Recently in our church, a trio of teenaged youth beautifully sang a Contemporary Christian song called, “I Can Only Imagine.” At first, I was simply taken by the fact that I didn’t realize that one of the youth could play the piano that well, and I didn’t realize that one of the other youth could sing at all! Their harmonies blended so well!
Then, I began to listen to the words of the song. I’ve heard the song many times, but I had never really listened to the words. As I listened, I realized that it epitomizes what has become the primary focus of too much of Christianity.
If you have never heard the song, the focus of the song is the singer trying to imagine what it will be like when he gets to heaven and finally gets to see Jesus. What will he do? What will his heart feel? Will he dance for Jesus? Will he be in awe of Jesus and be still? Will he sing, “Hallelujah?” Will he be able to speak at all? He can only imagine.
That was frustrating enough. Then, on this past Sunday, September 23, 2007, I stumbled across a show on MSNBC called, “To Hell and Back.” The story had to do with former Pentecostal, evangelical Bishop Carlton Pearson who has come to the conclusion that there is no hell except the hell that people experience on earth. This of course has caused quite an uproar in evangelical circles.
The MSNBC correspondent spoke to one of Pearson’s former friends and colleagues, who obviously thought Pearson was wrong (and going to a literal hell). In response to Carlton, who is still preaching, this fundamentalist preacher said something to the effect of, “Well, what’s he still preaching for if there’s no hell? What’s the point?”
Although they use different terminology, the song, “I Can Only Imagine,” and Pearson’s opponent are saying basically the same thing: “The whole point of Christianity is to get to heaven and staying out of a literal hell.”
Have none of these people read John 17:3: “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (NRSV) This text says NOTHING about “eternal life” being about “going to heaven.” It says NOTHING about it being something that happens ONLY when we die. John 12:50 goes so far as to say that “eternal life” is a commandment of God; thus, it is something we DO, not just a place we can go when we die!
Look what John Wesley says in his sermon “The Scripture Way of Salvation,” based on Ephesians 2:8 (You are saved through faith):
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And, first, let us inquire, What is salvation? The salvation which is here spoken of is not what is frequently understood by that word, the going to heaven, eternal happiness. It is not the soul’s going to paradise, termed by our Lord, “Abraham’s bosom.” It is not a blessing which lies on the other side of death; or, as we usually speak, in the other world. The very words of the text itself put this beyond all question: “You are saved.” It is not something at a distance: it is a present thing; a blessing which, through the free mercy of God, you are now in possession of.
What, then, is eternal life? What, then, is salvation? What is the point if the point isn’t “getting to heaven” or “staying out of a literal hell?” It is about RELATIONSHIP. Look at John 17:3 again. It says eternal life is not going to heaven but knowing God & Jesus HERE AND NOW! As Wesley notes, salvation is something that happens here, in this lifetime.
But, let us be very careful to not equate “Jesus” with just some spiritual entity “up in heaven” that we can only really “meet” in heaven. Let us look at Matthew 25:
- 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ (NRSV
, emphasis added)
Why does someone have to imagine what it would be like to meet Jesus? According to this, Jesus is all around us, in all the people we come in contact – even the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned. Using the Apostle Paul’s terminology, we see Christ in church members – the body of Christ! Wanna see what Jesus looks like? Look around. Wanna know what you’ll do or feel? Look around and decide!
What’s the point of preaching if it’s not about going to heaven and not hell? Look around! People continue to not treat people well, causing hunger, thirst, people to remain strangers, nakedness, sickness, and imprisonment. The point of preaching is to help people to better care for others – even strangers. The point of preaching is ETERNAL LIFE HERE AND NOW – relationship with God and Jesus here and now through all the people we came in contact with. It is a commandment!
My point is NOT to say there is or isn’t a heaven or a hell (who knows – anybody actually been to either?). My point is that life here and now is more important than just concern about an “afterlife.” People do experience hell here, and we CAN help get people out of it here and now so they can more fully share in relationship with God, Jesus, and each other – sharing in salvation and eternal life.
Can you imagine Jesus?
(Originally posted at http://theology-of-t-roy.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-can-only-imagine.html on September 25, 2007.
Minor additions pertaining to John 12:50 saying “eternal life” is a commandment have been added here.)
