{"id":37481,"date":"2024-12-05T08:47:06","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T06:47:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/the-lostness-of-christianity\/"},"modified":"2024-12-05T14:46:26","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T12:46:26","slug":"the-lostness-of-christianity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/en\/the-lostness-of-christianity\/","title":{"rendered":"The lostness of Christianity"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text text_lead=”yes” uncode_shortcode_id=”417806″]Admittedly, the title is formulated somewhat provocatively. To speak of the “lostness of Christianity” is a bit strange at first sight. For is it not the Christians, is it not we, who speak of the lostness of the world<\/strong> and see ourselves as saved,<\/strong> namely as not lost<\/strong>? Whoever speaks of the “lostness of Christianity” is not shaking the foundations, the self-understanding of the church and the community?[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”208800″]This post is about something completely different. This is about lostness as many Christians see it. It is the lostness as often defined by Christianity. This term, which seems to encompass such meaningful words as “heaven and hell”, “to be saved” or “to be lost”. But it is also the “lostness of Christianity” in another respect, because lostness does not exist in the Bible.<\/strong> The word lostness (as a noun,<\/em> i.e. as a thing or a state) is foreign to the Bible. The Bible speaks exclusively of a verb to be lost<\/strong>. The traditions and the Bible are not congruent. This has consequences for teaching.<\/p>\n

Nowhere does the Bible speak of lostness. This has consequences for teaching.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

First of all, let’s note that the verb to be lost<\/strong> is actually found in the Bible. It is important to understand this. But lostness<\/strong> only exists in the opinions and teachings about<\/em> the Bible. They confuse the understanding of God’s action in this world. The Bible itself does not speak of a state<\/em> (lostness), but only of a verb, <\/em>a becoming (to be lost). It is not a state, but the change<\/em> into a (different) state. It’s something that happens. The question now is how and where to switch. However, this state in which you end up is not a lost state, because this is not mentioned anywhere. So what does the Bible itself talk about?[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”832921″]<\/p>\n

Reflections<\/h3>\n

It was several decades ago when I first checked these words in the Bible. It was quite a manageable number of Bible passages. The topic seemed to be well delineated. It should not be too difficult to understand what the Bible says on this subject.<\/p>\n

The doctrine reflects the understanding of God and also the knowledge of God. It is there that the understanding of the Gospel, of God’s work and purpose with this world, is condensed. Provided one does not simply try to confirm the known thoughts, reflection can bring a real deepening of one’s understanding. We do not always know consciously and justifiably where certain thoughts and considerations come from. And sometimes you think you know something, which on closer inspection turns out to be something completely different. At least that’s what happened to me when I first looked up the terms “lostness” and “getting lost” in the Bible.<\/p>\n

The first thing I did, however, was make a list – a list of words and terms that I recalled spontaneously from memory. These, I was firmly convinced, were always associated by me and others with getting lost<\/strong>. Not only had I done this myself, but up and down the country I found such tips taught in writings, literature and elsewhere and mentioned in conversations.<\/p>\n

The list looked something like this:<\/p>\n