If there were no Heaven or Hell would you still be a Christian?
If you are just joining me, this is the 4th of 10 answers I will be sharing in response to the above question. Today, Sandy of The View From Here will be answering the question.
Here were the parameters given to those whom I asked to respond:
Answer the question:
If there were no Heaven or Hell would you still be a Christian in 350 words or less. Your answer should begin with one of the four choices below.
- I absolutely would still be a Christian....
- I think I would still be a Christian....
- I'm not so sure....
- I definitely would not still be a Christian....
Here are the remaining 10 you can expect to hear from:
- Tim of Guitars and Theology
- Laura of Storybook Reality and Wild Locusts and Honey
- Katie of Katie Lloyd Photography
- Warren of Family Fountain
- Chrissy of Depirro Notes
- Josh of Re-Everything
Sandy wrote:
As a young child, I absorbed the importance of being good and speaking truth, and when I heard a “wordless book” presentation using colors to symbolize God, heaven, sin, righteousness and sacrifice. Heaven was presented as the prize for asking Jesus to forgive me and live with me, so I’m sure it influenced my decision, but more than heaven, I wanted to be good.
At my church, it was easy for a serious girl who wanted to “do right” to absorb the essentials of cultivating a relationship with God through Bible reading and prayer. Adults there regularly spoke about God as a close Friend, a kind Father, and a Holy, Mighty Being. It seemed easy f to move into hearing God intuitively in my thoughts as I read the Bible and prayed, easy to ask Him for help in curbing my temper and speaking kind words.
The daily challenges I faced as wife and mother really threw me into disciplines of RELATIONSHIP with God; Bible study, journaling my struggles and prayers and gratitude. Over several decades that relationship became THE primary relationship of my life. I found wise counsel for real problems, comfort for bruised emotions, and encouragement to move beyond fear and embrace transparency, humility and gentleness in relationships. I found a God who confronted me with my failures in loving others with such acceptance and gentleness that I was able to forgive myself and slowly begin to love others the same way. I was changed, little by little, by this PERSON who loved me extravagantly.
Far more appealing than the hope and promise of a PLACE with no sickness or tears to this woman who lives in a country of freedom, plenty and opportunity, has been being with the PERSON who will call me by a love name He alone knows.
How about you?
How would you answer the question?
If you would like to join, write your answer in a post and link up below any time during the next two weeks (possibly three weeks. I have yet to decide). The linky will be provided at the end of each SPECIAL EDITION post.
4 comments:
Very good response - I love how you really focused on the relationship...regardless of an ever after.
I love this series! It's so interesting too what people believe!
Personally, I believe that Heaven is a place... a place where the Lord resides. And we can all live with Him again. How can there not be a Heaven when there IS our God?
Exactly Sandy. The nature of what makes heaven heaven is that there is the sudden and dramatic increase of our attainment of God. "The hope of the glory of God," not simply "the hope of a far better world.
Sandy,
I really liked your answer. I agree with Ashley - I think your emphasis on relationship is powerful.
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