Real People have Real Destinies

So I feel like all I've been doing is book reviews, but this post will change it up. Well ... a bit anyways. It's still going to be about a book. A line from a book. Partly it won't be a book review because I haven't finished the book yet, but this line really struck me as deep and profound and made me stop to think about my doctrine. I hope it does the same for you.

The name of the book is Erasing Hell: What God Said about Eternity, and the Things We've Made Up by Francis Chan. In the book Mr. Chan investigates what the Bible truly says about the doctrine of Hell. The line that struck me though was this:

"These words have real implications for real people with real destinies." (pg. 81)

Now Mr. Chan was speaking about the doctrine of hell, but it hit me because it has much wider application. How many of the doctrines that we hold to don't really account for people? Maybe I'm alone in this failing, but I have a tendency to hold "ivory tower" kind of doctrine. I'm not saying that what I've learned or been taught is necessarily untrue, just that I haven't thought through what the implications of the doctrine would be in the "real world." Take this doctrine of hell for example. I believe, quite strongly, that the Bible is clear that those who do not accept Christ as their Saviour will spend an eternity being punished for it. I believe that un-redeemed sinners who have sinned against an Eternal God will, deservedly, spend eternity suffering the consequences of their actions. However, what I hadn't thought through before was how many of those I see every day are on that road. How it makes my heart ache now, knowing, realizing, and understanding that the person I see in the grocery store, or walking down the road, or playing with their kid in the park will maybe be suffering that punishment. How urgent then does spreading the Gospel become? How do I find myself sitting comfortably in my salvation when there are those who die in their sin? 

It also amazes me how the doctrines are truly interconnected. I was sitting here trying to think of another doctrine that I could use for an example. So, as a graduate of Mr. Glock's Survey of Doctrine, I went down the big 10. Theology proper, Bibliology, Christology, Pneumatology, Angelology, Anthropology, Hamartiology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology and Eschatology. As I looked through these, I realized how much they all flow together. Your view of who God the Father is will affect how you view the Bible, His Son, the Holy Spirit, angels, man, sin, salvation, church and the end times. What you believe of the Bible will greatly impact the rest of your beliefs as well. Bibliology, I think, is at the center. If we can't believe what the Bible says, then how are we to know about God? But, if the Bible is true, then we must realize that "[t]hese words have real implications for real people with real destinies." I believe C. S. Lewis also realized this. In his book, The Weight of Glory, he writes : "But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors." People are what really matter. Everything else you interact with on a day to day basis will be gone in the blink of an eye. 

Lord help this knowledge impress upon me the importance of everyone I come into contact with throughout my days. Help me to see people as You see them. Help me to mirror Your desire for all men to be saved. Lord give me Your heart.