Mere Christianity and Me

C.S. Lewis Week: Part I

Enemy-occupied territory- that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really listening-in to the secret wireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going. He does it by playing on our conceit and laziness and intellectual snobbery.

-Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis

I spent a lot of time with C.S. Lewis this weekend. I didn't really plan on it, though I had been keen on reading Mere Christianity again, since it was many years ago that I read it. But my body wasn't liking me on Saturday, so I spent a lot of time on my sofa, reading or crocheting. I ended up reading more than half of Mere Christianity on Saturday. It is not the kind of book you skim and read quickly (like a quick fiction story), but it's one that you read slowly and absorb the truth he is writing about. In this case, his most popular and well-known book, he states the case for Christianity and then goes through the beliefs and the behavior of Christians.

He asks the questions we have all asked or we have heard others ask when they are having trouble believing, such as "why is God letting evil occupy the world? Why doesn't he just come invade and set things right?" Well, the answer is so obvious that we fail to see it. God will invade, but when He does, it's the end of the world.

When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side, then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream... (pg 65)

It is sometimes a difficult topic to think about. The end. That's why the Book of Revelation is not at the top of everyone's list of what they like to read in the Bible. But it is going to happen. Lewis brings up a really good additional point that works in our favor. That God is giving us time to join his side by choosing on our own. That's how Lewis brings it back to the present, with what to do about it now. All we can do is choose what to do with the time that is given to us because none of us knows what the next day will bring.

Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it. (pg 65)