Living in the Bible Belt can be tricky. There are so many different ideas floating around about who Jesus is and what He is about. One idea I see pervading the South is that we have to be good and ask Jesus into our hearts in order to get to heaven. There are some issues with this way of thinking.
The number one issue is that we can never be good enough to earn our places in the Kingdom of God. Jesus is our righteousness. Period.
The second issue with this way of thinking is that we have to do more than ask Jesus into our hearts. We have to allow Him to change them. Saying a prayer one time and then doing nothing is never what Jesus intended when He said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17)
The third issue is that we think we are “trying to get to heaven”. If we look at Scripture closely and really consider the things Jesus is teaching us, it would seem He is asking us to do something way more daring and adventurous than “get to heaven”. It appears Jesus is starting a movement in His people to bring heaven to earth. What do you think Jesus means when He tells us to pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? (Matthew 6:10)
So, why is it so important that we understand we are bringing God’s Kingdom to earth rather than trying to get there? It means we can live the way Jesus intended: selflessly. Once we stop concerning ourselves with trying to get our souls to heaven and building our own kingdoms of comfort to escape this fallen world and start concerning ourselves with the Spirit and Kingdom God has already placed within our souls, we can truly (*incoming cliche*) be the change we want to see in the world. Our lives with The Lord do not start when our bodies die. Our lives with Him start right now.
What does it look like to bring God’s kingdom to earth? So many things! It could look like saying hi to your elderly and lonely neighbor. It could look like listening to a friend who is going through a hard time. It could even look like singing, laughing, and dancing with your kids until you can’t anymore. It is showing and telling of the hope and life you have in Jesus. Essentially, it is every bad, horrifying, and sad thing being made new. It’s everything in this broken world becoming good, beautiful, and joyful.
Doesn’t that sound heavenly? And guess what! God wants us to be a part of making all things new with Him! What a powerful, gracious, and loving Father who chooses to allow us to be a part of His kingdom work.
So, what is the bottom line here? Love. Plain, simple, and deep.
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-39)
