More than Personal Salvation

Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who's there

~ Depeche Mode

Remade recently by Johnny Cash & Marilyn Manson, Personal Jesus is a song originally by Depeche Mode. However, the thought process is one that dates back to the 19th century when revivalists like Charles Finney, D.L. Moody & Charles Fuller introduced the mercy seat, altar call & the invitation to accept a personal saviour.

Though I believe I recognize something of the intent, I see two issues with the invitation to accept a personal saviour:

1) Short sighting God's eternal purposes for humanity. Surely God has greater plans for humanity than just redeeming/saving individuals. Add to this the pressure of the eschaton and you miss out on the beauty of friendship & journeying together with someone respective of God's timing. Potential friends become potential kingdom projects and that's wrong. Have we forgotten to befriend someone for sheer companionship & enjoyment?

The first plays into the second:

2) Stunting the expansion of Jesus' Kingdom through individualistic ritual. If we focus on Jesus as a personal saviour we miss out on the deeper meaning of relationship as exemplified between Father & Son; and also, Father, Son & adopted sons & daughters (you & me). Salvation is meant to be an enjoyed corporate relationship among friends who share in Jesus life together while inviting others into that community!

I'm not saying Jesus doesn't want to redeem people. Nor am I saying evangelism is unimportant. Jesus does want to redeem & evangelism is important. However, God has so much more planned for the redeemed and it includes what He died for in the here & now! As well, when we focus on Jesus instead of evangelism, our methods & outlook will more accurately resemble the early church instead of stale religious obligation.