Pie in the Sky

Sometimes we Christians are accused of being "pie in the sky" thinkers. "Some day my prince will come," where "my prince" is Christ and He will return ... eventually ... we're all pretty sure. We'll live these lives of ours and eventually die and then, out of sight of anyone else, we'll find our bliss. Some day. Pie in the sky, by and by. But it's just not true, and to the extent that we buy that thinking, we are shortchanging ourselves. Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10) "These things I have spoken to you," He said, "that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:11) He added, "Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:24) The fruit of the Spirit includes love, joy, and peace at the outset (Gal 5:22-23). Scripture does not describe a mere "by and by" Christian existence. God's Word describes a "here and now" life of abundance and reward with only more to follow.

Interestingly, most of us think the reverse about the reverse position. If Christians get "pie in the sky by and by," we're expecting this life to be ... a little ho-hum at best. On the other hand, if unbelievers get "Hell in the end," they certainly get their kicks now, don't they? I mean, they don't pursue all manner of sin because it's unpleasant. The sinners life is alluring because it appears so pleasant. And that's not true, either.

As it turns out, when we buy that line, we're buying the line of the Deceiver. "Sin for a season" is not a happy season. Scripture characterizes that pursuit as "futile" and "darkened" (Rom 1:21), stupid in its aims (Rom 1:23) and self-defaming in its processes (Rom 1:24). God's Word says it gives people "a debased mind" (Rom 1:28). They can't even think straight, leaving them "full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness." (Rom 1:29) Sure sounds like a party over here, doesn't it?

Our current society illustrates the real-time damage the pursuit of sin produces. That includes a right wing that thinks it's perfectly suitable to "storm the castle" and a left wing that things they can better serve the people if they deny science and eliminate their gender. We've embraced "a better life by profligate sin" and wonder why there's such hate and crime rates and disease and loneliness and high suicide rates and ... on and on.

The Christian life is not drudgery now for a pie in the sky later. Nor is rejecting God a load of fun now even if the payout is a bit unpleasant. Both have eternal consequences, to be sure, but the rewards of following Christ are not merely future nor are the consequences of refusing. God doesn't offer us a mere "pie in the sky." He offers joys now and forever. Why we don't seem to experience it or are not feverishly passing it on to others is a testament to the lies of the god of this world.