To What End
I wish I could give credit where it is due, but I often have things swimming around in my head that I am unclear where they originate. I recently heard someone answer the question of God's existence. They said that such a question was boring and that a better question would be, what would be the reaction of people who believed in and worshipped a God of love? So instead of the answer leaning to apologetics, theological debate or a long list of other ways to debate the issue, what if we looked to ourselves (if we are believers). Pose the question, what would my life look like if I believed in this God? I've been asking myself this question lately and I have to say that I am not totally pleased with my answer. To be honest, my life doesn't usually look like someone who believes in God. So I dig a bit deeper. Why do I ask myself this question? Is it the same reason that people ask the God question in the first place, because they are wrestling with uncertainty and doubt. Is it because we are looking for affirmation in our lives that we really are good people at the base of it? Is it because we know that the answer to the question and we just needed someone to put it to us in that way? Whatever my initial motivation for going down this road was, I see that a partner question to the question of God's existence should be, to what end. The end, for me, of this question is awareness. If I believe in God but don't care about people then what does whether I believe in God matter? If I confess Christ as my Lord and Savior but don't even look at the homeless man on the street as I step over him to enter my place of worship then what does it matter? I'm a believer but to what end? I applied this train of thought to many practices in the church and I think, to what end?, is an important question to ask in all of our practices.
Why do we study scripture, to what end?
If the answer to that question is to have ammunition that can down our most fierce competition in a debate then I think we have it wrong.
Why do we ask questions, to what end?
If we are asking questions, with our desired answers in mind, then we aren't really asking questions we are looking for our answers. The tricky thing with that is that you can, if you are really looking, find a lot of harmful answers. I have heard of a congregation who was getting ready to study women's roles in the church. They were going to do a lengthy study of scripture that would hopefully lead them to the "right" answer. I believe it was an elder of the church who asked "if we do this study and come to the conclusion that women should have equal roles in the church, will we change our position?". He was asking the question, to what end? Sadly, they decided to just not do the study. Maybe they weren't ready for the answer.
Why do we go to church, why did I start that non-profit, why am I thinking of moving, why am I staying, why am I giving in the offering, why do I have this job, why do I prefer hymns, why do I like instrumental worship? The list goes on and on. We make decisions on a daily basis that have an impact on our lives and the lives of those around us and I would be willing to bet that most of us have never considered why, to what end?
The love of God is so transformative and beautiful that if we are fully embracing and operating in it, the world should be a better place because of it. The end should be that life is springing from dead relationships and dead ends. The parts of you that used to seek favor and gain are now humble and serving. The parts of this world where death and destruction is a daily reality should not be full of people thumping bibles but instead pounding hammers, building schools and wells carrying life giving water.
To what end? I say this world should be better because of the reckless love of God and the people who say they believe in Him. That is the type of answer to the question of God's existence that may make a difference.