I tried to resist today, but I found myself weighing in on a stupid Facebook debate. It was one of those deals where a friend of mine had posted an inspirational youtube video of John Denver reciting the Lord’s Prayer. It was sweet and uplifting. And yet somehow it sparked a long drawn out discussion immediately on how John Denver is in hell because he ‘rejected God and died not believing in Jesus.’
Now, I don’t want this blog post to turn into a similar debate, but I did want to vent a little of the deep sadness I have felt since reading those comments. This person went on to say: ‘Good luck with Him in Heaven, because luck is what you would need and I don't do luck and have more confidence in grace than most..........but........I don't deny God and His Ability to send anyone to hell as well as heaven and the testimony of JD is tragedy not of mercy, grace or salvation.’- after another commenter had pointed out that we may be surprised at who is in heaven. Well, I couldn’t resist. And by the time I read this comment, I was angry. How can someone claim to have ‘confidence in grace’, and then claim that God sends people to hell?
So I commented on his comment. I should have waited and calmed down, but instead I said exactly what I was thinking.
‘You don’t believe in grace if you believe God sends people to hell.’
Well. It didn’t take long for someone to counter that little comment. In fact I was told I should read my Bible, because ‘it’s all there.’ (Grrrrrrrrrrrrr....) I wasn’t going to respond to this comment, because the commenter had previously not even been a part of the conversation. But this little comment made me even angrier. It frustrates me SO MUCH when people throw that comment into their silly online debates. It always sounds to me like:
“If you read your Bible, you would just see that I’m right.”
or
“Just read your Bible. You can’t miss it.”
or
“Read your Bible. You must not, if you don’t agree with my opinion.”
Ugh. So I responded that I do read my Bible and that I find it rude that she would assume I don’t simply because we have differing opinions. And it spiraled further into meaningless discussion from there. I won’t bore you with any more ‘and THEN she said...’ You get the picture. Let’s just assume that I was the victor with my witty retorts, and let’s face it- because I’m right! (and ever so humble)
All this to say that the sadness I felt is because we tend to completely miss the point. The John Denver video was wonderful. And I hope it touched someone who needed a lift in their faith today. Whether John Denver is in heaven or hell, God knows. Should we boycott him now because we think he didn’t make it? Of course not. God’s Word still stands. So why use an online platform like Facebook to debate his final destination? When we argue over theology and how things are worded and who’s in and who’s out, we are not winning any of the lost. I think they probably steer as far away from Christian posts like this as they can, because we can’t even agree on a video of someone reciting the Lord’s Prayer!
And PLEASE don’t tell me to read my Bible so that I can agree with your opinion. I could just as easily have countered the scriptures thrown at me about judgment and punishment with the far more abundant scriptures on grace and love. But what would be the point?
I must confess that I still feel a lot of sadness over this discussion. Not because I felt personally attacked, but because it felt like they were attacking the character of my very best friend. I felt like shouting at them that if they really knew the Father that they would never accuse Him of sending people to hell. (I mean, read your Bible people!! It’s all there!!) Really. God is love! After I extended the olive branch to my ‘opponent’, and told her I didn’t want to argue with her, she couldn’t resist one last PARAGRAPH of comment to try and sway me to her opinion. Or save me. Maybe she was trying to save me. ;)
She ended by explaining to me that God has to send people to hell for their punishment just like a parent would have to send a naughty child to their room if they’ve done something wrong. That the child will not willingly go, the parent has to send them.
*SIGH*
How can you take a few scriptures that are supposedly about hell, and completely miss the overwhelming evidence that God is FOR us and not against us. And punishing your child by sending them to their room is one thing. Sending people to eternal torment in flames is something else entirely! (In my opinion.) That doesn’t sound like the discipline of a loving parent to me. It sounds more like child abuse. Now like I said, I don’t want to drag the previous debate onto this forum, but I do think discussion can be healthy- if both sides are willing to hear the other out. That’s probably what irritates me the most with the ‘read your bible’ comment. It’s like saying: ‘I don’t need to say another word. God will argue for me.’ Like I’ve said in previous posts, I think it’s healthy to ask ourselves why we believe the way we do. And where did that belief come from. And if you haven’t figured it out by now, any verse can be interpreted in many ways! It all depends on what paradigm we view that scripture through.
The reason I felt sad is because of the tendency in believers to think the worst of their heavenly Father. He loves us so much. ALL of us. Including John Denver- wherever his final destination may be. The cross was the overwhelming, abundant, awesome, (insert infinity of positive verbs here) display of that love. Don’t render that finished work powerless in someone’s life by convincing them that God is not for them, cheering them on, longing to spend eternity with them! Don’t make God a distant judge. Let Him be what He is. Our ever present help in times of trouble. Our comforter. Our Daddy. He is Our Father in Heaven! It’s about what He did for us, not about what we have to do to get to Him. Don’t turn the cross into a religious work. That’s not grace.
So much more I want to say about this, but it’s late and I really just want to spend the rest of the night leaning into His arms and talking about it with Him. I welcome your comments, but let’s keep them loving. If you can’t keep them loving, I suggest you read your Bible. ;)
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