If you’ve been celebrating this amazing gospel of grace for any length of time, you’ve probably heard from someone or read in some article that either people in today’s Christian churches really don’t believe in Hell or they’re the meanest, most cruel people in the world. You know, if they believe in Hell, why aren’t they out there 24 hours a day evangelizing. I mean if all those people who don’t become Christians are going to Hell, why wouldn’t you want to tell them how to “get saved”.
Well, I’d like to offer a third option. Having grown up in church, a fundamental, conservative, evangelical one, I think there is another option here. I have talked to several others who believe now as I do, and have found something interesting. If you have been exposed to fundamentalist, conservative, ideas about God, and the Bible, after a time you become pessimistic, even a fatalist concerning the fate of people and the world in general, maybe, even about yourself, according to what you have been taught by the church.
Certainly, part of that teaching includes the fact that in reality it is very difficult to get to heaven. Not only do you have to make the decision to accept Christ as your personal savior, but make it soon after you reach that “age of accountability”. If you should die before making your “decision”, you have no chance to go to heaven. If you are fortunate enough to make your “decision” in time, you will find that’s not all there is to it. Many churches make certain rituals a part of the requirements. You still might not make it if you don’t continue to live a life free of sin; or at least if you sin, you must ask for forgiveness and mean it, repenting (turning away from your sin). Of course, there are some sins worse than others and please don’t commit the unpardonable sin (whatever that is), for you will have no chance of heaven.
Are you beginning to get the picture? I think the third option is to OPT OUT! I have seen this happen to Christian friends. He, the generic “he”, has become weighed down with guilt put upon him by the church. He is overwhelmed by the prospect of trying to live the “Christian” life. He cares for other people and is quite the humanitarian, but is that enough? He feels the burden of tithing even if he doesn’t tithe, of sacrificial giving to this cause and that in the church, of waking up every day worried about not sinning today, of constantly working to “fix” himself, “doing” enough to be worthy of heaven. The church tells him you’re NOT worthy, you never will be, but Jesus will take note of all you do for the Lord and if it’s enough, you’ll be alright. After several years of this, the Christian becomes weary, worn out, and tired of fighting “the good fight”. He raises a shield around himself to deaden the sounds and sights that cause him pain. If he pretends it’s not there, maybe it will go away; maybe it will not hurt so much. It hurts because deep down inside he feels like a failure. He can’t live the “Christian life” all the time. He can’t keep up with all his sin and failures to do the “right” thing (because he has to ask forgiveness for each and every one). Frustration is a constant companion to him. In the end, he becomes almost schizophrenic, one person at church, another person out in the world. He may finally give up completely, convinced that he can’t be good enough to make it to heaven. He resigns himself to the fact that God’s going to do what God’s going to do, and there’s nothing he can do about it. All he can do is hope that God is merciful and full of compassion, as the Psalmist said. He becomes a smile on Sunday, two-faced person. His family and friends think he’s fine, a fine upstanding Christian, while deep inside he cries for freedom from his pain. He hates himself for being that way, but doesn’t know a way out of his predicament. That’s the third option...............
