Theology Blog

Several years ago, a television show came out that has since run its course called My Name is Earl. The show was about a man who won the lottery and as a result felt that fate, or Karma, required him to make up for every bad thing that he had done in his life. The show shared a variety of stories that affirmed this line of thinking. The basic gist of Karma is that if you do bad things, bad things will happen to you. If you do good things, good things will happen to you. When we, as followers of Christ think about this, we readily recognize that this is a false line of thinking, especially the preposterous way that this show often depicted Karma. Karma is the New Age, postmodern version of a works theology. If we are to be honest, however, we at times hold a view incredibly similar to Karma. When something bad happens we wonder why God is doing this bad thing to us, or why God is allowing it to happen. We wonder what we have done wrong. We feel and live in tremendous guilt when we sin and often look for ways to make up for our sin, while living in our mistakes instead of grace. I am not suggesting we not have remorse for our sin, nor am I suggesting we not engage in authentic repentance. What I am suggesting is that oftentimes we allow suffering and sin to have more power in our lives than grace. When we do so, we fail to live in the resurrection.

The resurrection is the story of new life. Christ died for our sins. We are saved and as we are reminded in 2 Corinthians, we have new life in Jesus Christ. This new life does not exempt us from sin or suffering, but it does guarantee that sin and suffering do not get the final word. Christ was victorious over death. God has made a promise to His people fulfilled in Christ, and it’s a promise God is not going to break. When we live in the resurrection, we recognize that God can redeem all things. God can make all things new. Whether is a major event or a minor issue, regardless of whether is a story of joy or suffering, God is redeeming all things. God wants to take every event, experience, and part of our lives, our families, our churches and our world and make them new creations. It can be tremendously difficult in a time of pain, grief or suffering to see the good; there is no denying that. One of the greatest tools we have in healing from these situations comes when we are able to look for the good that God is, has and wants to do in the midst of the difficulty we are facing. Every individual, family, church and community faces difficulty, but those who live in the hope and promise of the resurrection are able to find not only healing, but also new life. To say that God redeems all things recognizes that through the resurrection, God has promised to take all things, the good, the bad and the ugly, and make them new. To live in the resurrection is to look for the ways God might be redeeming every circumstance, experience and relationship. To live in the resurrection is to reject Karma and believe that even in the midst of sin, suffering, grief and pain, God can write a new, better and more powerful story that not only brings healing and hope, but a new life as well.

To live in the resurrection is to look for and engage with the glorious, redemptive work God is doing in our lives, in our families, in our churches, our communities and the world. Living in the resurrection is trusting that God is going to do amazing things in our lives, our children, our families and our churches even when things seem dark and hopeless. After all, that is the story of Easter when after the darkest hours of the history of the world, the greatest story of redemption broke forth in a way that will never cease to amaze all of creation.

Jesus Christ is risen! May we be a resurrection people. May our lives, our families, our churches and our world reflect the power of the resurrection.