Evangelical Christians [and many Atheists] tend to expect God to make everything better. Evangelicals cling to the hope that one day [soon?] Jesus will return to fix everything. Atheists have given up that hope and use God’s lack of intervention as proof that God isn’t real.
Either way, you end up with a situation where God either fixes all the suffering and pain in our World, or no one does.
But, consider this. Jesus could turn stones into bread and make sure no one was ever hungry again. But then we’d still live in a world where people had too much food and no reason to share with those who had nothing.
Jesus could heal every disease and remove sickness from the world. But we would still live in a world where people cared more about themselves than about the needs of others.
Jesus could step in and prevent every car accident and rescue every innocent child from hit-and-run drivers. But we would still live in a world where people cared nothing about the safety of others, took foolish chances with their lives, and abused substances to their own destruction.
Jesus could guide every bullet so that it always missed taking a life. He could turn our guns into candy canes if He wanted to. But we would still live in a world where people believed in violence and wanted to kill each other.
Jesus could appear to everyone and prove that He exists right now. He could float through the air, appear on CNN, visit every human on the planet in person and shoot healing lasers of love out of his eyes. But people would still not love Him or follow Him.
Yes, perhaps Jesus has the ability to make it all better, but what really needs changing is us: our hearts, our love for one another, our desire and intention to bring the Kingdom of God to earth for the benefit of our fellow man.
Ultimately, most of the suffering in our world is caused by us: War, Genocide, Hunger, Torture, Refugees, etc.
This means WE are the ones who can change it.
So, why don’t we?
I hate to break it to you, but Jesus is NOT coming to fix any of this. Ever.
We are the Incarnation of Christ in the world today. It’s “Christ in YOU, the hope of glory!”
All Creation is longing for something and it’s not the Second Coming of Christ in the sky. It’s the Second Coming of Christ in you and me. [See Romans 8:19]
If Christ changes our world, it will be the Christ in you and in me.
The world will only change as we change.
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”
Even so, come quickly.
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Deconstructing your faith isn’t easy. Don’t go through it alone.
Starting May 10, we’ll launch our next round of Square 1 – a 90-day online course and online community designed to help you navigate the Deconstruction process and move on to Reconstruction without Self-Destruction.
For a limited time, you can register for a whopping 75% off at this link HERE>
If you’re looking for someone to walk with you through this process, please meet me at Square 1.
Keith Giles and his wife, Wendy, work with Peace Catalyst International to help build relationships between Christians and Muslims in El Paso, TX. Keith was formerly a licensed and ordained minister who walked away from organized church over a decade ago to start a home fellowship that gave away 100% of the offering to the poor in the community. Today he is the author of the best-selling “Jesus Un” series of books, including “Jesus Unforsaken: Substituting Divine Wrath With Unrelenting Love” which is available now on Amazon.
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