(This was originally posted on the Desiring God Blog. The distinction pointed out may seem small when you first read it, but if you consider it, you will see that it is at the very heart of Christianity.)
(Author: Tyler Kenney)
In his latest post, Albert Mohler reviews Tiger Woods’ recent public address, calling it “a remarkable statement of confession.” Nonetheless, he is careful to also point out “the radical distinction” between the standard that Woods’ newly reclaimed Buddhism calls him to and the salvation Jesus provides.
Indeed, Buddhism teaches the aim of emptying the self of all desire. As [Stephen] Prothero observes, “Buddhists observe that suffering arises from a 12-fold chain of interlocking causes and effects. Among these causes is craving. We crave this woman or that car because we think that getting her or it will make us happy. But this craving only ties us into an unending cycle of misery, because even if we get what we want there is always something more to crave — another woman or another man, a faster car or a bigger house.”
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Christianity speaks honestly of desire and affirms that wrongful desires can and do lead to sin, destruction, and death. Nevertheless, Christianity does not teach that all desire is wrong. Indeed, the Bible affirms that God made us to desire Him. Even in our sinful state, something within us cries out for our need — and desire — for divine forgiveness and redemption.
Christianity does not teach that we should (or could) empty ourselves of all desire, but rather that we should desire the salvation that Christ alone has accomplished for us — the salvation that leads to divine forgiveness and the restoration of relationship we should surely desire. Once we know that salvation, our desire for God is only increased and pointed to eternity.
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