, or deny it. But He does not wish death upon anyone, because He loves us. Oh, how He loves us.
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