September 8, 2009: What If Christianity Doesn’t Help You?

I was listening to WMBI’s Midday Connection last week and a woman described the effect that unemployment had on her husband. For the first 3-6 months he was optimistic, confident that his abilities and experience would land him a good position quickly. But after 18 months of no work, she said, he was so discouraged he was wondering whether God existed.

I find it instructive to ponder reasons why people believe, keep believing, doubt, or cease believing in God. What - in your own mind - leads you to believe or disbelieve?

What I’d like to challenge is what I call “as long as” Christian faith. By that I mean the faith of people who would say - if they articulated their beliefs - “I will believe in Jesus Christ as long as I keep my job, and my house never goes into foreclosure.” Or perhaps, “I believe in Jesus as long as my spouse is not terminally ill.” Or, “I’ll be a Christian as long as my son does not commit suicide.” Or, “I’ll trust Christ as long as my daughter is not brutally murdered.” ”But ,” continues the “as-long-as” believer, “If any of those things happen to me, I’ll regard them as perfectly legitimate counterarguments to the faith I now hold dearly.”

I think it goes without saying that “as-long-as” faith is not worthy of the Christ it claims to adore, and that we who call ourselves followers of Jesus should beware lest we be found guilty of owning a faith so shallow. I also think that the temptation to adopt "as-long-as” faith should make us think hard about how we present the good news of Jesus Christ.

When I preach the gospel I am careful to discipline myself to urge people to believe Christianity because it is true. Not because it is pleasant or helpful or inspiring (though it may well be), but simply because it corresponds to the way reality is. The doctrines of orthodox Christianity are true regardless of how you feel about them. They are true when your life is sunny and pleasant; they are true when your life is dark and despairing. The circumstances of your life and the emotions of your heart have no more influence on the truth of Christianity than they do on the fact that the circumference of a circle divided by its diameter is 3.14. Do you remember your high school geometry? The value of pi does not change when you lose your job, or your spouse leaves you, or your friends betray you, or your son slashes his wrists. I know I am putting this crudely, but God is like pi. He is who he is, and our feelings about him – whether of doubt, confidence, affection or hatred – neither cause him to pass in and out of existence nor change his character in the least.

The other day I was discussing with a friend whether true conversion could only come about through a deep feeling of brokenness. I flatly deny this. No doubt many people do bow the knee to Jesus for the first time when they are passing through a season of loss, guilt, anxiety or pain. And I think God mercifully allows those things in our lives precisely so that we will be driven to him. But I also think that a crisis of brokenness is, by itself, an inadequate basis for long-term faith, and, for many people, it is not even necessary. A conviction of the truth of the gospel is, however, absolutely necessary. Many, rushing to Jesus in a moment of distress, dump him as soon as the emergency passes. Others dump him when the crisis that brought them to him is not resolved. Others dump him when a crisis of guilt has passed but a new one of, say, discouragement has arrived.

It is harder to dump him though if you have been persuaded of the truth that God omnipotent lives and reigns, and that Jesus his Son died for sinners and rose again on the third day. That I believe, and know, and preach, and, yes, even try to prove. I have noticed that when the apostles preached the gospel, they were always appealing to reason, always seeking to engage the mind. See for example:

Acts 9:22: Yet Saul grew more and more powerful… proving that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 17:2-3: Paul…reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.
Acts 18:28: [Apollos] vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

What the apostles never do is tell you that the Christian faith can give you the peace of mind you always lacked, and make you a happier, more well-rounded person. I think that perceptive people have always known that present happiness is not Christianity's "selling point" (again, putting it crudely). As C. S. Lewis said, “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.” Right. With Lewis, I only recommend Christianity because it is true. No other benefits would compel my devotion if I thought it were false; no hardships may be allowed to weaken my allegiance now that I have received it as true.

The other day I passed by a church that had put posters on its lawn asking me if life’s circumstances left my stomach tied in knots, and if I wanted to learn how to “fly above the turbulence.” And I thought, “Oh no. I sure hope they’re not preaching Jesus as a cure for anxiety.” I’ve heard that kind of preaching all my life, and have really come to despise it. Not only does it strike me as unbiblical, it also seems to set people up for crises of faith when, after 18 months of unemployment (for example), they find themselves just as anxious as ever. (“And I thought Christianity was supposed to cure this! Maybe this faith isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”)

Look, I have no idea if you come to Jesus whether you’ll be less anxious or more happy or better off or anything like that. Maybe you will, but it’s quite beside the point. And I don’t know if Jesus will “heal your brokenness.” What I do know is that he will forgive your sins. I do not know if he will give you a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment – but I do know that he will give you eternal life.

Here is truth: Turn from your sin and believe in Jesus Christ, and some day you will see God. No circumstances can ever change that, and nothing you experience should ever give you cause to doubt it.