Why do you Love Jesus? Part 2
I placed this site here in the hopes of organizing my thoughts and maybe getting some feedback. Not just a way for me to spout off, but a way of sharing ideas that hopefully I could learn from. My last article, Why do you Love Jesus? really stirred up a hornets nest, and I learned a few things from commentators. I am putting some key comments here – thanks to everyone.
I love this! I can place my religious insecurities here for the world to see, and be psycho-analyzed for free by strangers and rank amateurs. What a deal, eh?
Heather Says:
March 16th, 2007 at 9:29 am**Why do I love Jesus? I have grappled with that question for years. The answer is because he died for me, and because he saved my soul from eternal death.** It’s interesting that the response to this, in general, is never “Jesus lived for me.” Because yes, Jesus was cruicified, which was a horrible death. BUt that’s not the end of the story. The end of the story is that God resurrected him, and Jesus ascended — as in, God had the last word, and the last word is life, not death. After all, Paul says you know you are saved when you believe in your heart that Jesus resurrected, and publicly confess that Jesus is Lord. It was more important to believe in the resurrection then focus on the death.
Jim Jordan Says:
March 16th, 2007 at 9:52 amHeather, that’s an excellent response. I’ve very little to add except that Heissailing is questioning himself and focusing mostly on himself for the answer. We need to take a step back and appreciate who Jesus is. We are alive because of Him. Everything we are given to enjoy is because of Him. We are able to love our wives because of Him. Etc.
The more we focus on ourselves, the more corrupted and confused we become. The more we focus on Him, the more we become like Him. That is the goal. When you walk the walk (and not just talk the talk) with that mindset, you will love Jesus because His love is in you. (Rom 8:38-39)
Heather Says:
March 19th, 2007 at 8:36 amThe death/life response was my reaction to Christianty’s focus on Jesus’s death, which I find interesting, given how much Paul and the other letters emphasize the resurrection, and how without the resurrection, there’s no point to faith. I’ve read many books by people sometimes disturbed by sermons that rush through the Gospels to get to crucifixion. That dismisses a lot of what Jesus teaches, and how he used his life. The sermons come across as, “He DIED for you!! A horrible, God-forsaken death!!” Pause. “Oh, yeah, and he rose three days later. Because he DIED!!!”I’m not detracting from Jesus’s death, and I’m not mocking it. But the Gospels and the epistles are filled with such joy of God-given *life.* And I don’t often see that in conservative Christianity, with the focus on death. Especially since death is supposed to be the last enemy that Christ defeats.
joeyanne Says:
March 19th, 2007 at 5:13 pmI have found this question and the multiple answers to be most interesting. What about the question of what is love? In my marriage, I view love as a decision. Sometimes the feelings go with it, but when I show love the most, is when I don’t feel those feelings. I sacrifice what I want to do because I promised to love my husband. (of course this is give and take, and a poor example, at best, of the love between creator and created being). In 1John, love is contrasted with sin so that I can conclude that sin is the opposite of love. To show love, I must sacrifice self. That does not mean losing myself, but sacrificing something that would cater to my “self”. Sin, then, is catering to self. These thoughts are far from completely thought out, but they are what came to me as I read your post and the comments. Keep searching. Finding God is not a destination, but a journey.
Heather Says:
March 19th, 2007 at 6:29 pmAgreed. I’m paraphrasing here, but “Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends.” Self-sacrifice is the highest type of love.I think it’s more of sacrificing the old self in favor of the new self, though. Paul has a mention of how his old nature was crucified along with Christ (I want to say it’s in Galatians). So I think that type of love demands that one be willing to sacrifice the sin-self lead by the carnal mind in favor of man originally made in God’s image and likeness.
March 20th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Hi, Heissailing.
**I can place my religious insecurities here for the world to see, and be psycho-analyzed for free by strangers and rank amateurs. What a deal, eh? **
I may be reading too much into this, so that may just be a joking tone. But you are also seriously searching through your religion, and asking honest questions that you’d like honest, thoughtful answers to. Unfortunatly, religion is one topic that can too easily produce a hornet’s nest, as you’ve noted. And comments made to religious questions can seem as though the commenters are leaping upon the one asking the questions.
If I’ve come across as psycho-analyzing you, I apologize. That’s not my intent. I’m sure in some instances it came across that way, given how the written word can work.
But I don’t know you personally, as blogs only give a reader a small piece into who a person really is. The piece I see right now is ’seeker,’ looking for an answers that satisfies emotionally and intellectually.
I find the questions you’re asking thought-provking, so that is where my comments come from. Hopefully, all the comments give you some sort of answer, even if it’s, “That person has completely missed my point.”
March 20th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Hello, just to say that your posts are very articulate and well written (it was me who was posting regularly on the Apologetics Resource Center site – I saw one of yours there recently and came along for a look).
You’re going through a period where your previous fundamentalism is falling apart in the face of simple evidence in the real world. I was brought up without fundamentalism, and indeed without religion at all. My folks simply let me decide for myself without forcing anything upon me. Without indoctrination, I became essentially an atheist, although I retain a sense of agnosticism because I’m not so arrogant as to suggest that “there can be no God and that’s it”.
We were born with brains and intelligence, and regardless of scripture or the insane rantings of evangelists I firmly believe that having been provided with such tools, we were intended to use them.
Question everything, and keep doing so. It’s simply amazing how much theological baggage can be cheerfully discarded when common-sense and a joy of learning is applied to life. I believe it was Douglas Adams who said; “A garden can be beautiful without one having to believe that there are fairies at the end of it.”
Keep up the thinking!
March 20th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Heather!
Not to worry, I was in a great mood yesterday after reflecting on everyone’s comments. My article was on something that was really troubling me, and the sharing of ideas and opinions really shed light on the issue for me. I don’t expect anyone to comment on anything here, but I appreciate every one that I have gotten so far, there are some really thoughtful people out there. I like when people don’t necessarily agree with me, it opens up new doors if the reasoning is at least sound. So in appreciation, I re-posted the main comments that clarified the issue for me.
As far as psycho-analyzing? That was my sense of humor coming thorugh. I guess a sense of humor is not always easy to convey on an internet blog. That’ll teach me to post articles at 4 in the morning!
March 20th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
The whole love question is such a big one to answer and I am not sure anyone can really relate why they love God (or for that matter – how they love God?) in their fulllest and sincere intent (myself included). But I think asking the questions about love can boil down to very simple things – like loving other people and what that all means to us (since ‘loving our neighbor’ is part 2 of the commandments). And I know you hate to be ‘commanded’ to so something. Nonetheless, you are ‘commanded’ to follow your country’s laws and you do? Or did you evade tax time this year (lol).
I actually started my blog for the same reason as you – cause I had a lot of questions and you know what – having a blog has helped immensely (for critical feedback and other’s opinions). I am not totally sure what I believe about a lot of things – but I do know I leave the door open for others to comment and help close that door (as fellow partakers in this faith). Which is why I appreciate the sincerity of your blog – it’s about asking the questions and struggles you have – and anytime you can do that and get some honest discussion on it – that’s a great thing.
I have a lot of the same struggles as you and I raise an eyebrow now and then – but all this internet stuff has helped push me back into the scriptures to dig up something we call ‘context’ and how this relates to interpretation and what I will or won’t believe. I think keep asking the questions and I will keep coming back to hear you out…I enjoy people that just want to find some answers (and I am one in sound mind with you on that). Keep up the great work.
March 20th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
**I guess a sense of humor is not always easy to convey on an internet blog. That’ll teach me to post articles at 4 in the morning! ** Got it, and I perfectly understand.
I have a very sarcastic sense of humor which tends to lose the ‘humor’ part when in written form.
But I’m glad the comments are helping.
March 20th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Great posts, your blog is full of interesting people… I just got back from a trip where I read a historical book, “Christianity, the first two thousand years”. An interesting observation is the struggle nearly everyone has experienced in the faith over all these years. There were the martyrs, but also the problem of how to accept those who publicly renounced the faith back into the church. There were those who became obsessed with fine points of doctrine, and those who trusted without qualms. Leaders who abused their power, and some who poured out their best for those they served. There were those who suffered horribly, and those whose lives were lifted up. It is such a rich and varied history, and the book was a great reminder of this human and divine interaction. The word I love to use about life is bittersweet, kind of like your weekend of the wedding and the funeral. Or like marriage, with its good times and bad. Sometimes we taste a bitter flavor as we look for God or his love, and sometimes sweet. Perhaps it is that contrast that allows us to really find love.
March 21st, 2007 at 3:34 am
Great point Ed – I am currently reading an autobiography of Albert Schwietzer (someone I was discouraged from reading by my pastor, by the way). His views on Jesus would definitely not make him any friends in my Baptist church, but at the same time, he was convicted enough by the moral teachings of Jesus to go to Medical School then head off to remote Africa to be a doctor and missionary.
He certainly found what I would call a real love for humanity, even though the Mission Board found his views heretical. Like the book you read shows, we are all individuals and all love in different ways.
March 21st, 2007 at 8:27 am
** (someone I was discouraged from reading by my pastor, by the way). **
This is another thing I’ve found interesting about conservative Christianity in general — discouraging members from reading books that promote opposing viewpoints. Or just reading books on those opposing viewpoints that are written by conservative Christianity. I believe the Catholic Church has a list of books that members shouldn’t read and in earlier times, members were excommunicated for reading that.
To me, this seems very fear-based. They’re afraid that if members read all sides of an argument, members will fall away. But doesn’t that mean on some level they consider the faith to be weak, if it can’t stand up to an opposing view? If that’s the case, then when did the faith become so weak and why?
When you look at a majority of the early Christians, nothing dislodged their faith. Or take Paul, and everything he went through. If anything, it made his faith stronger. I have no doubt that if Paul were in today’s times, he’d plow through the opposing viewpoint and emerge just as faithful.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
I know I’m going back here, but I have to put my two cents worth in on this one. HeIsSailing, this is something that, even as a Christian, I struggled with. I never told anyone. It was easy for me to reverence a holy God, but love Jesus? I too felt ill at all the gush-y-ness that seemed to flow out of other Christians at the mention of his name. I just couldn’t feel it. I felt grateful to the Christ who came from heaven and shared the human experience. I could respect Jesus, the God-man who dealt with people so compassionately. Maybe my deepest feeling was reverence for the God the Son, who became the Messiah. But there was no emotion welling up in my heart, no love as we commonly know it for the man Christ Jesus. I couldn’t understand where other people were coming from. It all seemed so fake and so nauseating to me.
Suddenly, I came to a crisis in my life. I guess, thinking back, it wasn’t all that sudden, but I was slammed to the wall on almost every level with a force that took my breath away. I spent a whole year searching for the God I had sensed and trusted as a child and poured my heart out to as a teenager. I didn’t care what his name was – God or Jesus or something else – I was desperate for someone to answer me. I felt utterly abandoned and alone. I prayed, but the words rose slowly from my heart, only to hit the ceiling and come tumbling back again. I read the Bible, but it was just words. I walked outside almost every day and looked up at the sky. I had only one prayer – “If you can hear me, I can’t hear you; please talk to me, touch me, let me feel that you are there.” I knew there was a God; I just wasn’t sure how much it was possible to know him or how much I mattered in his great scheme. I feared him, but I didn’t love him. I didn’t even feel I knew him. I ached for more than a great and vast Creator; I needed something personal, something warm and deep and near. I wanted to be touched by the kind of God who would create a tree, a dog, a soul. At the same time, I was aware of a vast cavern within myself that made me want to hide from God – a deep ugly blot that made all the good I tried to do flimsy and fake. I was filled with self-loathing and I felt utterly alone.
After a year of groping about in the dimness of my weary self, I was reading my Bible – rather hopelessly – when I heard the “still, small voice” once again. Suddenly the words on the page were no longer just words, clanging senselessly against the metal wall in my head. They had meaning. They were spoken to me. I was reading in Psalms 16:11 – “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy.”
There were no flashes of light, no angels singing; but from that moment, I had hope that the God of the universe knew me, and that it was possible to know him, really. I don’t know how or when exactly I came to the realization that he was Jesus. All along, I had known the great Ruler of heaven. I had reverenced his holiness, I had even felt his fatherly kindness from afar. But he had shut himself off from me so that I could realize what I was missing – the personal God.
Jesus is (still is!) a human, in addition to being God. He knows what it’s like in my life. He is touched by my weaknesses. He has been here. I can love him as I love another human being, because that’s who he is. But you can’t love someone you don’t know. When I came to a place of longing for Jesus (even though I didn’t know it was him I longed for!) that was when I came to know him. He crept in softly, and lit a flame, and sat beside me. By the time I was aware that he was there, I knew he was the one I had needed all along.
When I am overwhelmed by the loneliness of humankind; when I feel the howl of a vast wilderness waste in my soul, Jesus comes near. He lights a fire and I am warmed from the inside. He listens, and he understands. He is a sweet relief from the cold, grasping darkness that grips me suddenly, inside and out, because he is light, “and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) He is love, personified. While the presence of the almighty God fills me with awe and wonder, and a strange longing for something deep and old, Jesus gives the warm comfort of a dear friend. I know God in the ocean, the stars, and pour out my soul and bow before him; but Jesus is here with me.
More recently, I have come to appreciate the Jesus presented in C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series as Aslan. He has a wildness, an animal-ness that is very like the Jesus I know.
I still don’t like the gushiness that is poured out on the weak-mouthed, white-skinned, blue-eyed Jesus of mass-mediated Christianity, forever holding out his hands to be touched. But I love the God who knows what it is like to be hungry and lonely and catch a cold and have dirty feet. I love the God-man who is utterly free –and offers me his freedom! – from the dark selfishness that rises up and threatens to choke me. I love Jesus, at last.