Do we want it?

"A Christian society is not going to arrive until most of us really want it: and we are not going to want it until we become fully Christian. I may repeat 'Do as you would be done by' til I am black in the face, but I cannot really carry it out til I love my neighbour as myself: and I cannot learn to love my neighbor as myself til I learn to love God: and I cannot learn to love God except by learning to obey Him."
-C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book three Christian Behaviour, Chapter 3 Social Morality

I'm reading this book with one of my brothers, and I've been thinking about this chapter, particularly this quote, a lot since last week. He sent me a text message yesterday saying how awesome the chapter was. I actually ended up using the chapter, and again mainly this quote, for discussion last night at church. The chapter on Social Morality is absolutely incredible, and Lewis ends the chapter with this quote.

Until most of us want a Christian society is won't come. But we can't want it until we understand it. Lewis talks about how we all want bits of it, we're attracted to bits of it. The parts that are easy, that make us feel good, that don't require much, those are the parts we like.

"Most of us are not really approaching the subject in order to find out what Christianity says: we are approaching it in the hope of finding support from Christianity for the views of our own party. We are looking for an ally where we are offered either a Master or -a Judge."

Christianity is not my idea of how I relate to God, it is the relationship God offers with Him to me. It is on God's terms not on mine. In order to have a Christian society we, as a group of people, must understand what Christianity says. Once we know what it says we can learn to obey the one who offers us the relationship. As Lewis says once I learn to obey Him I can begin to love Him. Once I learn to love Him, and I can take the love I have for Him and from Him, and give that same love to others. Once I love others I will do to them as I would have them do to me.

Jesus said, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22.37b-40)

That's really what it's all about. In a Christian society there would be no need for laws, because love would guide us. That is how God created it to be. The question is, do we want it? Are we willing to sacrifice and accept God's terms? Are we willing to find out what Christianity really says, and are we willing to follow it? Until we are, a Christian society will remain a dream.

Peace be with you