Wouldn’t it be cool if Jesus HAD risen from the dead?
Gary Haugen (International Justice Mission) has just published a new book titled, Just Courage: God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian
Even though I read the words almost twenty-five years ago, I can still picture them upon the page. The words were and have remained so disturbing to me that I remember exactly where I was when I read them. I was a freshman in college sitting up late one night in the dorm laundry room waiting for my clothes to dry and reading John Stuart Mill’s essay “On Liberty.” Writing in 1859, Mill was trying to explain the process by which words lose their meaning, and he casually offered that the best example of this phenomenon was Christians. Christians, he observed, seem to have the amazing ability to say the most wonderful things without actually believing them.
What became more disturbing was his list of things that Christians, like me, actually say — like, blessed are the poor and humble; it’s better to give than receive; judge not, lest you be judged; love your neighbor as yourself, etc. — and examining, one by one, how differently I would live my life if I actually believed such things. As Mill concluded, “The sayings of Christ co-exist passively in their minds, producing hardly any effect beyond what is caused by mere listening to words so amiable and bland.”
I move that we all just continue on as if the observation had never been made. Any seconds?
Lord, have mercy.
O Breath of life, come sweeping through us, revive your church with life and pow’r,
O Breath of Life, come, cleanse, renew us, and fit your church to meet this hour.O Wind of God, come bend us, break us, till humbly we confess our need;
then in your tenderness remake us, revive, restore, for this we plead.O Breath of love, come breathe within us, renewing thought and will and heart;
come, Love of Christ, afresh to win us, revive your church in every part.O Heart of Christ, once broken for us, ’tis there we find our strength and rest;
our broken contrite hearts now solace, and let your waiting church be blest.Revive us, Lord! Is zeal abating while harvest fields are vast and white?
Revive us, Lord, the world is waiting, equip your church to spread the light.
7 comments
Hi Scott, Your entry is intriguing, and I’m really glad that you ended with that beautiful song?poem? of dwelling in God’s power rather than our human weaknesses. If you are curious about finding out more about Just Courage though, there are a lot of resources on its webpage-www.justcourage.com. There is a .mp3 file that will be posted soon about why Gary Haugen wrote the book, which you might be interested in.
Thanks Lyn. I’ll definitely check out the additional resources. BTW, at the end of the post…that was a hymn, “O Breath of Life, Come Sweeping through Us” — words by Bessie Head (1914); number 341 in the Trinity Hymnal.
Scott,
What is the significance behind the title of this post?
I was wondering the same as Dennis.
Admittedly sensational, the title relates to Haugen’s quote in the sense that many Christians say the nicest things but act as if Jesus didn’t really rise from the dead. The sarcasm is also pointed at myself, because we often struggle with doubt and disbelief….hence the cry for mercy and closing hymn.
If you think this would be lost on most people, especially those who don’t know me or would come away from this blog thinking, “I thought that guy was a Christian,” then I’d be open to changing the title or clarifying it further in the post (assuming some won’t make it down to this comment)?
Scot,
I don’t see that you need to change it. I was just curious. If someone is bent on defining you from a mere snapshot perspective, then they are going to see what they want to see anyway. But your blog as a whole is a clear reflection of your thoughts and convictions.
Profound!
…examining, one by one, how differently I would live my life if I actually believed such things”
It’s not that I’ve never thought of this before, but this really hit me in a more powerful way than ever before. You know those ‘ah ha’ moments we sometimes experience? I just had one when I read this. Often these light-bulb moments cause me to rejoice, this one has actually knocked me spiritually unconscious for a moment!
I’m a poor ambassador for the King indeed!
Leave a Comment