Recently, NGD and I have been
watching Fringe. We have a soft spot for
great Sci Fi TV shows (Doctor Who is still #1!). One of the main ideas of the show (Spoilers if, like us, you haven’t
watched this show in the last 2 years since it was canceled), was the premise
of an alternate universe. It was
concurrent with ours with some minor and major changes, like zeppelins (because
all sci fi alternate realities have zeppelins), a higher rate of scientific
discovery, and Eric Stolz as Marty McFly.
At first, I didn’t really like this story (and I still have a few
reservations).
We’ve also begun a new
church. This past Wednesday night, we
had an introductory lesson from our pastor.
In it, he gave a mission statement stating that our purpose was for the
edification of the church to learn to think Biblically. He
spent a great deal of time teaching about the need to learn to think biblically
and putting off the old man while putting on the new (Eph. 4:22-24).
As I began to think on this,
thinking biblically and putting off the old man and putting on the new, it
occurred to me that being a Christian is kind of like living in an alternate
reality. As we move through this world
as Christians, we should view everything through the lens of Jesus and His
word. Everything is still the same, but
it’s different, too. We’re the same, but
we’re also different.
It’s true that at the time of
salvation, we are changed, an inward change, and that we are sealed. However, we continue that process of
sanctification and learning to think biblically as we continue to mature as
Christians. We continue to grow into this alternate, or contrary, world of becoming
Christ-like. We begin to see the upside
down Kingdom that Jesus himself established during His time on earth.
Sometimes, it may seem like we
are the only ones that are living or behaving this way. Sometimes, it feels like we are so far out of
sync with the world in which we live that we really are in an alternate
universe. This is one of the many
reasons that having a community of believers is so important.
We also need to remember that
we’re never alone. And that our
sanctified selves and the alternate reality in which we live, that is what is true. That
is what is right. This earthly place in
which we live isn’t our home. It isn’t
where we are to be comfortable. Just as
the earlier passage from Ephesians said, “and to be renewed in the spirit of
your minds,” (Eph. 4:23), we have to think on Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern
what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
We have to renew our minds and continue in sanctification and thinking
biblically. That is where we will gain
the needed perspective to see what is true and what is of this world.
