The dangers of bad theology
I read something today on a popular Christian pastor's blog that made me cringe. Unfortunately this happens often. I thought I'd take a minute and explain why.
There is a sense in which the above post sounds like great news. Sin makes things messy in a bad way. God makes things messy in a good way. If only real life worked like that. But it doesn't. And pretending or being naive about it just drives honest people away from God.
The truth is that sin sometimes pays. Look at some of the guys on Wall Street. I'm not in a position to judge individuals, but I think it's safe to say that greed and corruption is rampant. But many of them have been experiences the bloggers "more income equals more complicated taxes" year on year. God's blessing for greed and corruption? I doubt it.
The opposite is also true. Godliness sometimes results in the complications that aren't as cute as "Parker, Summer and Josiah". Even in the Bible. Godliness resulted in martyrdom for most if not all of the first disciples. It resulted in jail and persecution from outside and inside the church for Paul. Jesus has this "complication" called the cross. This is true today. Godliness results in persecution, jail and death in some countries. Choosing God results in being ostracized from your family and friends in MANY countries.
In my not so humble opinion trivializing this by claiming that following God might complicate your life by forcing you to get married and deal with the life changes that entails is just wrong. And it's bad theology.
I was talking with a guy recently who is a victim of this. He's a committed Christian who loves God dearly. He was on the fast track to success. Smart, top in his class, the world was his. He choose to follow Jesus. Literally gave up everything. Started a non-profit to help the poor and moved. In the process, his engagement was called off, he gave up everything, and he has found the work of his non-profit to be a challenge. He told me that if he's honest he's frustrated that God has let this stuff happen. After all, he gave up everything for God. Isn't God supposed to bless that? Clear the way? Make cute little messy kids for me to complain about in cute ways to my followers?
It's for folks like this man that I speak up. My life is easy. I don't write to justify to myself my own sacrifices. I write for the brothers and sisters whose lives have NOT been easy, but they've followed faithfully. Their lives have been complicated tremendously by the choice to follow Jesus. It has not been cute or easy. And at best it's frustrating for them to hear other Christians trivialize their sacrifice. At worst, they just tune out and drift away.
Careful. Bad theology hurts people.
Sin will complicate your life in unholy ways. The blessings of God will complicate your life in holy ways. But it's still a complication. When I got married it complicated my life. Praise God for complications! We have three complications named Parker, Summer, and Josiah. Praise God for our three complications! More income equals more complicated taxes. May God complicate our lives, Amen? And increased influence complicates life in complicated ways.
My point? Part of counting the cost, when it comes to following Christ, is allowing God to complicate our lives in holy ways. Are you willing to allow God to complicate your life?
There is a sense in which the above post sounds like great news. Sin makes things messy in a bad way. God makes things messy in a good way. If only real life worked like that. But it doesn't. And pretending or being naive about it just drives honest people away from God.The truth is that sin sometimes pays. Look at some of the guys on Wall Street. I'm not in a position to judge individuals, but I think it's safe to say that greed and corruption is rampant. But many of them have been experiences the bloggers "more income equals more complicated taxes" year on year. God's blessing for greed and corruption? I doubt it.
The opposite is also true. Godliness sometimes results in the complications that aren't as cute as "Parker, Summer and Josiah". Even in the Bible. Godliness resulted in martyrdom for most if not all of the first disciples. It resulted in jail and persecution from outside and inside the church for Paul. Jesus has this "complication" called the cross. This is true today. Godliness results in persecution, jail and death in some countries. Choosing God results in being ostracized from your family and friends in MANY countries.
In my not so humble opinion trivializing this by claiming that following God might complicate your life by forcing you to get married and deal with the life changes that entails is just wrong. And it's bad theology.
I was talking with a guy recently who is a victim of this. He's a committed Christian who loves God dearly. He was on the fast track to success. Smart, top in his class, the world was his. He choose to follow Jesus. Literally gave up everything. Started a non-profit to help the poor and moved. In the process, his engagement was called off, he gave up everything, and he has found the work of his non-profit to be a challenge. He told me that if he's honest he's frustrated that God has let this stuff happen. After all, he gave up everything for God. Isn't God supposed to bless that? Clear the way? Make cute little messy kids for me to complain about in cute ways to my followers?
It's for folks like this man that I speak up. My life is easy. I don't write to justify to myself my own sacrifices. I write for the brothers and sisters whose lives have NOT been easy, but they've followed faithfully. Their lives have been complicated tremendously by the choice to follow Jesus. It has not been cute or easy. And at best it's frustrating for them to hear other Christians trivialize their sacrifice. At worst, they just tune out and drift away.
Careful. Bad theology hurts people.
