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In doing some reading over the last few weeks, I ran across a couple of names that really brought into focus for me the difference between a temporal and an eternal viewpoint.Keith Green was a Christian singer. He had a wife and 3 kids, with another child on the way. On July 28, 1982, Keith climbed into a plane along with two of his children, three year old Josiah and two year old Bethany. Also on the plane was the pilot along with visiting missionaries John and Dede Smalley and their six children. The plane crashed upon takeoff and all 12 people were killed. Keith Green was 28 years old.
Bertrand Russell was a philosopher, mathematician and historian. He was born in 1872 and died in 1970 at the ripe old age of 98 years old. Just think about that for a minute. He was born in the age of horse and buggies and died having seen a man walk on the moon. He lived a long and full life. And one more thing - he was an athiest.
Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear. It is partly the terror of the unknown and partly, as I have said, the wish to feel that you have a kind of elder brother who will stand by you in all your troubles and disputes. [...] A good world needs knowledge, kindliness, and courage; it does not need a regretful hankering after the past or a fettering of the free intelligence by the words uttered long ago by ignorant men.
—Bertrand Russell, Why I Am Not a Christian
From a temporal viewpoint I look at these two men, their ages and the manner of their deaths, I can't help but say "that's not fair". The man who serves the Lord, who tries to do the right thing dies a violent death before the age of 30 along with innocent children. While the athiest, the man who not only doesn't believe in God but actually publishes works trying to convince others not to believe in God - that man lives to be 98 years old.
But then I see if from another viewpoint - the eternal one. And from that viewpoint I see a God that is so merciful that he gave Bertrand Russell 98 years to change his mind - 98 years to repent and turn to Him. I don't know why Keith Green, John and Dede Smalley and those 8 innocent children died that day. But I do know they lived their lives from an eternal viewpoint, and because of that they are enjoying eternal life. While Bertrand Russell lived his entire life - a long life by human standards - based totally upon a temporal viewpoint. And because of that he is suffering eternal death, an eternal separation from God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
A number of years ago, I read a book by Jerry Bridges called "Living in Light of Eternity." That book totally changed the way I view what I considered 'premature death.' It also caused me to look at many other life situations differently. (Divine viewpoint vs. human viewpoint.) It's imperative that we live life from an eternal perspective, and we must be willing to share the Truth with others, as God provides those opportunities.
ReplyDeleteAn eternal viewpoint. Focusing on the eternal rather than the temporal is important. Keeping my focus on God, in God, and with God. I desire for my vision to be clearly set on things above. When I focus on the things of this earth, myself, circumstances surrounding me, situations I can't change, I get totally temporal-minded. When I lift the eyes of my heart, bring those thoughts into submission to Him, being eternally-minded is back into focus. Having an eternal viewpoint is vital.
ReplyDeleteYou people make me so mad. Keep an open mind, your "truth" is your faith, faith is believing in something that that you know may not be true. Some people don't need religion to live a full meaningful life and to help them sleep better at night. Some people may need OTHER religions to feel hope and a sense of belonging. I believe, if there is a God, his purpose is for us to do good and love, not to waste so much time kneeling at his feet, worshiping and kissing his behind. What's right for you may not be right for others. Stop judging people like Bertrand Russell, myself, or others. Your judgement on us deserving less is hypocritical. Love thy enemy. If God is all good and all powerful, there will be no suffering in this world. Punishment may be reasonable, but there definitely wouldn't be eternal damnation, because that would just mean that God ISN'T all good. I am an agnostic, the only reason being agnostic is because I won't deny that the fraction of a chance in which God may exist. However, my proposal to you is stop shoving Christianity down peoples throats, and stop judging people for believing what THEY BELIEVE IN. Just like Bentrand Russell, you're spreading a belief that many don't believe is true. So keep an open mind, we are all the same (humans with beliefs).
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