Is Jesus' Salvation Just a Ticket to Heaven?

It seems that the most logical question after "Why am I a Christian?" would be "Would anyone else want to be a Christian because I'm one?" Maybe I'm strange for thinking that way. I just do. But let's not go there yet. That can be a troublesome topic to reflect on. I may find out that my faith is about as contagious as good genes. I only multiply it by reproduction.

Anyway, again McLaren has helped me to reflect on another topic. The topic of salvation. He writes a chapter entitled "Jesus: Savior of What?" in his book Generous Orthodoxy. He discusses how many "Evangelicals" (big "E" Evangelicals as McLaren calls them) have truncated Jesus salvation. They've cut and boxed it up so it fits right where they want it most, at the end. This type of salvation is a heaven entering, judgment freeing, restoration achieving type of salvation. It's a ticket. A ticket to eternity. But didn't Jesus do more than scalp us some tickets?

The answer is yes (obviously), but do we really know what this answer means? It has gotten too easy for us to see Jesus' salvation only as a ticket to heaven. Not something that affects our lives now. But Jesus' salvation is not just something for then, it's something for now. And it's not just a salvation for humanity from sin. It's a salvation for creation. To restore the whole works back to God. McLaren isn't the first I've read on the topic. Robert Webber (I think it's two "b"s) makes a strong case for "Christ's Victory" and its implications for life in his book Ancient Future Faith. So let's move past asking questions and onto discussing realities.

How does Jesus' salvation impact our lives right now? What does it mean for not only sin, but poverty, injustice, and environmental issues? How do we relate our faith not only to a future event but to a present reality? How are we to live now, not just so we can live then but so we can actually LIVE now? What does Jesus' salvation do for us in this moment?