Why has this self-help, you-can-be-a-better person view point found such wide acceptance among evangelicals? Is it because it fits better into what they would like to believe? One thing I have observed is that those who expound on messages of success seldom teach the harder things of discipleship—like brokenness, suffering, humility, or delay. An unbiblical view of success and prosperity has the potential to do more damage to one's faith than almost any other misunderstood doctrine.
I was just talking to my wife two days ago about the gigantic differences between becoming famous on earth and becoming famous in Heaven. How you can be absolutely unknown on earth, and most likely are, if you are known in Heaven. We are speculating here, but those good works that reap an eternal reward, the heart attitude that it requires, the status of being servant of all doesn't get you very far down here. But up there, the jewels that survive the fire of God's judgment sure won't be because we were popular down here, made a lot of cash, or became an American Idol.
ReplyDeleteperhaps this is why Jesus said it would be harder for a rich man to get into heaven than for a needle to go through the eye of a needle.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Greg,
ReplyDeleteJesus promised the abundant life. Regretfully, people do not comprehend what this means. If this world is not our home (it is not), if our citizenship is somewhere else (it is), then I liken those that get stuff and decorate their lives with stuff (houses, cars, etc.) to people that would want to decorate the area around an airplane seat with stuff. Those that know that the airplane is merely a transportation means to an end would think the misguided decorating person is worthy of pity.
Our sojourn here is merely a means (crafting a soul to be a little bit more like Jesus) of transportation to an end.
It is not that we have souls. We are souls.
Godspeed!
Larry Q