Tinkerbell

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)

 

          Remember Tinkerbelle? You know the fairy who was brought back to life by the belief of the audience? There are people who preach a Tinkerbelle faith. All you have to do is believe. Oh, and clap your hands. If you believe, you clap your hands. What brings Tinkerbelle back to life, the faith or the hand-clapping? It’s the faith, which produces the applause.  All you have to do to become a Christian is have faith…that produces righteous behavior.

          A long time ago, someone in my Sunday School class asked, “Why can’t you just believe?” I asked too many questions and probably argued too much. Some things never change. The women in the class were generally more than fifteen years older than I, so they were probably wiser or at least more settled and knowledgeable in their beliefs. If you’ve ever had to be around a kid at the age when they ask a thousand questions in five minutes, you’ll have sympathy for my classmates.  

          The good news (for me) is that I appear to be in good company. Ravi Zacharias’s mother asked him the same question, and C. S. Lewis doesn’t seem to have been able to study what he was supposed to in school. I’m sure that reassures the poor folk who have to deal with my questions and opinions. I hope they have the benefit of knowing that my questions are real questions, not part of some game designed to gratify my ego. I fully believe there are answers. I’ve dealt with people (generally atheists) for whom questions are moves in a game. 

            Paul makes it clear that faith is the key. All you have to do is have faith, but if you believe, you will do something. Clapping your hands doesn’t quite do it for Paul. He suggests a better way to prove you believe is by becoming righteous. This righteousness might not be overnight. Few people are granted freedom that quickly. For many of us, the key doesn’t turn in the lock very well. We may feel stuck in the stinking cell of whatever sin we’re in. We may be tempted to try other keys, but faith is the master key. Given time, it opens all the locks. Keep trying it because God isn’t Tinkerbelle. You are. Your faith doesn’t bring God back to life. You’re the one whose life is lost, who is trapped in the stinking cell. You are the one who is freed to live only by the use of the key of faith that produces freedom. And how do you know you are free? Righteous behavior – applauding (AKA living) the principles that God teaches.