The Parable That Brought Me Back to the Church
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous. Matt. 13:47-49, NIV.
I am a perfectionist at heart. I not only desired to live a perfect (defined as sinless) life, but I wanted to pastor the perfect church. Converted from agnosticism at the age of 19, I had ideals that were of the highest order. That was OK, but mine were not plugged into biblical reality.
After several years in the pastorate I could only conclude that the churches I was serving were really messed up. They weren't perfect! And I was beginning to have some doubts about myself. My solution: quit. Not only quit but study philosophy to find the real meaning of life. Mine was to be a progressive journey away from the church and what I perceived as Christianity.
There was only one problem--the escape hatch didn't work. At the end of six years of study I had come to the conclusion that philosophy held no ultimate answers on the meaning of life. And since I had already explored the Eastern religions for possible hope and had found them wanting, I was somewhat perplexed.
The only answer that I could envision was a return to the happy hedonism that I had left behind at age 19. At least that held short-term meaning. "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die." "If it feels good, do it!" But from experience I already knew the emptiness of that solution. I really wanted meaning.
To put it mildly, I was extremely frustrated. It was at that point in my journey that three things happened at about the same time. One of them led me back to Matthew 13:47-49 and the parable of the net. My secular Jewish mentor by accident helped me see that every religious movement is made up of true believers and those just along for the ride, including cultural "Christians."
Suddenly the "net" sprang into my mind. Why didn't I see it sooner? Jesus had clarified part of my problem 2,000 years earlier. The church has always been, and until the end will be, a mixed bag of those who really believe and have given up all for the kingdom and those masquerading.
That, I thought, is the kind of congregations I had known. And with that thought I was on my way back to the church.
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous. Matt. 13:47-49, NIV.
I am a perfectionist at heart. I not only desired to live a perfect (defined as sinless) life, but I wanted to pastor the perfect church. Converted from agnosticism at the age of 19, I had ideals that were of the highest order. That was OK, but mine were not plugged into biblical reality.
After several years in the pastorate I could only conclude that the churches I was serving were really messed up. They weren't perfect! And I was beginning to have some doubts about myself. My solution: quit. Not only quit but study philosophy to find the real meaning of life. Mine was to be a progressive journey away from the church and what I perceived as Christianity.
There was only one problem--the escape hatch didn't work. At the end of six years of study I had come to the conclusion that philosophy held no ultimate answers on the meaning of life. And since I had already explored the Eastern religions for possible hope and had found them wanting, I was somewhat perplexed.
The only answer that I could envision was a return to the happy hedonism that I had left behind at age 19. At least that held short-term meaning. "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die." "If it feels good, do it!" But from experience I already knew the emptiness of that solution. I really wanted meaning.
To put it mildly, I was extremely frustrated. It was at that point in my journey that three things happened at about the same time. One of them led me back to Matthew 13:47-49 and the parable of the net. My secular Jewish mentor by accident helped me see that every religious movement is made up of true believers and those just along for the ride, including cultural "Christians."
Suddenly the "net" sprang into my mind. Why didn't I see it sooner? Jesus had clarified part of my problem 2,000 years earlier. The church has always been, and until the end will be, a mixed bag of those who really believe and have given up all for the kingdom and those masquerading.
That, I thought, is the kind of congregations I had known. And with that thought I was on my way back to the church.
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