WHAT DO I BELIEVE?

Julie Northrip

What do I believe? Well if asked as a young child or even young teen my answer would probably have been simple and one that had been impressed upon me by church and family. I believed God loved me and that is why He gave us His son Jesus. I believed that because I was loved I needed to share that love and kindness with others.

What I didn’t believe and what wasn’t even a part of my faith experience, was that God could withhold love from those who believed in him. I believed that no matter what I did, I was loved unconditionally. Now that didn’t make me want to do bad things, but I didn’t live in fear of being separated from God.

As I got older, I started thinking about God’s relationship with people beyond my family and faith community. I believed that others had their own personal relationship with Him that was as valid as mine.

But what about those who didn’t profess a belief in God or who didn’t know the God of the Old or New Testament? I believed that sharing the “good news” of God’s love to those who didn’t have a relationship with Him was important. The knowledge of that love is powerful and is a source of assurance and comfort. Yet, there are and have always been those who haven’t been told of God’s love and sacrifice through Jesus. I never believed that those people were condemned by God or would be denied an eternal life with Him.

As an adult I have heard people talk about those who will be damned if they do not “know” Jesus or do not live a certain lifestyle, one that is often dictated by humans, not God. This was not part of my faith upbringing and belief system. I did not grow up with the threat of “damnation and hell” and found it shocking to discover this to be a part of many people’s church experiences.

So, what do I believe? I believe that God loves everyone and knows each person’s heart. I am not the one to judge or make assumptions. I believe that God wants to welcome everyone into His kingdom. It is through His grace and love that this is possible.