One tactic preachers use to get their listeners to think about eternity (and their life in the here and now) is to capture their imaginations with the reality of their death.
“If you were to die tonight, do you know, that you know, that you know, that you would spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven?” is a go-to question certain pastors love to ask their listeners.
Growing up in the church, I heard this question posed at least 1,000 times. Each time, I certainly took the question seriously. However, I also felt that the question was a little misguided.
Is death the most compelling concept to get someone to consider eternal things? Is asking someone to imagine their last breath on earth the most gripping question to spark someone to consider their eternity? Do we have to “live like we are dying” (thanks Tim McGraw) to get the most out of our life and be prepared for the next?
Bottom line: “Does the reality of death produce the life we desire to live in the hear and now and in eternity?”
I would argue there is a greater force alive in the world today (and in eternity) that is more compelling than death. This force has WAY more capacity to change hearts and capture imaginations at the end of a message. This force actually takes AWAY the fear of death.
What is this force?
Love.
If we come to faith because we are afraid of dying without Jesus and not going to Heaven, then our faith is built on a foundation of fear–and God is not the author of fear. No wonder so many converts spend most of their days worried and anxious about their “eternal status” and having a “right relationship” with Jesus.
If fear of death and missing out on eternity with Jesus is the foundation of our faith commitment, then what makes us think this will produce a life of joy, peace, and love in the here and now?
I think the better question is:
“If you knew that you knew how deeply you are LOVED by Jesus NOW, how would that change your life in the present and in the life to come?”
I’m not saying we should not think about eternity or death, but I suspect many will get there only to realize that death has nothing to do with spending eternity with Jesus.
…that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” – Eph. 3:17b-19
Jesus did not come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people ALIVE!
Great blog. We should be “alive” everyday because Jesus has already conquered the grave for us.
First, did you mean “hear and now” or “here and now”?
I think I pretty much agree with the essence of your post – that the love of Christ should be the driving force to change our earthly lives and was sufficient to secure, in even the worst of sinners, paradise with the Father.
However, I think there are some false dichotomies in your post regarding “If you were to die tonight, do you know, that you know, that you know, that you would spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven?” (hereafter referred to as “The Question”)
Namely, 1) The Question is meant to address our life on earth. I don’t think it does. Which – I get – is your point. But you seem to say that it SHOULD. If I ask the question, “what do you think it will be like in Heaven?” does that mean I’m unconcerned with life on earth? Not at all. Just that I wanted to ask someone about Heaven. The Question doesn’t ask about this life… but not all questions do. Or should. I don’t think people who ask The Question simply don’t care about this life or whether we live it for Jesus.
2) The Question is only asked with the purpose of creating fear in the heart of the hearer…and that fear is the best method by which to send the hearer into the arms of Jesus. I don’t think that’s really at the heart of the question. I hear it as a faith check question – and one that that doesn’t hold the same significance for everyone within earshot. However, to the person who can’t answer if they will be with God in the next life, or how they can be with God in the next life… The Question identifies them as someone who does not know the Lord. And that’s the point of The Question.
That said, our earthly life is our only opportunity to come to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is definitely an element in The Question which gets at the time-sensitive nature of our response to the Love of God. Of course if you believe “Love Wins” I guess it’s not really all that time-sensitive after all.
3) The Question concerns something that is less important than this life. Communion with God is what it’s all about. That is – creating a way to have communion with God is what Jesus was all about. Right? While he was fully successful on the cross once and for all, this life is not perfect unity with God. Not with all this sin around. So should this life be changed because of the love of Christ? ABSOLUTELY! But should we be concerned with answering The Question? Without a doubt!… unless you think being made perfectly holy and dwelling with the Creator forever is not important.
Asking one Question doesn’t mean we’re done asking questions. Perhaps the next one would be “Knowing the Love of Christ and the eternity for which He secured for you on the cross, how then do you life your life in the here and now?”
It’s quite hard to answer the second question without having an answer to the first. In fact, I’d say it’s impossible.
Well, there are probably a lot more spelling errors in there that that one! You make great points, my friend! You get the heart of the post for sure. Thanks for sharing. However, I don’t think fear is the best method to send the hearer into the arms of Jesus–love is and will always be. I would also argue that if we don’t know we are WITH God and in union WITH him in THIS life, then looking for eternity to grasp this fact is unfortunate as He came to give us Life NOW–Life being Jesus. Of course, in the New Heavens and Earth we will see, understand, and experience more clearly the love and life that is ours NOW (which is George Ladd’s argument of “already but not yet fully.”)
Blessings to you and great thoughts!
“For God so LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son.” – John 3:16a
God first loved us. God first love the world.
It doesn’t say God so loved those who would accept Him. No. Yet, this does not negate the fact of the second half of that verse, “..that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16b
I stand in the truth that one must claim Jesus as Lord to spend eternity with Him.
My stance is that anyone who comes to believe in Jesus as their Lord should do so being motivated by God’s love just as Dave has stated before. God’s love is much more powerful than fear itself. Which is interesting because in my own experience many preachers seem to use fear more often than love as the motivation for transformation. They teach the new covenant but expect everyone, including themselves, to live in the old covenant. Christ death and resurrection freed us from fear and called us to love. God first loved us despite our behavior. He loves us for who we are in Him. Once we find our identity in who we are in Christ we change the way we live today. We act as children of God, heirs to His Kingdom with the authority of Christ Himself in us. We choose to invoke love and not fear. In holding this mindset we become more like Christ each day. Our motivation is love.
“Perfect love casts out fear.”