Made to Last Forever.
Chapter 4 of The Purpose Driven Life.
I guess you either accept the premise that we are eternal beings or you don’t.
If you do believe that this life is all there is, then I guess this book is guaranteed to pose some interesting material to consider.
I am appreciating that the first sentence in the book is the thesis of the book: It’s not about you.
I was surprised to see Rick Warren did not give extensive justification for his assertion that we are made to live forever, but what he did share was enlightening.Our brains are wired for it. Yes, a thousand times yes.A thousand times ten thousands times yes. I have lost a friend in this last week, and death feels like a robber and an enemy- because it is.
This life as a dress rehearsal? This life as a warm up lap before the main event? Who talks like this in today’s world? No one. And that’s the point. Rick Warren is reminding us that life is brief here on the earth and there are only two eternal dwelling places after we die- heaven and hell. Few voices herald this message today. Do you know of anyone else that speaks as plainly as this?
The quote from former agnostic to pre-eminent Christian apologist CS Lewis, puts the issue starkly:
“There are only two kinds of people: those who say to God ’Thy will be done’ and those to whom God says,’ All right then, have it your way.”
Tragically, Rick Warren says, many people will have to endure eternity without God because they chose to live without him here on earth.
It is not without significance that many in our day and age are questioning this traditional teaching from the church, because many outside the church have been hurt by the church. I am one of those people. I have had to endure the frightening indifference of the church to what should be plain Biblical teaching. In short, they have tried to cover up abuse when it should be exposed.
Marriage should be held in honour , except when you have extraordinary personal reasons for annulling your vows.WRONG.
What about:
People are made in the image of God, and so should be cherished- except for your own personal satisfaction of your sexual lusts. WRONG.
And,
People should love their neighbour, but if he has something that you want- then it is really okay if I can justify taking it for myself.WRONG.
I had a personal situation where someone stole from my wife recently. Being the kind person that she is,she was happy for restitution to be made,and that was sufficient consequence. This teenage boy, who goes to a local church, was unrepentant about the deed, and was simply sorry that his theft had been discovered. Has he learnt to reform his ways? Of course time will tell, so who am I to judge? But I am still dealing with my own anger and resentment over the issue!
I grieve for people who have been hurt by the church, but perhaps that is a subject for another post. I guess the point is always to remember that we should not judge a book by its cover. We have to remember that the church is full of people who are immature as well as mature. It is hard to accept that within their ranks are those who are the personification of Satan himself. What do I mean by that?
Anyone with any Biblical literacy will tell you it was the religious leaders of the day that handed Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. Pontius Pilate, deciding to have an innocent man flogged and then crucified, was not unaware of the evil posturing of the religious Jews before him. Matthew 27:18 has this chilling commentary to add to the unfolding circumstances: “He (referring to Pontius Pilate) knew very well that the jewish authorities had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous.”
The evil within the heart is no small thing, it would seem.
Pilate again and again protested against Jesus’ accusers that he was innocent( Luke 23:4,Luke 23;14, Luke 23:15, Luke 23:22) but he, for personal convenience also, was complicit in a miscarriage of justice.
I have digressed — but not really. Eternity hangs in the balance. The Church who holds out the Bible to us often blasphemes the very message it is sent to herald. That is a BIG problem. That is a HUGE problem. That is a problem with GIGANTIC implications.
I would find the statement that God has something far better for us than the opportunity of a lifetime; God offers you an opportunity beyond your lifetime. This message would be laughable to me if I had not read the Bible for myself and experienced God’s grace in Jesus Christ. There are probably few reading this post who do not know the promise of John 3:16 but how many know this verse:
The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthian believers, says,
”Our message is that God was making all human beings his friends through Christ. God did not keep account of their sins, and he has given to us the message which tells how he makes us his friends.” (2 Corinthians 5:19 Good News Bible).
Another version puts it graphically like this, ”God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their sins against them”(2 Corinthians 5:19 NIV)
In this life God is friend, not enemy.
A lover, not a tyrant.
A conciliator, not a judge.
A Father, not somebody harsh and uncaring.
The bible says, ”God’s plans endure forever, his purposes last eternally.” This has to be so if He is God. It is simply an attribute of being the supreme ruler of the universe.
Point to Ponder: There is more to life than just the here and now. (I believe this!)
Verse to Remember: The world is passing away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God you will live forever.1 John 2:17(NLV)
Question to Consider: Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?
And that’s so difficult. My first sanitized response to share publicly on line was to read this book by Rick Warren and read a chapter a day.Stop procrastinating.(negative)Take his words to heart.(positive)
My response now, a week later, is a little different. Two things have happened since. I have read several emotive posts here on Medium.I have read A Maguire’s post, Ladies Group and Tom Kuegler’s post I Don’t Believe in God Anymore, Do I?, and I am also aware of Shannon Ashley’s struggles because of abuse in the name of Christianity.
The church has a lot to apologize for- but that has always been the case from earliest times. The first murder happened in the first family that was created by God. Humans are not good at the core any longer. We are deeply flawed. Magnificent creatures to be sure, of inestimable worth to God yes- but the best of us is broken, and the worst of us do not respect human life if it impedes our personal agendas. We covet our neighbor's possessions, and sometimes we will hurt him to gain them for ourselves.(just think of stealing , killing,and bearing false witness for starters). Just think where your envy and malice take you quicker than you can say, “Swiss cheese!”
The second thing that has happened this week is I lost a friend. We did high school together. His kids and some of my kids played together as they grew up. He was my age. He is now gone. Life is brief on this planet. He has entered eternity.
I’m 62. I have already had a brush with cancer- of the prostate. Why did I click on Joan Sandoval’s post The Time Has Come. I’ll have to tune into the next exciting episode- but it is by no means exciting in the good sense. Unexpected disease can come at any time, to anyone one of us. Let’s face it- we are out of our comfort zone, and the outcome of the disease is largely out of our hands.
Made to last forever…..it’s a precious truth.
I will finish by quoting Rick Warren’s final words: Years ago a popular slogan encouraged people to live each day as “the first day of the rest of your life.” Actually, it would be wiser to live each day as if it were the last day of your life. Matthew Henry said, ”It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our final day.”
