I have been thinking over what I wrote yesterday and have been processing it with the class discussion and with a friend last night. Concerning my last few paragraphs, I think I projected a lot of my own questions and confusions onto the text. I was reading a lot into things and beginning to open a can of worms on a whole other topic (how should a Christian live?). I read over what I wrote at the end of the last posting, and I would like to clarify a few things.
Heaven is REAL and talking about it is fine... the issue is with what the end of the essay says, which apparently I didn't read carefully enough:
"That being so, it may be asked what practical use there is in the speculations [about the nature of eternal life] which I have been indulging. I can think of at least one such use. It may be possible for each to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his neighbour. The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbour’s glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."
Basically, talking about Heaven is not bad, but overtalking about it is, and that's I guess the point I was trying to make. Talking about Heaven is fine, but there needs to be application along with it. What does all this talking mean for us today? In this paragraph Lewis does a good job wrapping it up by saying that we should view people in this eternal lense, seeing others as people in whom God's glory "is truly hidden." I just wanted to make that point clear after my random rampage in the last few paragraphs of "The Weight of Glory" blog.
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Dear Charlotte,
ReplyDeleteI read both your comments on the Weight of Glory, and I do believe you are blessed to be able to ‘see every side of theological issues’. I do believe the fact that you have ‘no idea what side I'm on’ is just because there is no side to be taken as of yet. The country people are trying to describe was not seen by them, so they can try to depict it, but all images will fall short. You will have to go there!
The only thing we can be sure of that there will be a place for us (if we ask the Lord to be our Savior) and that all our tears will be ‘wiped away’, even that is not explained (there are the trees that will be of healing to the nations, what does that look like?) and a transparent sea; does this mean ‘people that have integrity’ as ‘sea’ in the OT many times is used for multitudes, or water that is translucid as on the Pensacola beach?), we can dream, but one thing is sure: it will be much better than our wildest dreams!
Furthermore your comment ‘I seriously need to commit to a church and be consistent about it’ is very correct, but do you realize it is the ‘church as a body’ not a building per se? I do agree you need to find a ‘church’ as you need to interact with all ages and need to have consistent teaching and sharing! However, part you are already doing! Maybe you can encourage others to join you in this pursuit.
Finally, your quoting the last paragraph just fills my heart: yes! I need to ask God more and more for the humility to carry my neighbor’s burdens! Thanks for your comments.
God bless,
A & P