Theologians have a term for what happens to a person who becomes a Christian – they call it Redemption and Lift. By that, they don’t mean the Lift that takes place when we are “crucified with Christ, buried with Him in baptism, made alive with Him, and raised to sit with Him in heavenly places” -although that’s the greatest Lift that’s possible for any person to experience in life!
Redemption and Lift is a term for the upward mobility of those whose lives are bettered in every way as a direct result of their new birth-not only spiritually, but also socially and economically. Think about what happens in a family when a man – let’s call him John Smith – who, before he was saved, spent most of his leisure time in pubs and on the racetrack. As well as drinking and gambling, he probably smoked at least one pack of cigarettes a day.
What a Lift in that family’s finances! The money now saved pays the rent or the mortgage. As well, the family forms new friendships with others in their local church. This creates strong bonds that help Betty Smith’s long-felt need to belong, and to put down roots.
On top of that, Redemption and Lift broadens the Smith’s view of life, because while Redemption deals with guilt and condemnation, the accompanying Lift enables them to see God’s Plan View of life, rather than the old Side View or End View. Instead of “How can we ever get ahead?” it’s “Where do we fit in?” And fit in they do – with surprising ease.
Before Christ, life was about just surviving – now it’s about improving. With a better attitude – a more positive view of the future – the Smith family begins to think long-term: a better school for their children, and a home in a nicer neighbourhood. In the past, they have struggled to pay the bills; now, help begins to come their way – sometimes anonymously, but mostly from their new brothers and sisters in Christ who have more than they need, or simply give because the Lord has laid the Smith family on their hearts. The Smiths are now part of a larger family: the local church.
Redemption is glorious, but Lift can bring with it a problem: the preoccupation by new believers with God’s blessings. The Smiths might soon forget what life was like on the outside, when they were without God and without much hope. But if they reach out to their neighbours with the message of Jesus Christ, the Smiths will learn to keep their feet firmly on the ground while their heads are in the clouds. And in so doing, become a wonderful example of Redemption and Lift!