I did not write a devotional for last week. The only excuse
I can offer is that I simply got swamped. There were moments in the midst of
the last few weeks where I wasn’t even sure if I was coming or going. I’m still
not entirely sure if I know whether I’m coming or going.
One of the things that “swamped” me was the sudden and
unexpected passing of a member of Canadochly named Suzy Mathias. Suzy was a
beloved member of the congregation and I was delighted to serve even for these
few short years as her pastor. She and her late husband were among the first to
invite me into their home when I arrived in York county and so she retains a special
place in my thoughts.
On Sunday morning, I came into my office to find a pile of
mail on my desk (Nothing unusual about that.) Among the items there was a card
from someone who had attended Suzy’s funeral. The note within began amicably
enough, complimenting me for my kind words about Suzy during the funeral
service. But then it took a less-than-delightful passive-aggressive tone with
the following question.
Pastor, are you certain that you have accepted Jesus into your heart, as Suzy did when she was a teenager?
In the immortal words of one of my favorite seminary professors,
Dr. Timothy Wengert, “why do ask me this question?”
We’ll start with the obvious. Clearly, the person asking
this does not believe so, otherwise why ask the question at all? But what would
make said person think that? Given my only contact with this person (that I
know of) would be at Suzy’s funeral, it must have something in either my sermon or the traditional funeral rite of the Lutheran church that makes her question.
Clearly, in this person’s mind, there is something flawed in one or both of
these that makes me a less-than-authentic Christian. Something she sees as “not
right.” Something that makes me a non-believer, despite my apparent delusions
to the contrary.
Funny. I always thought the only thing required to be a
Christian is to believe in Jesus Christ and I know I do that. So what’s really
going on here?
We humans have many gods and many idols. Many things that we
worship, sometimes without even realizing it. In fact, the most insidious of
these idols are the ones that look most like authentic Christianity. Idols like
a particular doctrine, dogma, or theological stance. Idols like the inerrancy
of Scripture, the primacy of the Papacy,
the supremacy of our denomination, or the color of the church sanctuary carpet.
Or, behind all these, our own self-delusions that OUR way and OUR thoughts and
OUR beliefs must be right and all others wrong.
Image from this article at Patheos.com.
Too often, we mistake our particular interpretations of the
faith as the one true Church and the only way to salvation. But as Dr. Wengert
(again) often reminded us in class, “we are not saved by right answer alone.”
If we are truly honest with ourselves, we have to realize
that our particular doctrines, dogmas, and interpretations are nothing more
than our best guess. And that’s okay, because what grants us salvation is not
any of that, but the grace of God through Jesus Christ. It is his will and his
prerogative to save us. There is no entrance exam for heaven. Only a God of
love and mercy standing there saying “Welcome” to whomever he chooses. The right
(whoever they might be) and the wrong.
So, to the person inquiring about my faith in this card,
here’s my answer: It doesn’t matter if I prayed some prayer or performed some
ritual to “accept” Jesus into my heart. Because I know he’s accepted me. I know
he’s died for me. I know he’s risen again for me. And I know he’s promised life
to me. What I think of all that really doesn’t matter. It’s what Christ did
that really counts. Amen.
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