Who’s In and Who’s Out

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all people.” Luke 2:10 (emphasis my own)

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Luke 2:14 (emphasis my own)

Christmas. It is a season filled with parties, presents, and supposedly good news mingled with peace. At least that is the way I learned it. It was a season of love, joy, and peace (for those who believed). Peace was for those who knew the Christ of Christmas and had called on His name.

The other day I spent time with a friend talking about jobs, careers, family, and life. In the midst of the discussion the issue of with whom God is pleased came to the surface. Who makes it into Gods kingdom and who doesn’t? That was basically the question.

It got me wondering, how do our differing views of theology, grace, mercy, peace, love, and God impact our understanding of who receives His love, joy, peace and life? Is God’s grace more generous to some than others? Could God really be more gracious than we imagine? Does God willingly make room for our differing views, ideas, and theologies of how he works and who he extends grace and peace to? Could God have the ability to expand his kingdom to encompass more people and individuals than we realize?

I can’t speak for everyone, but I must admit that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less rigid in my understanding and view of this concept. In my younger years I held a strong and narrow view that God was very firm in how he would see and judge the world. I always thought that He would judge and determine eternity based upon protestant, North American, evangelical ideas, philosophies, and theologies that I had heard since I was a child.

While I always believed that God offered life to all, in recent years I have come to hope and believe that the God we serve is much more gracious, forgiving, merciful, and loving than we can even imagine. Early on I came to understand God would determine who was part of His kingdom (those with whom He was well pleased) based upon these evangelical rules that required very strict behavior, guidelines, and beliefs. In this view, there would be no life outside of these well described and well-defined evangelical boundaries. You know many of them, ideas that state exactly what one must believe. Statements of how one must think, act or even describe faith. But what if God is much bigger and much more generous and loving than we imagine?

Please don’t assume (as some will) that I am advocating for universalism. I do believe that everyone will NOT find eternal life with Christ. I am NOT a universalist, but I do believe God’s love extends far beyond what we believe, comprehend or imagine.

I choose (please note that choice and emphasis of this word) to believe that the words of Christ are true. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. That is the greatest, the first commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Everything in the law and the prophets hangs on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.

I choose to live into the words of the Apostle Paul “Leave no debt outstanding, but remember the debt of love you owe one another. He who loves his neighbor has met every requirement of the law. The commandments, ‘”You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,’” and any other commandment there may be, are all summed up in the one rule, “‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Love cannot wrong a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:8-11

I choose to serve the God that is first and foremost defined by love. “God is love” I John 4:16. That is for me the defining quality and characteristic of the God I/we serve. Please know that I value and care deeply about the other qualities and terms we use to define God, but for me those qualities and characteristics grow and flow out of His never-ending love for all of mankind.

You see, God is first and foremost love. The God whose first response to everything is love will determine, consider and see all things in regard to mankind through love. I don’t have to worry about your views, beliefs, or even theological opinions. God will figure all that out. That is not my problem.

So, when you ask me my view of those who differ with me theologically, philosophically, politically, and even in their lifestyle, I choose to share the view and stance of the late great Billy Graham. “It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.” (Isn’t it funny that an evangelical pastor put it best).

You see, I have no other calling or requirement. I choose to leave all thoughts, ideas, and decisions about who is in and who is out up to God. He did not call me to force my theological ideas on others. God did not dictate that I demand that others believe as I do. God never necessitated that I place certain requirements on others to be part of His kingdom. He simply called me to love. That’s it! “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

May the love, joy, and peace of Christmas flow through you and I this year (even where we would least expect it). As always, thanks for joining us on the journey. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.