ARE CHRISTIANS ESCAPISTS?

Have you heard it said that Christians believe in and talk about heaven to escape reality? While it is true there are those with an escapist mindset which helps them to justify their avoidance of present reality, it would be bigoted at best to conclude Christianity as the cause of such an attitude.

Anyone who has taken the time to read the gospel record of Jesus Christ knows that He faced reality. He never taught His followers to set their minds on some future hope and give no thought to the present. In fact, it was His thought of the present that led to His agonizing prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. It was His hope of future joy that gave Him strength to face the shame of the cross with endurance.

Biblical Christianity teaches us to live now, but not for now. In other words, there is a reality to which this brief time on earth is headed. Christians don’t ignore this future reality so to live now as if this is the only reality. Christians live now with the hope of what is coming. That hope affects us now. It liberates us from the bondage of a broken world and short-lived promises, and enables us to let go of controlling things that are quickly passing away. With this hope in the future filling our minds we are able to live now according to principles that are right before God, regardless of what advantage it may or may not bring us in this present life.

If we didn’t have this hope, then we would admittedly be quite miserable. As the Apostle Paul discussed the significance of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, he noted that life lived as a follower of Christ in this world would be quite miserable if our hope died with us. In other words, if all for which we lived were to suddenly end with death, then the life of trials and tribulation associated with following Christ in this present world that largely discounts Him would be characterized as miserable. It is the hope of the resurrection that makes every form of suffering in this life bearable. Not only is every form of suffering made bearable, it actually works in us a greater sense of the glory that awaits us. This world as it presently exists is not intended to be the end.

Now, this leads back to the thought of reality. Who is the escapist? The one who lives now with great hope of receiving all that the risen Christ has purchased and prepared? Or, the one who lives now with all hopes riding on himself and what he may or may not accomplish in his lifetime on earth? The answer to a large degree depends upon the reality of the resurrection. If Christ is risen, then every soul will give an account to Him. Death does not end existence. Death ends existence as we presently know it, but opens the door to either everlasting punishment or eternal life.

Some push the reality of life after death out of their minds. This is a form of escapism. It allows for some measure of peace now. But reality will one day disturb that peace!

Christians embrace the reality of life after death and live with hope because of Jesus Christ. This allows them to escape the lure of this present world and look beyond the sufferings of this present life. This brings a measure of peace now, with the hope of immeasurable peace forever.

I am thankful to be a Christian. Call me an escapist if you will. I prefer to be called a realist.