It seems that the most logical question after "Why am I a Christian?" would be "Would anyone else want to be a Christian because I'm one?" Maybe I'm strange for thinking that way. I just do. But let's not go there yet. That can be a troublesome topic to reflect on. I may find out that my faith is about as contagious as good genes. I only multiply it by reproduction.
Anyway, again McLaren has helped me to reflect on another topic. The topic of salvation. He writes a chapter entitled "Jesus: Savior of What?" in his book Generous Orthodoxy. He discusses how many "Evangelicals" (big "E" Evangelicals as McLaren calls them) have truncated Jesus salvation. They've cut and boxed it up so it fits right where they want it most, at the end. This type of salvation is a heaven entering, judgment freeing, restoration achieving type of salvation. It's a ticket. A ticket to eternity. But didn't Jesus do more than scalp us some tickets?
The answer is yes (obviously), but do we really know what this answer means? It has gotten too easy for us to see Jesus' salvation only as a ticket to heaven. Not something that affects our lives now. But Jesus' salvation is not just something for then, it's something for now. And it's not just a salvation for humanity from sin. It's a salvation for creation. To restore the whole works back to God. McLaren isn't the first I've read on the topic. Robert Webber (I think it's two "b"s) makes a strong case for "Christ's Victory" and its implications for life in his book Ancient Future Faith. So let's move past asking questions and onto discussing realities.
How does Jesus' salvation impact our lives right now? What does it mean for not only sin, but poverty, injustice, and environmental issues? How do we relate our faith not only to a future event but to a present reality? How are we to live now, not just so we can live then but so we can actually LIVE now? What does Jesus' salvation do for us in this moment?
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3 comments:
hey adam - great post. you ask a heap of great questions and you begin to point to the answer. i wish you'd come out and say how Christ's salvation is specifically relevant to us all today through the ongoing work of sanctification . . . being saved from who were were and then continually being saved from ourselves everyday so we can live life in abundance. i like the quotes from the Bible scholars. even more, the authority of God's Word and some Scripture from Romans would strengthen your argument. loving it here down in the states. give me a call some time 434 546 2909 - miss you and heather!
I think its helpful to look at salvation from its broadest context and then begin to work our way in.
What is salvation? It is God's rescue of His Creation from sin, death, Satan and all of the evil powers which threaten His Creation. Interesentingly, (1) we are among the evil powers which threaten His Creation, and (2) part of the problem with Creation is the curse God Himself put upon Creation because of our evil.
God is creating a new humanity out of the old, who will live for the praise of His glory. God seeks a new Creation and a new humanity who will be free and pure from sin, death, and evil.
Through Israel, God breaks into the world to establish a kingdom within the fractured Creation. In Israel the Lord forms a people, provides atonement for their sin, orders their life in the Law for peace with each other and Himself. This is God's salvation of Creation. Israel will be His people, and they will be a light to the World. The whole World will stream into Zion and learn the ways of the Lord.
But the problem of sin, death and the evil aren't fully sovled. Israel's sin is horrible. They are continually unfaithful. Death is not concured. The curse is evident everywhere. The people of God are exhiled from the promised land and the whole project of salvation seeems doomed. The people of Israel continually call out for the Day of the Lord when He will finally set things right.
They people return from exhile and the temple is eventually rebuilt, but it is never the same as it used to be. The glory of the Lord's presence never returns the way it used to be. The problem of sin, death, and evil one is still obvious. To top it off the Romans are basically in charge of Israel and are giving them a hard time.
Where is God? When will God finally act, and establish is reign on Earth? When we he finally rescue His people like He promised. When will he finally destroy sin and death in a lasting way? When will the everlasting Davidic king sit upon the throne?
In Jesus the whole meaning and mission of the Israel, the Law, the sacrifices, the Temple, the Davidic King, the Messianic prophecies, and Salvation comes to pass. These things were shadows - Christ is the real thing.
The Lord of the Covenant comes, but He comes as a back-water carpenter, born out of wedlock to young Jewish girl in a barn. Sin is atoned, Satan is defeated, the curse is removed - the Kingdom of God has come in Jesus. This is accomplished through cross and ressurection. God's victory comes through God's own apparent foolish defeat. It is through the humility of crucifixion that the glory of ressurection, new life, justification, and atonement for sin occur.
We share in Jesus' justification, His vindication by the Father, by being united to Him by Faith through the power of the Spirit. The fullness of the reality of all this will be realized at the eschaton, when Christ will return to recieve His bride. The ressurection of the dead, and the new Creation. The new World, in which God will in blessed union and communion with His people.
So is "salvation a ticket to heaven"? Sort of, but no. Salvation is participation in union and communion with God and His people in perfect peace and righteousness. God promises a new heaven and a new Earth. We wait for the ressurection of the body. Our hope is not for eternal spiritual existance in the sky with God.
And the new world will be new, like we are new, after death and ressurection. It will be new and yet the same.
In this way we can't wait in faith for this day while hurting people and/or abusing the earth. That wouldn't make any sense. God's plan is to rescue/heal the Creation, so how can we work against this?
I think Salvation is a mysterious and mystical thing. Life is sometimes full synchronicities and omens that are often indicators of the existance of something beyond the human situation. Some people see things like that more than others. Some people see answers to prayers.
There are indicators of a reality beyond human reason... a reality of faith.
Jesus defeated death, so that's part of the salvation.
Right now, God is able to change things in our lives, and that's part of salvation.
but a big part of salvation is also what happens to your soul when this house of cards comes crashing down... and that's Jesus' call... the Bible gives lots of tips on how to get on his good side...
Of course people can't change on their own. The way to change is to admit powerlessness and pray for God to change you.
Salvation and christian faith involve placing a greater amount of confidence God who is unseen and is described as having a still small voice (as in very hard to hear) than you place in your own ability.
It's an absurdity and a leap of faith, but it's also the right choice.... the choice of hope... love... eternity...
It's as irrational as throwing all your money off a bridge in an attempt to get rich... and then next thing, you find out that it actually worked for some reason.
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