The fiery evangelist made his point clear that fourth night of the annual spring “revival.” Hell was a real place that awaited those who didn’t accept Christ. In our denomination it was called “making your profession of faith.”
I sat there in the pew next to my mother with my palms sweating profusely, thoroughly convinced that if I procrastinated and didn’t walk that aisle, I could walk out of there, run the risk of getting killed in a car accident on my way home and split hell wide open. I had heard the stories of others who didn’t answer the invitation and soon thereafter met their fate. I had already been scared spitless the night before when the preacher told us about the Second Coming and the risk of being “left behind.” It frightened me so bad that I had a dream that night that I had died and gone to hell. This was a lot for a nine- year- old boy to take in, but I finally made the decision to walk the aisle, shake the preacher’s hand, and repeat the “sinner’s prayer.” Now I had my ticket to heaven and all was well.
Now what?
That would seem the natural question to ask for one who had just decided to follow Jesus. But I didn’t ask that question. We weren’t trained to ask that question. Now what? I was on my way to heaven. That was the what. It was all about escaping the punishment of hell and going to heaven.
To be completely honest, I don’t think I was really deciding to follow Jesus. I was just scared of the thought of spending eternity in hell. Was I saved? Yes. All He asks is that we believe.
It was as if I had been taught to read John 3:16 like this –
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Do you see the emphasis? One of the most popular and powerful statements ever made by Jesus had been reduced to avoiding hellfire. Here’s the point – Jesus indeed came to give us eternal life, but that life begins the instant you believe. The word life in this verse comes from the Greek word zoe, which means life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body) and to last forever (Thayers).
Jesus came not only to die for our sins, but also to show us how to live. When Jesus called his twelve disciples, He simply said “follow me.” I haven’t found anywhere in the gospels where He said,”repeat this prayer after me” or “sign this card.”
It is absolutely true that Jesus came to save us from our sin and our own destructive behavior, but even more important – He has saved us for something. And what is that? It is that we would be so aware of His life in us that we in turn would be life givers.
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)
The more intent I become in following Jesus, the more I am seeing that He looks way different than the one I had heard about that night while sitting in the church pew, although I am thankful that someone did at least point me in His direction.
I’ll leave you with this – Jesus didn’t save us to take us to heaven.
He saved us to save the world.
To be continued…
Kevin