Read Online Free to Live: The Utter Relief of Holiness by John Eldredge - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John Eldredge
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have the sexual discretion of an alley cat. Yes, you gave clothing to the homeless—but you hate Republicans; you have hatred in your heart. A classic example would be the popular bumper sticker “Mean People Suck.” Um…meaning you, then, who put this mean-spirited bumper sticker on your car.
And notice this—popular goodness also serves to ingratiate you to your community; it makes you look like a very “good person.” But what about the goodness that isn’t popular at all, the kind that, in fact, makes you suddenly very uncomfortable. You who are Democrats, would you be comfortable telling your Democrat friends that you are voting Republican this year because “Issues surrounding abortion are simply far more important than issues surrounding fair trade farming?” You see, we’re back to issues of motive, convenience, and selective morality.
I think the culture of popular goodness has confused a lot of young people who are sincere about pursuing holiness. Buying eco-friendly shoes is just not on a scale with loving Jesus. Riding a bicycle to work is just not nearly as weighty as telling other people about Jesus. They are important, but a Christian has a lot more things that are far more important.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34–40)
Clearly, Jesus believes that some commands are weightier than others. So why is it that loving God isn’t one of the categories we think in when it comes to holiness? Churches tend to think in moral categories of “They are faithful attendees; they tithe every week; they hold the correct doctrines; they don’t [fill in the blank—smoke, swear, go to bars, whatever]. They’re good people.” But do they love God? We have churches filled with people who don’t really love God as the central mission of their lives; and yet they are faithful and they attend, so we think, wow, that’s great, they’re neat people . But they’re flunking Holiness 101.
Doubt Is Not a Virtue
One last thought as we sweep away some of the clutter about holiness.
I don’t remember the issue my friend and I were talking about—it had something to do with Christianity—but I do remember my friend’s response: “Gosh, I’m not really sure,” he said. And I thought it a humble and gracious posture to take. Only it’s been five years now and he’s still saying, “I’m not really sure.” He has landed in that place. Now I see what happened. He has chosen doubt, a posture very attractive and honored in our day.
Doubt is “in.”
Listen to how people talk (especially young adults): “I don’t really know…I’m just sort of wrestling with things right now…you know, I’m not really sure…” And if in the rare case someone actually says what they believe, they quickly add, “but that’s just the way I see it.” As if confidence were a bad quality to have. Certainty is suspect these days. It doesn’t seem “real” or “authentic.” It’s human to doubt. So it seems more human to express doubt than certainty. We end up embracing doubt because it feels “authentic.”
Add to this guilt by association. Dogmatic people—people with an arrogant certainty—have done a lot of damage. Particularly dogmatic religious people. Good people don’t want anything to do with that, and so—by a leap of logic—they don’t want to be seen as having strong convictions. Certainty is not something they want to be associated with. Besides, the culture is honoring doubt right now. When the first of the Narnia movies came out, I
And notice this—popular goodness also serves to ingratiate you to your community; it makes you look like a very “good person.” But what about the goodness that isn’t popular at all, the kind that, in fact, makes you suddenly very uncomfortable. You who are Democrats, would you be comfortable telling your Democrat friends that you are voting Republican this year because “Issues surrounding abortion are simply far more important than issues surrounding fair trade farming?” You see, we’re back to issues of motive, convenience, and selective morality.
I think the culture of popular goodness has confused a lot of young people who are sincere about pursuing holiness. Buying eco-friendly shoes is just not on a scale with loving Jesus. Riding a bicycle to work is just not nearly as weighty as telling other people about Jesus. They are important, but a Christian has a lot more things that are far more important.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34–40)
Clearly, Jesus believes that some commands are weightier than others. So why is it that loving God isn’t one of the categories we think in when it comes to holiness? Churches tend to think in moral categories of “They are faithful attendees; they tithe every week; they hold the correct doctrines; they don’t [fill in the blank—smoke, swear, go to bars, whatever]. They’re good people.” But do they love God? We have churches filled with people who don’t really love God as the central mission of their lives; and yet they are faithful and they attend, so we think, wow, that’s great, they’re neat people . But they’re flunking Holiness 101.
Doubt Is Not a Virtue
One last thought as we sweep away some of the clutter about holiness.
I don’t remember the issue my friend and I were talking about—it had something to do with Christianity—but I do remember my friend’s response: “Gosh, I’m not really sure,” he said. And I thought it a humble and gracious posture to take. Only it’s been five years now and he’s still saying, “I’m not really sure.” He has landed in that place. Now I see what happened. He has chosen doubt, a posture very attractive and honored in our day.
Doubt is “in.”
Listen to how people talk (especially young adults): “I don’t really know…I’m just sort of wrestling with things right now…you know, I’m not really sure…” And if in the rare case someone actually says what they believe, they quickly add, “but that’s just the way I see it.” As if confidence were a bad quality to have. Certainty is suspect these days. It doesn’t seem “real” or “authentic.” It’s human to doubt. So it seems more human to express doubt than certainty. We end up embracing doubt because it feels “authentic.”
Add to this guilt by association. Dogmatic people—people with an arrogant certainty—have done a lot of damage. Particularly dogmatic religious people. Good people don’t want anything to do with that, and so—by a leap of logic—they don’t want to be seen as having strong convictions. Certainty is not something they want to be associated with. Besides, the culture is honoring doubt right now. When the first of the Narnia movies came out, I
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