We now come to the final part of this chapter. Loftus starts by saying that if his worldview is true, there is no ultimate meaning in life. It’s all we’ve got. If this is the case, then Christians who think they have a reasoned hope are living a delusion. I agree entirely. In fact, so did the apostle Paul. “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (1 Cor. 15:19) Paul is even stronger. Not only are we deluded, we’re the most sorry cases of all in the universe.
That is, if Loftus is correct. I again agree with the apostle Paul though. Loftus is wrong and Paul is right. We have hope for this life because of the life of Christ. Since he lived, we too shall live. (John 14:19) If Loftus is right, then eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die. Drown your sorrows that your life is ultimately meaningless.
However, it’s interesting that again, Loftus says Christians live under a load of guilt. How said this is! If we live under guilt, it is because we fail to recognize the truth of Scripture and who God is. For my part though, I don’t really. I know I’ve screwed up in the past, but what matters is how I’m living my life today. This moment in time is the closest moment I have to eternity.
If Loftus thinks I am wasting my life, he is wrong. It doesn’t come down to this at this point though. We have to look at the presuppositions. If Christianity is false, I am wasting my life. If it is true though, then for Loftus, the case is far more serious which is, in fact, the next chapter of his book. (And the last.) That will be looked at tomorrow, but let us finish today.
There is time spent reading the Bible. That is true. I am at the time though reading many other books and learning many great things. I spend time with movies and TV shows and the Wii my roommate and I recently got gets a lot of use around here. We don’t spend our time in only religious activities. There is a necessary time for play.
I do not get drunk, no. I do not want to. I like being in control of my mind. I do not know the love of the lady yet, but I am waiting and doing what I can to keep myself as pure as possible for the sure enjoyment of that, and my understanding is that the wait is well worth it. I know many other of my fellow single men are in the same boat and we all look forward to it.
I do evangelize others, that is true, but that does not mean time is not spent with family and friends. We are friendly terms with everyone we’ve evangelized for instance and I have a friend who comes over with me every Thursday night after class just to watch Smallville with me and we usually end up with some games and maybe some theological and apologetic and philosophical discussion because that is just what we enjoy doing. At the moment, some of us are planning a vacation day at the beach.
No. My life is quite good right now. I look at what I see in Loftus’s work and I don’t think I’m missing much. I’m getting an education, making friends and spending time with them, getting to live a life of adventure and wonder, and having fun doing it. It seems Loftus is simply wanting us Christians to spend time in guilt. It makes me wonder what kind of Christians he was really with. They sure aren’t the kinds I know and they don’t sound like the kinds I’d want to know.
Philip Yancey said that legalism fails at the very thing it’s designed to do, instill obedience. Only true grace leads to obedience. Legalism only hardens a heart.
I think we’ve all seen that.
Last chapter tomorrow.
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