While loud stadium rock is far from my thing, I was quite impressed by the show I chaperoned several years ago. As I told some people afterward, it was like watching volcanoes and thunderstorms worshiping God.
(Their program that year in Nashville was also jussssst slightly evocative of universal salvation. I could tell that the writers of the stage drama that progressed over the weekend had at least CS Lewis in mind; maybe Lewis’ teacher MacDonald, too.)
I believe that we as believers will face the judgment just like unbelievers do. We’ll face the truth concerning what we’ve done with what we’ve been given (talents), the truth concerning how many opportunities we’ve missed because of not being diligent and prepared, the truth concerning what we’ve done when given leadership power and authority, the truth concerning how we have treated people, and we’ll also face the truth of how much God loves us. As will all of humanity.
The difference between we believers and unbelievers is that we’ve already embraced some of this and have already began receiving the healing and forgiveness of God and are already being delivered from sin. And instead of walking in sin, we’re empowered to walk in righteousness. Instead of only walking according to the flesh, we can instead walk in obedience to the Spirit. Instead of living life under the law, we live in right relationship with God and one another.
Also, instead of being afraid of death and future condemnation, we’re assured of salvation in Christ and are freed from the fear of death. We have a tendency to focus so much on the future, afraid of the future, that we often fail to embrace the reality of the present. Jesus spoke to this when He reminds us to not worry about tomorrow because the evil of today is enough for us to handle. Sadly, traditional Christianity has been reduced to avoiding hell and going to heaven, when Christianity should be about the present reality of Jesus in our lives, the present reality of being forgiven by God, empowered to think and live right, etc. Sadly, evangelism is traditionally all about getting people to accept Christ so as to avoid Hell, when in reality it’s about encouraging people to have faith in Christ and thus be delivered from the present reality of not having a relationship with God, perishing and being destroyed, hurting and hurting others, in bondage to sin and the fear of death, etc.
Thanks for your previous post. I look forward to reading your book. Jesus did come to baptize us in fire! Hallelujah! Fire consumes what is not lasting and purifies what is lasting. May our lives be filled with gold, silver, precious jewels that are only purified by fire!
In Spirit and in fire! (Not “or”, notably, though that’s how it seems to be constantly interpreted. As if being baptized in fire must be a hopeless thing. Scary, maybe, but not hopeless.)
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold onto grace (or freely given joy); for by grace we may serve God acceptably, with reverence in awe: for our God is consuming fire.
I could tell that the writers of the stage drama that progressed over the weekend had at least CS Lewis in mind; maybe Lewis’ teacher MacDonald, too.)
(Not “or”, notably, though that’s how it seems to be constantly interpreted. As if being baptized in fire must be a hopeless thing. Scary, maybe, but not hopeless.)