The Abundant Life (Part I of II)
In the Christian faith, what is meant by the term “the abundant life?”
John 10:10b (Jesus speaking) “... I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it (life) more abundantly.”
James Warren Jones was ordained a minister in 1964. Almost immediately, Jones proclaimed that the road to socialism was the road to the abundant life. Jones declared, “The only thing that brings perfect freedom, justice and equality, perfect love in all its beauty and holiness is socialism. Socialism!” He baptized members “in the holy name of socialism.” He continually put down the “sky God” of the Bible (his reference) and told his flock repeatedly that their god, ultimately, was communism.
Despite his radical religious beliefs, Jones rose in stature with church leaders, politicians, academia types, journalists and others who all agreed that Jones had a lock on the abundant life. As time went by, Jones proclaimed a kingdom of heaven on earth and led his flock into the wilderness to enjoy forever the abundant life.
But on November 18, 1978, Jones and 912 other people, 267 being children, were found dead on the Guyana ground, the largest known mass suicide in history. There was no abundant life in Jonestown.
Some believe the abundant life is found in a society with no eternal truths, no absolute morals or values. These folks believe a full and rich life can be achieved by a “live and let live” attitude, nonjudgmental standards, if it feels good do it outlook.
But after 40 years of proclaiming and promoting this type of abundant life, we all know the dreary and depressing statistics of broken families, teenage moms and dads (usually not married), child abuse, gangs, rampant sexual diseases, violence in our inner cities and homes, nearly 1.3 million abortions a year (almost 4,000 a day), on and on ad nauseam.
I offer this quote from the monthly "First Things" by Sarah Hinlicky to those young women who believe they will find the abundant life in sexual pleasures: “There are so many young women I have known for whom freely chosen sexual activity means a brief moment of pleasure followed by the unchosen side effects of paralyzing uncertainty, anger at the man involved, and finally, a deep self-hatred. So called sexual freedom is really just proclaiming oneself to be available for free, and therefore without value. To ‘chose’ such freedom is tantamount to saying that one is worth nothing.”
The abundant life is not found in a lifestyle devoid of traditional morals and values.
Some Christians might say the abundant life is when there is tranquility amid trouble and chaos, confidence when surrounded by disappointment and rejection, spiritual fulfillment through worship, fellowship and communing with God. Each of these ideas holds a glimpse of the life that Jesus promised. But each also focuses on a specific result.
By reducing the abundant life to a particular feeling, we rob the rich fullness of what Jesus promised. Defining the abundant life by a certain state of mine dooms us to disappointment because life has lows and highs, ups and downs.
Next time: A description of the abundant life in Christ, considered, in the conclusion to “The Abundant Life.”
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Chris Voss is a pastor at First Christian Church, 317 S. Main, Donna.