salvation; a non-issue

Salvation by faith?  Salvation by works?  Salvation from God?  Salvation...

Why are we even talking about salvation?  When did that become our primary focus?  The discussion of salvation is only for children.  Children, who don't have the maturity to comprehend love-based actions yet.  "Here's what you can do to stay out of trouble, kids."  or  "If you don't eat all your veggies you don't get dessert."  or  "Obey mommy or you will get a punishment." Kids don't naturally operate with "self" out of the picture and so they need obvious rewards and punishments to guide what should be their natural choices.  But when they grow older, they ought to have had the opportunity to develop a love relationship with their parents enough so that they want to honor them and obey.  At that point, consequences and rewards are not the focus anymore; but rather an intimate loving relationship with a God-established parent.

So then, why do we still talk about salvation as if it's the aim, the goal, the prize?  "If you want to be saved then you need to..."  or  "Remain faithful to God so that you can be saved."  All my life, I have heard one preacher after another, and one parent after another, dangle heaven in front of me like a carrot on a string for a bunny.  "See?  Don't you want all these good things?  No more tears, streets of gold, your own mansion, living forever, amazing food, all your friends..."  Ah, but those individuals don't even know what heaven is.  Heaven is not things and prizes; it's Jesus, to have and to hold for all eternity.

This morning, as I was making some tea, I recalled many memories of well-intentioned Christians trying to alter my adult behavior or choices so that I could "get into" heaven.  One day, as my grandfather and I worked in my garden, he asked me if I wanted to go to heaven.  I knew exactly where he was going with this since it was the first time he had a chance to talk to me since I had gotten married.  I politely answered, "Yes, Grandpa, I do."  Then without looking at me, he continued to rake in the garden, and said, "Then take off your wedding band."  My grandfather believed that wearing jewelry was a grave offense against God, one that could actually bar you from entering heaven.  I just responded that if my wedding band would keep me out of heaven, then I wasn't real sure that's the kind of place I wanted to aim for.  I know I grossly offended him with my insensitive comment but it angered and saddened me that this was how he viewed heaven and God.

Even more recently, I have had people try to steer me towards heaven with all these warnings and threats and sometimes promises.  "Don't get divorced.  God doesn't forgive divorce.  You're hurting your children; they will be ruined forever and will reject God and embrace a life of prostitution and abuse."  Yes, I actually had someone tell me that.  I was warned, in a very long letter, to stay married at all costs for the sake of my children and salvation.  I was told that my children would thank me later.  Yeah, right.  Let me show you the children who are filled with anger and vengeance against a parent that spiritually abused their family in spite of the pleas from the children to be free from his tyrannical dictatorship.  Wanna talk about sins that bar you from heaven?  Revenge, hatred, deep-seated resentment...  Let me show you the child that has submitted to a life of an alcoholic or an abuser as a result of being abused by a parent who couldn't handle the stress of parenting.  Let me show you the children that reject the Heavenly Father because their own parents so grossly misrepresented Him.  Sorry, you're not going to convince me that staying together at all costs is what is best for the children.  Although I agree that many parents give up too easily, in the case of evil or darkness, get the hell out of there.  Anyway, I got a little carried away here.  Back to my point...

The issue of "salvation" seems to be on the forefront of so many people's minds.  It's the focal point that establishes the wrong kind of foundation.  It's like racism.  People talk about it in an effort to educate people for the sake of overcoming it and yet it has become the focus and done more lasting damage as an ongoing topic than it would have as a stand-alone issue.  Morgan Freeman was quoted, "You want to stop racism?  Stop talking about it."  Overcome racism with the opposite of racism.  Teach love and tolerance for ALL people and racism becomes a non-issue.

So it is with salvation.  The discussion of salvation only identifies whether you have it or you don't.  Black and white.  Get it or you're on the outside of the pearly gates.  That is such a sad, sad perspective.  I'd rather see us testify of Jesus' grace and His forgiving mercy.  Talk about His endless love and tenderness for us.  Share His goodness with others.  And salvation will not even be an issue of discussion anymore.  Because anyone who is in love with Jesus will bear the fruits of that love, in their time, in their way.  And salvation becomes just a side order to the main course of a reciprocal love relationship with Jesus.  Heaven will be the natural next step, not the prize at the end.  It is, indeed, the reward that awaits the faithful, but that's only the kind of stuff you say before people understand what it means to love Jesus.  But we understand Him; we love Him.  Let's not talk about salvation anymore, please.  Let's just talk about Jesus.


I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. 1 Corinthians 3:2

When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do.  But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways.  1 Corinthians 13:11

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.  But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.  Hebrews 5:13-14.