Are you "saved?" I've been asked this very question many times. I'm sure you have too.
Saved from what? That was my answer once when asked that question. "You know. "Are you going to heaven?" Wait now. So, it seems that the real question is this: "Are you going to heaven when it's your time to cash out?"
What does being "saved" really mean?
I was toying with the questioner as I knew what being saved meant...or at least I thought I did at the time. The condition or state of being saved meant that as I took a leap of faith and believed that Christ died for my sin my spirit or soul was now regenerated and thus upon death sometime in the future...long future I hoped, I would go to heaven and live there with him and all of the saints that had gone on before me.
Does that sound vaguely familiar to any of you? It should, as we have heard that coming from the pulpit of most evangelical churches since we were children.
My law school education had taught me to question just about everything no matter how sacrosanct including this concept of "salvation" as the Bible...both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures conceive of it.
I discovered that belief in an afterlife in the "Old Testament" or Hebrew Scriptures was very undeveloped, in fact, almost non-existent until the you get to the last book written which was Daniel.
Don't get me wrong you can pull verses from the Old Testament that show that at least some Israelites believed in life after death. But, by and large, being "saved" for some kind of life after death was not widely believed in Old Testament days.
Most Hebrew Scriptures dealing with "salvation" speak of deliverance from earthly enemies of one sort or another or from death itself. There's no real developed concept of going to "Hell" or to "Heaven" upon death. "Sheol" or the grave was man's final destination. Read Psalms or Ecclesiastes and you'll pick up on that real quickly.
The English word "salvation" is closely related to the word salve which deals with healing. We put salve of some kind on our wounds or injuries to effect healing and to restore that part of our body back the way it was originally. That's the idea behind the word "salvation." Healing, restoration, renewal, re-creation.
The Apostle Paul talked about the "old man" the "flesh" as opposed to the Spirit or the "fruit of the Spirit." He talked about being "hidden" in Christ and "dead" to sin. He talked about the "renewing of the mind" and a new identity in Christ. "It is not I who lives but Christ who lives in me."
This "new creature" we have become, was created by the Holy Spirit and now we are "born again" or " born from above" or "born anew." We were all at one time separated or estranged from God because of our "fall." We all went our own way and became self concerned, self indulgent and self aware believing we are separate from others and from the world around us. We believed it was us against the rest of the world. That is or was our predicament. We were our own worst enemy. Thus, we need "saving" or deliverance from ourselves...from our own predicament as fallen human beings.
That's where God comes in. But, we have to respond to his salvation or to his deliverance. Where once we were blind, lame, deaf and dead we now see, walk, hear and are now a new "living" creature. We are "saved" in the here and now. It's not just for the next life. It's for now too!
We no longer fear death...or life for that matter. We realize that whatever befalls us works for our good eventually. We now re-orient our lives towards God. Our allegiance, our love has shifted from our families, our jobs, careers, our money, ourselves, our whatever back to God where it belongs. The ego becomes de-throned and the true self our real selves breaks through and reconnects to God. But, of course, this has to be a daily denial of our ego...and as we know only too well it's a constant struggle.
We run to God as the prodigal ran to his father. And, the loving father doesn't even want to hear our asking for forgiveness. Instead, he puts a ring on our finger and shoes on our feet and re-declares our sonship and throws a grand party for us. The parables of the lost coin and the lost sheep confirms this unconditional love God has for us, his children.
So, it's not about the afterlife which quite frankly is not at the center of Christ's teaching or the teaching of the Apostles. It's primarily about this life. Back 2000 years ago Christ proclaimed that the Kingdom of God is amongst us. The times are fulfilled. Our job as Christ followers is to not build the Kingdom so much as it to bring the Kingdom down from heaven to earth right here in our day to day lives. To extend the love of Christ to all especially our enemies. That's our purpose in this life.
If we are truly born anew then our primary focus in life is to collaborate with the Spirit to extend the benefits and the joy of the Kingdom to all we encounter. The Kingdom then becomes the alternative to the Human Kingdom that now dominates the earth with all of its demands and the brute force it uses to get its way. The world can be turned upside down by bringing the Kingdom down. But, no matter what, God will eventually bring the Kingdom in its fullness down on a new earth where we will spend eternity. That, in a nutshell is the "good news" proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds out in their fields the night Christ was born...and by Christ himself.
God becomes not number one but rather the center of our lives with everything else revolving around him. Then, we have our priorities right. Then, the people we encounter will ask us about our radical lifestyles and we'll have a ready answer.
Christians today, especially in our culture, focus too much time and energy on going to a certain place upon death...that is heaven. The afterlife is real. But, it should not be our focus. Heaven isn't our final destination. And, it wasn't the focus of Jesus or his followers.
So, the challenge for myself, especially, is to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to seek the Kingdom first and above all else. Then, I shall endeavor to bring the Kingdom down to those that are my "neighbors" and even hopefully to my enemies.
In news around town...
Last Sunday I joined the Anglicans for worship at their church across the street from the United Church. I went primarily to meet with the lady who owns the church property to inquire into the possibility of renting the sanctuary for our( Calvary Idaho Springs Campus Church)worship services on Sunday evenings at 630pm.
However, I was greatly surprised by the love and acceptance by this little group of about 8 women who worship there. The Anglican priest, Fr John Longcamp, from Dillon, officiated as is his custom on the second Sunday of each month. The church is simply too small for its own full time vicar.
Rev Longcamp greeted me heartily and advised me what my last name means in German. He evidently knows German. He and I discussed theology to see where we agreed and where we diverged. To our amazement we found more common ground than that which separates us.
The Fr then asked me to think about leading a prayer service for his tiny parish. I thought this was a very nice gesture on his part. I of course, would be happy to do so.
Condolences go out to Becky and Brian Blackwell on the death of Becky's 89 year old father, Ralph Reese. Becky's family is from Peoria and they are longtime Catholics from St Vincent De Paul Church out on University in Peoria.
Pastor Bill Robertson of the Clear Creek Neighborhood Church and his fellowship are now worshipping at the Rec Center downtown from 730pm to 9pm Thursday evenings. Their major push is to do outreach to the many seasonal workers like the rafters who flood our little hamlet of Idaho Springs every summer. We wish Pastor Bill and his church the best as they bring down the Kingdom right here in town.
Calvary Idaho Springs Campus Church is ramping up its ministry to the poor, the marginalized and the homeless here in Idaho Springs. This involves locating people who need our help, ascertaining the type of help they need and attempting to fill those needs. We will be working with the city government and with the folks on "Operation Aspen Leaf" set up by Clear Creek County Sheriff Albers to find solutions to the problem of homelessness here in Clear Creek County.
This Sunday evening, Fathers Day, Calvary Idaho Springs will not hold services. Instead, we will worship at Calvary Evergreen up on Floyd Hill at 1030am.
Pastor Craig and I are planning a second interest meeting the Sunday after Fathers Day at the Frothy Cup Coffee Shop again. We had around 15 people there for the first meeting.
A couple of days ago I had to commandeer Mike H's car to take Amy P to the ER at St Anthony's in Lakewood due to excruciating pain resulting from her TMJ a problem with her jaw joints. She received badly needed pain meds and was referred to a dentist to begin treatment and physical therapy. This is the second time we needed to take her to the ER! Poor kid! Thanks to Mike H for taking us to the hospital and then out to eat. Mike is salt of the earth. A good egg to be sure!
Glenda Watson has asked me and the indomitable Bruce Bell to plan and act in a "Murder Mystery" play at the Frothy Cup Coffee Shop this fall. Told her I would be busy with the town Melodrama again this fall but would be interested in the Frothy Cup Production too. Looks like a busy schedule memorizing lines this fall!
The other day as I was walking through the Safeway parking lot I saw a man sitting in a car with Illinois plates so I asked him where in Illinois is he from. He told me Peoria. I told him...me too! Well, actually Morton. I asked his name and he told me he is Sean Thomas. I said that sounds familiar. He then tells me that I might know his father, Howard Vincent Thomas, the well known criminal and personal injury lawyer from Peoria. I exclaimed that I had negotiated insurance claims with him back when I worked at State Farm in Peoria. He then asked my name. After I told him, he asked if I was related to Kirk Schoenbein. I remarked that he's my brother. Sean remembers his father having cases where Kirk was the prosecutor. I told him he's a Circuit Court Judge now.
We both talked about it being such a small world and all. He then told me he has lived here in Idaho Springs for the last 8 years! But, he still has Illinois plates! Hahaha! There is a small contingent of former Peorians and Illinoisans here in Idaho Springs, Colorado.
Well, I thinks that's it for now. Grace and Shalom to y'all as the days grow longer and the sun grills hotter. Ciao!
BR Schoenbein
June 17, 2016- Friday
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