Why do so many Christians whose souls are eternally secure fail to experience the abundant life God has promised to those who believe? Jesus promised us many things–forgiveness, rest, refreshment, comfort, hope, fruitfulness, friendship with God, and eternal life, but few believers thoroughly enjoy these. Why?
I think it’s because most Christians fail to move past the do’s and don’ts of Christianity, or they turn salvation into a binary proposition. In the first case, they’re focusing on the wrong things, and in the second, they never grow into a fuller understanding of what God is offering. Both of these are based on bad theology.
By the way, I was raised in a religious context that focused on the don’ts almost exclusively, and in a fear that people would respond inappropriately to grace, they never taught it. As you might imagine, this approach to faith leads to either fear or, in my case, a rejection of faith altogether. It wasn’t until I understood that there was nothing I could do to separate me from the love of God that I was drawn into a life-giving relationship with my Heavenly Father that led to me enjoying all of the promises mentioned above.
So, let’s dig into those promises and examine why we might not be experiencing them.
Forgiveness–most Christians understand that God forgives their sins at the point of salvation, but they fail to understand the ongoing nature of forgiveness. God has not only forgiven our past sins, but he has forgiven our future sins as well. Some people push back hard on this point, but in doing so, they reveal the works-based nature connected to their view of salvation. Yes, I am called to repent of my sins. However, this is more about keeping my relationship with God fresh and pure than transactionally receiving the forgiveness of sin necessary for salvation. It’s an acknowledgment before God that I am both saint and sinner. When we fail to understand the ongoing nature of God’s forgiveness rightly, we cannot enter into the other promises of God. Likewise, we’ll never be able to forgive ourselves or those who have sinned against us.
Rest–I lived for so many years like everything was up to me. Much of this was related to the lousy theology described above. After all, orthopraxy (right actions) seldom flows from a lack of orthodoxy (correct belief). If you fail to understand that God has done (and continues to do) for you what you couldn’t do for yourself, you’ll spend the rest of your life working for something already accomplished. God set a pattern for rest in creation, and the writer of Hebrews connects the sabbath to the rest we’re called to enter into through Jesus’ work on the cross. Also, many American Christians have associated abundant life with the American dream. While I’m grateful for the abundance we experience, the truth is that it probably does more to separate us from the joy and rest that we’re promised than it provides it.
Refreshment–The Apostle Paul links repentance with refreshing. Does repentance have to do with a sorrowful turning from sin? Sure, but it’s much more than that. Repentance is a turning from the futility of the world and turning to the way of God. It only makes sense that we won’t experience this refreshing if we aren’t living within God’s order. Screaming at Google Maps when I refuse to follow directions accomplishes nothing good. The only way to get to the correct destination is to follow the guidance of one (One) who knows the way!
Comfort–When I use the word comfort here, I’m not referring to an absence of pain. I’m speaking of the comfort Jesus promised us through the work of the Holy Spirit amid our pain. Jesus promised his disciples the Comforter, and at the same time, He told them that He was leaving going to leave them soon. They were dealing with great uncertainty, but he promised them a comfort that would outweigh their concerns. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:3-5, emphasis mine). The comfort we receive comes from God through the Holy Spirit and His people. In short, we can’t experience the comfort God has promised if we aren’t in communion with Him and community with His people.
Hope-I’ve come to a place where I think the opposite of hope is fear. Hopelessness is the absence of hope–not the opposite of it. Nothing seems to repeal hope like fear; however, I’ve also discovered that nothing repeals fear like hope. And, both are linked to the love of God. As the Bible states “Perfect (mature) love drives out all fear”” (1 John 4:18) and “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). The experiential love God gives drives out fear, and this usher in the hope He promises.
Fruitfulness–For way too many years, I worked for fruitfulness. Okay, honestly, I worked for success. Only after experiencing significant dissatisfaction did I realize that success and fruitfulness aren’t the same. People work for success. Some achieve it–others don’t. As God describes it, fruitfulness is the overflow of His work in our life. The branch doesn’t work to be fruitful. It just abides in the vine. If we abide (fully resting in Him–allowing His life-giving nourishment to flow into and through us) in Him, He’ll produce the fruit, and we’ll be amazed.
Friendship with God–I have always felt a lack of friendship. I’m sure that comes with being an only child (Sorry if this blog feels like my approach to “free therapy!”). I’m always concerned about what people think of me, leading me to try too hard. The wonderful part about friendship with God is that he knows me fully, loves me completely, and He’s the One who initiates the friendship. It doesn’t get better than that! “Friendship with God–I have always felt a lack of friendship. I’m sure that comes with being an only child (Sorry if this blog feels like my approach to “free therapy!”). I’m always concerned about what people think of me, leading me to try too hard. The wonderful part about friendship with God is that he knows me fully, loves me completely, and He’s the One who initiates the friendship. It doesn’t get better than that!
Eternal Life–Most Christians equate eternal life with going to heaven. It surely includes that, but it’s so much more. The Apostle John put it this way “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). The best thing about heaven is that our knowledge of God will once and for all be perfect. Nevertheless, we can know God on this side of eternity. When we know God, when we embrace Him in all of His attributes, we understand that there is no problem too big, no pain too great, and no need that surpasses his ability to meet.
I know I’ve only touched briefly on each of these points, but I wanted to give you a bit of insight into the growth pilgrimage God has me on. It isn’t always fun, but it’s always good.
Maranatha!
By the way, if you’re interested in learning more about the attributes of God, I would recommend The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer. It’s a classic.