Perspective: Red Pill Christians

I share these thoughts, hoping they are of help to someone else.

RED PILL CHRISTIANS

Scripture:

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea - for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Mark 1:16-18

Now I know that I'm alive
All the loneliness is filled by You inside
And as I finally breathe the air
You open up my eyes
Now I'm alive

From "Hotel Aquarium" by Falling Up

One of my all-time favorite movies is The Matrix. It has everything a guy could want: nonstop action, amazing special effects, a cyberpunk plot, and even a bit of a love story. The more I think of this movie, though, the more I see the spiritual implications of the story it tells.

Neo, the hero of the story, knows that there is something wrong with the world around him, but he cannot quite put his finger on what it is. He is drawn to the enigmatic Morpheus who offers to show him the truth. It is at this time Neo is faced with a decision. Morpheus holds out a red pill and a blue pill. If Neo takes the blue pill, he will wake up back at his home and continue to live the life he has always known. If Neo takes the red pill, he will learn the truth and see, as Morpheus says, "how deep the rabbit hole goes."¹

Neo decides to take the red pill, and he is literally unplugged from the world he has known. He learns that the world in which he has lived his entire life is fake. His eyes are opened to the reality that humanity has been enslaved by machines. Over time, his mind is freed from the limitations that the false world had placed on him. He eventually finds himself able to do things he once thought impossible, such as flying and stopping bullets. He is given the chance to fight humanity's oppressors and to change the world for the better.

Jesus makes us an offer that is not dissimilar to the one Morpheus gives to Neo: "Follow Me." Much like taking the red pill, following Christ means being "unplugged" from the falseness in a world gone wrong and opening our eyes to the reality of the Kingdom of God. It means freedom from the sin, guilt, and shame to which all of humanity has been enslaved.

Christ's offer means so much more than just completing a checklist of things to believe in order to get into Heaven. I like to call those whose only concern is escaping hell and going to heaven "Blue Pill Christians." Belief is essential, but Christ calls us, not only to believe in Him, but to follow Him. He wants us to walk like Him and to continue the work He started so long ago. I think of those who seek to truly follow Christ and to go as far as their faith will take them "Red Pill Christians."

A life following Christ will not be easy. One can even expect to be met with resistance from those who seek to keep the status quo. There have been many people over the years who have suffered and even died for the cause of Christ. Following Christ means that we carry crosses of our own with Him.² When we follow Him and put our faith in Him, though, our hearts, minds, and souls are freed from the limitations the world tries to put on us. We are empowered by God's Spirit to do things we once thought impossible, and we are given the opportunity to fight against greed, hatred, oppression, and other evils that seek to control the world. We can even change the world around us for the better.

So what will it be? You can take the "blue pill" if you are content with life the way it is, or you can take the "red pill" and follow Christ if you want to see how far your faith will take you. The choice is yours.


Notes:
1 - A reference to Alice in Wonderland
2 - Mark 8:34


If you have any feedback, thoughts, stories, or even arguments to contribute, please leave comments.