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| When Karl Marx called religion “the opiate of the people” he was saying that faith in the hope of heaven served to pacify the masses. They would be easily exploited because their focus would be on the next world instead of this one. If people were awaiting the return of Jesus Christ to set the world right and take them to heaven then they would care less about investing in and improving this world. Faith in the return of our savior Jesus Christ is still met with disdainful skepticism today.
Christians are tolerated and even valued when they are involved in benevolent activities that serve the community or when they are active in popular moral issues (depending upon one's political loyalties) such as peace, abortion, human rights, marriage, pornography, etc. But let us talk about heaven, hell, or the return of Jesus and we not only lose our audience, we lose our credibility. The difficulty is more than simply a difference in belief. Many do not believe in the efficacy of prayer but they are usually respectfully silent when invocations are offered. Prayer may not be helpful but at least it is not harmful.
Eternal life, hope in a better life to come, on the other hand is harmful. It leads to separation from this world and drains commitment to making the world a better place. At least that is a popular criticism of Christianity. While this is unquestionably sometimes true, does this criticism stand up to reality? To be sure, there are a few who think this life is about letting everyone else know that they are wrong while “we” are right in all moral and religious matters. But while holding firm convictions about truth and God and salvation and, yes, heaven and hell, most evangelical Christians are genuinely and actively concerned for people.
Indeed our concern for others is derived from our faith, which shapes our convictions about what is right and good. Caring for people is a natural and biblical extension of loving God. Motivated by gratitude for what God has done for us, we try to express God’s love for people in obedience to His commands.
That is why at both a corporate level and an individual level Christians are actively involved in helping people. There is an incredible amount of volunteer time and money given to help the poor, to offer peer counseling in marriage and raising children, to support women with unwanted pregnancies, to care for people in prison and their children. There is no payback, no hidden agenda, simply a desire to share the grace (unmerited favor) of God with people so that they may be blessed and helped just as we have been.
As I have met evangelical pastors in the Upper Valley I have been impressed with the deep, selfless dedication of these godly people whose love for God drives them to love people (and not just in their congregation). When Jesus was asked by an expert in the Law which was the greatest commandment, He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” That is why contrary to the popular adage, heavenly minded people most often do the most earthly good. |
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by Dr. J. Patrick Curtis, Senior Pastor |
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