What do you want?

One of the central concepts of Christianity is that, though humans are doomed to death because of sin, this doom is not the last word. On coming to an understanding of God, believers find a word that is beyond doom and death and one that is in fact hope and life. God overrules doom and death with love.

Sin means separation from God who is life. Just as these bodies will quit one day, so will life end if we are not connected to the giver of life. God gives hope to those who will believe in God’s promise to give life. Faith brings hope and life.

Though we do not deserve it, though we cannot earn it, God will forgive sin and give life. The decision is to continue toward certain death or to pursue life. There are two hard things in this. One is that life seems so certain, with things that we see and touch and enjoy. It can be hard to think that this life will ever end, even with older people and cemeteries all around. We see that we are physical beings and think that tangible things last.

The other is the difficulty in thinking beyond all that we can know so far. No one can describe what life beyond is like because no one has been and returned to tell about it; but even if that were possible, we are unable to understand because we have no point of reference except our own experience. We begin in a physical world, but ultimately, we are spiritual beings designed to continue in life.

Those who have newly come to faith may be able to express the overwhelming joy of forgiveness and new life. Those who have held faith for a while may have to ponder it from time to time to be reminded of its wonder.

A fallacy that believers face is that activities do not matter that much. Since God is so loving and forgiving, we are free to do what we wish. We can always ask forgiveness, and God always gives it. We can continue to do what we like, even things that are sinful, because of grace.

Of course, one of the problems with this is sincerity of faith. What happened to the wonder of salvation? Why would a believer want to continue with things that mock that wonder? Believers are called to avoid or cease such things. Sincere faith calls believers to discover and practice new ways of self-expression that are consistent with faith.

We are aware of a thing called temptation, in which the enemy seeks to weaken faith and to damage a believer’s witness. We are also aware of the Spirit, who brings the power to resist. In resistance, faith is strengthened, witness is believable, and peace is increased.

This is not to say that you are not free to choose, only that there are consequences. You are free to choose what you want more.