The Divine Crash

Gnosticism is a belief that there is secret knowledge required to get into heaven.  In ancient times it was a belief that Jesus gave a secret code to his disciples and whoever knew that code got into heaven.  This led to all sorts of weird beliefs.  Some groups believed that a person could do anything they wanted as long as they knew the secret code.  Others believed that if a person did not know the secret code then no one could tell him/her and they would never get into heaven.  There were also countless groups who believed they were the only group who knew the REAL secret knowledge and as such they would be the only ones in heaven.

We still see this today.  

How many people go to church on Sunday and think that whatever they do during the week is forgiven as long as they are in Church on Sunday?

How often do we refuse to talk about Jesus because someone isn’t worthy to hear the one thing that could save their life?

How many churches believe they are the only correct ones with the only correct view of doctrine and therefore they are the only ones who will be in heaven?

Most people will not admit this, they will say “I love to talk about Jesus” but the only people they talk to are Christians. Sometimes it gets so bad our only friends are Christian, everyone we know is Christian, even our doctors, dentists, everyone we know is a Christian.  So of course we can talk about Jesus because everyone we know is already talking about Jesus.  So in way isn’t that refusing to talk about Jesus to those who need it most?

How many people will show up for church on a Sunday and then Monday night read a playboy and think it is okay because they went to church? Maybe we claim to have a relationship with Jesus but then we curse at our neighbor or ignore the homeless guy on the street corner.

How many churches never go on a mission trip, never outreach, and never leave the walls of their church because they are right and everyone else is wrong.  Sure, no church will admit this. They will instead say things like “If people want the truth they know we are here”  or “We are open to the will of God and so will reach out to the community when God calls us.”

These are the symptoms of modern day gnosticism when people pretend they have secret gospel that makes them more special than everyone else and will get a better place for eternity.

The truth of the matter is there is no secret knowledge.  Jesus Christ died so all could be saved by grace, not by anything we could do, earn, or learn.  The death of Jesus on the cross paid the price for us and the resurrection is our hope and promise that death is not the end and the final victory comes after all that.

When we hold that information we pretend we are better than others? That we weren’t a sinner?  That we didn’t make God cry when we did stupid things over and over?

So then what? We give it out to everyone we know?  We become friends with sinners and people who aren’t like me? Does this mean we enter into other people’s pain?

I think that is it exactly.  We enter into the pain we see around us, we become friends with people who are different than us, and we tell our friends about a Jesus who died for them and who is alive now.

Filed under:
Random Thoughts by RevBT