Polls show that as many as 80% of Americans consider themselves Christian. How is this possible when church attendance is shrinking, Biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high, and the moral climate in the U.S. has slid as much as it has? The primary reason is that the definition of what it means to be a Christian becomes distorted when we mix it with nationalism. Unfortunately, Christians are largely to blame for fueling this distortion.
For far too many, the picture they hold of Christianity is equated with American middle-class values. It makes sense. If America is a Christian nation, then the actions of its people must reflect the call of Christ. And that's the reason believers should never refer to any nation as Christian.
The confusion is compounded when Christians identify any political party as being expressly Christian. There may be Christians within that party, and you may like and support what that party stands for, but it is a fallible, human institution and it’s leadership and values may change at any moment. Jesus was careful not to identify himself with any political agencies. God never gives us a model for a perfect political organization. Therefore, we move beyond the teachings of Scripture when we advertise a political party as God's perfect choice, and we confuse a needy world.
This doesn't mean that we cannot be politically active. Our society needs our influence. But we identify with Jesus and his church (an imperfect human institution that points to Jesus, not itself, as the answer while actively serving Christ by serving the world).
The Bible works against the idea of a Christian nation. That idea was abandoned through the work of the cross. Now there is God's Kingdom made up of those who believe and follow Christ. We are now salt and light for the nations, cities, and communities we live in.
When we declare America as a Christian nation, we too closely identify ourselves with the world and it's standards, and we begin to lose our saltiness. When we speak of Christian nations, we are allowing the nation to flavor us, and we are no longer flavoring the nation. That is why the majority of Americans can call themselves Christians while living for the world.
The answer is to see our communities as mission fields. We need to acknowledge that a nation changes when the hearts of it's people change. We should be involved in politics, but it should never be our focus. Reach enough people and politics will take care of itself. In a democracy, our politicians reflect the people who vote. That's a hard pill to swallow because we would like to think they are nothing like us, but remember we put them in place. Jesus never said the Kingdom would come through impersonal politics. There is no buffer. The Kingdom of God comes because we risk with our neighbor. We love. We serve. We share the gospel. Jesus gave us no other way.
The concept of a Christian nation not only confuses people, it also creates an excuse for us to keep our hands clean from the hard but, rewarding and life-giving, work of the gospel. The concept of a Christian nation is both unbiblical and a cop out.
I'll visit this topic one more time on Monday to confided who this effects our youth.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Dangerous Myth of a Christian Nation
The Kingdom of God does not look like any other kingdom or nation. It does not have physical borders and can be found on no map. Ephesians 2:11-22 demonstrates that national and racial prejudice are barriers to God's intentions for us. Jesus steps in and unites us by his Spirit, erasing these false boundaries. In Christ we become part of a new country/kingdom that is made up of those who have given themselves to be disciples of Jesus.
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20-21)
The Kingdom of God was never meant to identified with a human-inspired, physical nation state. When we do, we open ourselves up to error, arrogance, and idolatry.
Error is inevitable when God's Kingdom is confused with human governance and a specific culture. We begin to think that American ethics equals God's ethics, that the way things are done in America naturally reflects God's desires because we are a Christian nation. In some cases our founding fathers are given the status as prophets.
While the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America were influenced by Scriptural ideas, they were not divinely inspired, nor were their authors prophets. We should reflect on the nature of faith of these writers. Thomas Jefferson rewrote the Bible to reflect his beliefs. The Jeffersonian Bible or "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" was Jefferson's attempt to purge the Bible of any supernatural references concerning Jesus. He believed Jesus was a good teacher, but denied his spiritual nature. Jesus' morals were to be followed, but he was not to be acknowledged as God, Lord, or Savior. That legacy is still strong in American culture.
The idea of America as a Christian nation leads to arrogance. Are we open to the teaching, rebukes, and corrections from Christians of other nations, or do we believe we are the one light of the world? It is our nature to be somewhat blind to the faults of our culture. Outsiders sometimes see what we do not see. Are we willing to hear prophetic words from beyond our national boarder even though they originate from within God's Kingdom?
Perhaps the biggest danger is idolatry. "My country right or wrong" is always an affront to God. We are called to help our neighbor and our nation prosper, but we are also to call it to justice and righteousness. We are to serve our nation, but we must always make sure that we don't mingle patriotism and faith. We cannot serve two masters.
Perhaps the most vivid example are the pictures of Jesus draped in a flag. A mantle is a symbol of authority. We speak symbolically of placing the mantle of Christ's authority on our shoulders, but it is idolatrous to think that Jesus would place the mantle of America's authority upon his shoulders. This, along with red, white and blue Christmas trees, thoughts of America as the New Jerusalem, and our political leaders as (past or present) prophets all mix up our national history with God's story in such a way as to invite idolatry.
We are first citizens of the Kingdom of God. Christ has allegiance before any flag. I will love and serve the people of this nation because God commands me to. I will participate in this nation because it's my obligation as a citizen. But the Kingdom of God comes first, and whenever cultural wisdom, common sense (worldly wisdom), or the actions of this nation violate the righteousness and justice of God, I will side with God's Kingdom. Not through violence or revolution, but through the love, service, and truth that Jesus has called me to express.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
In the next blog, I will continue this theme with one more danger: the Loss of the Next Generation for Christ.
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20-21)
The Kingdom of God was never meant to identified with a human-inspired, physical nation state. When we do, we open ourselves up to error, arrogance, and idolatry.
Error is inevitable when God's Kingdom is confused with human governance and a specific culture. We begin to think that American ethics equals God's ethics, that the way things are done in America naturally reflects God's desires because we are a Christian nation. In some cases our founding fathers are given the status as prophets.
While the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America were influenced by Scriptural ideas, they were not divinely inspired, nor were their authors prophets. We should reflect on the nature of faith of these writers. Thomas Jefferson rewrote the Bible to reflect his beliefs. The Jeffersonian Bible or "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" was Jefferson's attempt to purge the Bible of any supernatural references concerning Jesus. He believed Jesus was a good teacher, but denied his spiritual nature. Jesus' morals were to be followed, but he was not to be acknowledged as God, Lord, or Savior. That legacy is still strong in American culture.
The idea of America as a Christian nation leads to arrogance. Are we open to the teaching, rebukes, and corrections from Christians of other nations, or do we believe we are the one light of the world? It is our nature to be somewhat blind to the faults of our culture. Outsiders sometimes see what we do not see. Are we willing to hear prophetic words from beyond our national boarder even though they originate from within God's Kingdom?
Perhaps the biggest danger is idolatry. "My country right or wrong" is always an affront to God. We are called to help our neighbor and our nation prosper, but we are also to call it to justice and righteousness. We are to serve our nation, but we must always make sure that we don't mingle patriotism and faith. We cannot serve two masters.
Perhaps the most vivid example are the pictures of Jesus draped in a flag. A mantle is a symbol of authority. We speak symbolically of placing the mantle of Christ's authority on our shoulders, but it is idolatrous to think that Jesus would place the mantle of America's authority upon his shoulders. This, along with red, white and blue Christmas trees, thoughts of America as the New Jerusalem, and our political leaders as (past or present) prophets all mix up our national history with God's story in such a way as to invite idolatry.
We are first citizens of the Kingdom of God. Christ has allegiance before any flag. I will love and serve the people of this nation because God commands me to. I will participate in this nation because it's my obligation as a citizen. But the Kingdom of God comes first, and whenever cultural wisdom, common sense (worldly wisdom), or the actions of this nation violate the righteousness and justice of God, I will side with God's Kingdom. Not through violence or revolution, but through the love, service, and truth that Jesus has called me to express.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
In the next blog, I will continue this theme with one more danger: the Loss of the Next Generation for Christ.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Social?
Trends and technology can change our perception. We have to be alert to these possible changes so we can make conscious choices about them. One current change is in the definition of social. Seattle pastor, Bill Berger, pointed me toward an interesting article ( http://on.msnbc.com/ ). Sales and marketing database NetProspex has just released its list of the most and least social cities in the U.S. Seattle topped the list while Anchorage, AK was at the bottom. What was fascinating about the list was how they determined the ranking.
The ranking was solely based on how many employees were using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
When we measure how social a community is, we are measuring human interaction. In the past this interaction had to do with connecting personally and physically (as in being in the same room, on the same street, within yelling distance). The phone allowed social contact over distance but was usually seen as a secondary choice over close interaction. Even more distant was television. Although some people may believe they are socially involved with the Housewives of Orange County when they tune in each week, most of us understand it's a weak substitute for human interaction.
This is not a diatribe against Facebook and Twitter. I make a great deal of use of each, but their use does not necessarily make me social. I love the fact that I have some contact with people I am separated from by great distance and by years, but if given a chance, I would trade a tweet for a visit in a moment. I also know that I have to guard myself from allowing computer contact to substitute for close, personal contact.
Relationships are inconvenient. They mean that I have to go out of my way to look up people. I have to change my schedule to accommodate others. I have to clean up after throwing a party or hosting a gathering. Acquaintances are just a little annoying, friendships are disruptive, and marriage...? Well, the word exponential comes to mind. But the joys, the benefits, and the riches of life together grow with the bother.
I've been to Anchorage, AK. I was born in Alaska - and I find it hard to see it as an antisocial city. Those long winter days with little sunlight demand interaction. Otherwise cabin fever sets in (It explains all the bowling alleys).
In the end, your social life is not measured by how many friends you have on Facebook. It's measured by whether or not you bend your life to get to know the people who live around you. The lost and the lonely don't post their need on Twitter. They may not even have an account. They are connected with, loved, and healed in person.
Keep connect and in touch on the Web. I think it's a great gift. But it's far too clean and filtered to deal with our deepest social needs. The most social city is the one where it's citizens are the most hospitable. Where they inconvenience themselves for the sake of fellowship. Where they aren't too busy to stop and talk face to face, or share a Pepsi (I am not compensated for product placement), and where they choose to party together. I'll keep up with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but I hope I never use them to define my social life.
The ranking was solely based on how many employees were using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
When we measure how social a community is, we are measuring human interaction. In the past this interaction had to do with connecting personally and physically (as in being in the same room, on the same street, within yelling distance). The phone allowed social contact over distance but was usually seen as a secondary choice over close interaction. Even more distant was television. Although some people may believe they are socially involved with the Housewives of Orange County when they tune in each week, most of us understand it's a weak substitute for human interaction.
This is not a diatribe against Facebook and Twitter. I make a great deal of use of each, but their use does not necessarily make me social. I love the fact that I have some contact with people I am separated from by great distance and by years, but if given a chance, I would trade a tweet for a visit in a moment. I also know that I have to guard myself from allowing computer contact to substitute for close, personal contact.
Relationships are inconvenient. They mean that I have to go out of my way to look up people. I have to change my schedule to accommodate others. I have to clean up after throwing a party or hosting a gathering. Acquaintances are just a little annoying, friendships are disruptive, and marriage...? Well, the word exponential comes to mind. But the joys, the benefits, and the riches of life together grow with the bother.
I've been to Anchorage, AK. I was born in Alaska - and I find it hard to see it as an antisocial city. Those long winter days with little sunlight demand interaction. Otherwise cabin fever sets in (It explains all the bowling alleys).
In the end, your social life is not measured by how many friends you have on Facebook. It's measured by whether or not you bend your life to get to know the people who live around you. The lost and the lonely don't post their need on Twitter. They may not even have an account. They are connected with, loved, and healed in person.
Keep connect and in touch on the Web. I think it's a great gift. But it's far too clean and filtered to deal with our deepest social needs. The most social city is the one where it's citizens are the most hospitable. Where they inconvenience themselves for the sake of fellowship. Where they aren't too busy to stop and talk face to face, or share a Pepsi (I am not compensated for product placement), and where they choose to party together. I'll keep up with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but I hope I never use them to define my social life.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Abandoning Our Love Affair with Boxes
It's understandable that we want to understand ourselves, but there is a difference between understanding who we are at the moment and using personality tests as if they are horoscopes that predict our future. I have heard many of my colleagues tell me they are a Sanguine or a Melancholy as though that explains their lives to date and defines their calling for tomorrow. We now label generations with a set of characteristics to both tell us who we are and who we will become.
American culture has long encouraged us "to find ourselves" as though we were born with a set on inflexible skills and interests that have to be discovered in order for us to find ourselves. We look for boxes to fit ourselves into. Interestingly, God's focus is on growth rather than discovery. Jesus came to bring us freedom from who we "are" while living a sinful life so that we can become someone we never dreamed of being through life with his Spirit.
Paul tells us that the Christian life entails taking off the old man and putting on the new man (Eph 4:22-24). An assessment can give me insight on how I act and function in different situations right now. I think that's helpful. But as soon as I begin to use those assessment labels to describe myself generally, I'm in trouble. I have become a new creation in Christ, and, if I am following Christ in obedience, I'm being constantly transformed. Those labels can make me believe that I am fated to remain as I am forever. At that point, they might as well be zodiac symbols, but as a Christian I believe in growth rather than fate.
Who are we becoming in Christ? That should be our first question. How can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our growth?: should be our second. Scripture guides us through the answer to both these questions.
There are at least two ways to see life. In one, life is like a road that has already been laid down. There is one perfect course for each of us. One job, one perfect mate out there, one set of personality traits, etc. If we can discover it, then we might be okay. The problem is that one step off that road messes up everything. The other view is that life is dynamic. We are born into situations that we couldn't choose, but what we do with life, how we respond, and who we become is a cooperative work that we are deeply involved in.
Our choices are limited without Christ, but with him many new possibilities open up. Fate loses it's place as a meaningful explanation for life. Instead, the Spirit comes alongside us and offers us a new creative collaboration.
In 1992, Neil Howe and William Strauss wrote Generations. It was the first book to describe the different generations of American history and how they impact each other. Much of our current labeling of different generations is based on their work. I highly recommend their work. They didn't write their book as a straight jacket for the future. It was their hope that an understanding of how each generation influences the next would lead us to break the cycle rather than reinforce it, but we seem to enjoy pigeonholing more than growth. Jesus is about breaking the cycle, about new birth, about growth.
We should understand the impact that our past and our environment has on our future, but we shouldn't be slaves to those forces. Your life is a road, but it hasn't been built yet. It's still being built. If you build it with God's Spirit, then you will find he has the power to create in you a life that leaves the labels behind while you continue to grow. In Christ, you don't find yourself. You become yourself.
American culture has long encouraged us "to find ourselves" as though we were born with a set on inflexible skills and interests that have to be discovered in order for us to find ourselves. We look for boxes to fit ourselves into. Interestingly, God's focus is on growth rather than discovery. Jesus came to bring us freedom from who we "are" while living a sinful life so that we can become someone we never dreamed of being through life with his Spirit.
Paul tells us that the Christian life entails taking off the old man and putting on the new man (Eph 4:22-24). An assessment can give me insight on how I act and function in different situations right now. I think that's helpful. But as soon as I begin to use those assessment labels to describe myself generally, I'm in trouble. I have become a new creation in Christ, and, if I am following Christ in obedience, I'm being constantly transformed. Those labels can make me believe that I am fated to remain as I am forever. At that point, they might as well be zodiac symbols, but as a Christian I believe in growth rather than fate.
Who are we becoming in Christ? That should be our first question. How can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our growth?: should be our second. Scripture guides us through the answer to both these questions.
There are at least two ways to see life. In one, life is like a road that has already been laid down. There is one perfect course for each of us. One job, one perfect mate out there, one set of personality traits, etc. If we can discover it, then we might be okay. The problem is that one step off that road messes up everything. The other view is that life is dynamic. We are born into situations that we couldn't choose, but what we do with life, how we respond, and who we become is a cooperative work that we are deeply involved in.
Our choices are limited without Christ, but with him many new possibilities open up. Fate loses it's place as a meaningful explanation for life. Instead, the Spirit comes alongside us and offers us a new creative collaboration.
In 1992, Neil Howe and William Strauss wrote Generations. It was the first book to describe the different generations of American history and how they impact each other. Much of our current labeling of different generations is based on their work. I highly recommend their work. They didn't write their book as a straight jacket for the future. It was their hope that an understanding of how each generation influences the next would lead us to break the cycle rather than reinforce it, but we seem to enjoy pigeonholing more than growth. Jesus is about breaking the cycle, about new birth, about growth.
We should understand the impact that our past and our environment has on our future, but we shouldn't be slaves to those forces. Your life is a road, but it hasn't been built yet. It's still being built. If you build it with God's Spirit, then you will find he has the power to create in you a life that leaves the labels behind while you continue to grow. In Christ, you don't find yourself. You become yourself.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Speaking the Truth in Love
Political correctness and civility are two very different things and have two different outcomes. Political correctness is about power. It is telling people they are not allowed to say certain things or express certain opinions because someone in power has told us it's wrong or because a belief might offend someone or make them feel bad. Political correctness cares little for the truth.
Civility has to do with how we communicate truth. It is the practice of discussing truth in a way that affirms human dignity; that takes into account that the people involved in the discussion are made in God's image; and acknowledges that God died for these people and holds out a saving hand of grace to them.
Truth is important if we are going to be truly civil because love, rather than control, is at the heart of civility. I might meet someone at the edge of a cliff who believes it will make no real difference whether they step forward or backward. If there was a chance that they would be offended by my warning and explanation of the truth and consequences of gravity, then political correctness would say leave them be. But that is neither the loving or the civil (civilized) thing to do.
God has placed on us an obligation to seek truth and to communicate truth. We are called to make disciples of all men and women (Mat 28:19, 20) It is the right and the loving thing to do.
I was a lifeguard for several years. Not everyone at the pool liked the rules, but they were important for survival. Some people may not have liked the rules, but no one drowned in that pool. Love and care go together and there they saved lives. I don't have the authority of a lifeguard in other people's lives (so I won't pretend to have that authority), but I still have the responsibility to speak the truth in love.
Political correctness stops the discussion. It gives us the illusion that ignorance is fine as long as we feel all right and sincere about what we do or believe. Returning to the cliff for a moment, someone might sincerely believe that if they step off the edge they will float without falling, but regardless of their sincerity, they will be sincerely wrong. They might feel fine about the decision to step off, but they will feel far worse at the bottom.
It also stops the discussion when the truth is not spoken in love. Our communication consists of more than just propositional truth. Truth spoken, reflecting attitudes other than Jesus', can alienate others from the very truth we hope to communicate. A great deal of the book of James is devoted to this topic, but you can also find it in the most basic book on persuasive teaching. We are to tell the truth with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
To speak the truth in gentleness and respect, though means that we still need to tell the truth. Currently, our culture tells us it's rude to talk about politics and religion. It may be politically correct to avoid these topics, but it's not civilized. Civilization is the result of honest and open discussion. We need to make sure that we don't become cowards, afraid to ask and discuss the great questions of life. It is not loving to withhold the truth that has been offered us, but just like political correctness, rudeness, name calling, and disrespect shut down the conversation as well.
We speak the truth in love because God has called us to share the truth; because he has called us to love others as we love ourselves; and because without love, we really aren't going to get a hearing.
Civility has to do with how we communicate truth. It is the practice of discussing truth in a way that affirms human dignity; that takes into account that the people involved in the discussion are made in God's image; and acknowledges that God died for these people and holds out a saving hand of grace to them.
Truth is important if we are going to be truly civil because love, rather than control, is at the heart of civility. I might meet someone at the edge of a cliff who believes it will make no real difference whether they step forward or backward. If there was a chance that they would be offended by my warning and explanation of the truth and consequences of gravity, then political correctness would say leave them be. But that is neither the loving or the civil (civilized) thing to do.
God has placed on us an obligation to seek truth and to communicate truth. We are called to make disciples of all men and women (Mat 28:19, 20) It is the right and the loving thing to do.
I was a lifeguard for several years. Not everyone at the pool liked the rules, but they were important for survival. Some people may not have liked the rules, but no one drowned in that pool. Love and care go together and there they saved lives. I don't have the authority of a lifeguard in other people's lives (so I won't pretend to have that authority), but I still have the responsibility to speak the truth in love.
Political correctness stops the discussion. It gives us the illusion that ignorance is fine as long as we feel all right and sincere about what we do or believe. Returning to the cliff for a moment, someone might sincerely believe that if they step off the edge they will float without falling, but regardless of their sincerity, they will be sincerely wrong. They might feel fine about the decision to step off, but they will feel far worse at the bottom.
It also stops the discussion when the truth is not spoken in love. Our communication consists of more than just propositional truth. Truth spoken, reflecting attitudes other than Jesus', can alienate others from the very truth we hope to communicate. A great deal of the book of James is devoted to this topic, but you can also find it in the most basic book on persuasive teaching. We are to tell the truth with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
To speak the truth in gentleness and respect, though means that we still need to tell the truth. Currently, our culture tells us it's rude to talk about politics and religion. It may be politically correct to avoid these topics, but it's not civilized. Civilization is the result of honest and open discussion. We need to make sure that we don't become cowards, afraid to ask and discuss the great questions of life. It is not loving to withhold the truth that has been offered us, but just like political correctness, rudeness, name calling, and disrespect shut down the conversation as well.
We speak the truth in love because God has called us to share the truth; because he has called us to love others as we love ourselves; and because without love, we really aren't going to get a hearing.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Blame is Not a Solution
People need to be held accountable for their actions, but we must never lose track of our goal as Christians. We identify problems so that we can help people grow through them and prosper. Too often the goal of blame is to "put people in their place," which most often means putting them somewhere beneath us. Blame is most often about power.
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) he came as a doctor for the sick (Luke 5:31). This means that Jesus did not come to humiliate people or crush them under his heel. He came to love, act, and serve in such a way that people could prosper.
Not everyone (an understatement) welcomed Jesus' help or his definition of prosperity (we still try to wedge our definition of prosperity into his words), but Jesus' goal was to act and communicate in such a way that he wouldn't create additional barriers to repentance. Jesus did not humiliate people , but those who understood who he was and what he was trying to do, gladly humbled themselves before his wisdom and authority.
In a passionate moment, one of my friends in college declared that he would love to see an especially vile singer burned on a stack of his records. He was wise enough to recognize that his attitude was not Christ-like. He humbled himself before Jesus and began to pray for him. If he hadn't lived a thousand miles away, the next step would have been to find ways to serve and speak to this singer.
So now the tough question. Do you want to see Obama fail? Or during the Bush presidency did you want to see him fail? I'm not asking if you disagreed, but did you want them to go down in flames, to be publicly humiliated, broken? Did you make jokes about them? Call them names? If you did, then most likely those same attitudes were directed toward other people you consider problems in your life. People notice.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Jesus gave up his life that we might live, and he has called us to do the same.
"But this is different," we might complain. "These people deserve our contempt."
James states, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." (James 3:9-12)
Can the same mouth that belittles and slanders others, whether President or next door neighbor, truly worship God? Would Jesus treat others this way? Are these actions led by the Spirit of God or the spirit of man?
Blame and bitterness kill. Blame is not the same as a solution. Jesus' solutions bring life rather than just leave victims. This is one of the reasons so many youth are leaving the church. They can tell the difference between the truth used as a club and the truth spoken in love.
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10) he came as a doctor for the sick (Luke 5:31). This means that Jesus did not come to humiliate people or crush them under his heel. He came to love, act, and serve in such a way that people could prosper.
Not everyone (an understatement) welcomed Jesus' help or his definition of prosperity (we still try to wedge our definition of prosperity into his words), but Jesus' goal was to act and communicate in such a way that he wouldn't create additional barriers to repentance. Jesus did not humiliate people , but those who understood who he was and what he was trying to do, gladly humbled themselves before his wisdom and authority.
In a passionate moment, one of my friends in college declared that he would love to see an especially vile singer burned on a stack of his records. He was wise enough to recognize that his attitude was not Christ-like. He humbled himself before Jesus and began to pray for him. If he hadn't lived a thousand miles away, the next step would have been to find ways to serve and speak to this singer.
So now the tough question. Do you want to see Obama fail? Or during the Bush presidency did you want to see him fail? I'm not asking if you disagreed, but did you want them to go down in flames, to be publicly humiliated, broken? Did you make jokes about them? Call them names? If you did, then most likely those same attitudes were directed toward other people you consider problems in your life. People notice.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Jesus gave up his life that we might live, and he has called us to do the same.
"But this is different," we might complain. "These people deserve our contempt."
James states, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." (James 3:9-12)
Can the same mouth that belittles and slanders others, whether President or next door neighbor, truly worship God? Would Jesus treat others this way? Are these actions led by the Spirit of God or the spirit of man?
Blame and bitterness kill. Blame is not the same as a solution. Jesus' solutions bring life rather than just leave victims. This is one of the reasons so many youth are leaving the church. They can tell the difference between the truth used as a club and the truth spoken in love.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
How Far for Jesus?
There are important Scriptures that are ignored because they seem to clash with our tradition ridden faith, and they are ignored at our personal peril. There is religious wisdom that is neither from God or wise that robs us of both the adventure and power of faith. One of these often overlooked passages is 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.
"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
We are to identify with those in need, but the temptation is to distance ourselves. The Pharisees complained when Jesus got close to sinners in a party (Luke 5:27-32), when he let a prostitute touch him (Luke 7:39), when he favored tax collectors and "sinners" with his presence. They believed they were better than others and would be polluted by with them. Sadly, the same is often true today.
Paul has learned that to live in obedience we must identify with those God is reaching out to. If we distance ourselves, then we are not following Jesus example or command to us. In other words, we are rebelling against Jesus. But it doesn't stop there. We are not only to identify with them, we are to become like them.
Really!?! In what way?
Paul says, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." first, that phrase, "by all possible means", is important. From the rest of Paul's writings we know this means that he avoids active sin. While I can minister in a bar without sinning, I cannot minister in a topless bar without sinning. That's just the way I'm made. So I avoid that. If I struggled with alcoholism, I would also avoid the bar. I will also avoid becoming drunk in response to God's command. Wisdom is not thrown to the wind.
What Paul is saying is that he becomes as much like the people he ministers to as possible. He adopts their customs, their food, their speech. This doesn't mean that he begins to curse around those who curse, or that he believes that he has to drink to fit in with those who drink, but neither will he flee from those who curse or drink. Too often today, Christians are uncomfortable with those who merely disagree and will avoid them. How short that falls from Paul's definition of active faith.
Paul has a reason for his actions. He has given himself to Jesus. Jesus is now his Lord. He wants to follow Jesus. And what is Jesus doing in the world? Why did the Son come to earth in the first place? He came to reach the lost. He inconvenienced himself for the sake of others, and he calls us to do the same.
A faith that revolves around personal salvation alone seems pretty selfish when compared against Jesus' call. He has called us to become fishers of men and women, and we are to alter our lives to be true to that call. Anything less and we miss out on so much of what Jesus has to offer. A life of faith is not safe or convenient. It clashes with the American dream so often. But it is dynamic, powerful, and, every time God touches someone through us, incredibly intimate. What seems like sin to some of the "religious" turns out to be the holiness of God.
How close are you to the people around you? How many preChristian friends do you have? How often do you invite them into your life, or respond to their invitations? How often are you in the party with Jesus?
"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
We are to identify with those in need, but the temptation is to distance ourselves. The Pharisees complained when Jesus got close to sinners in a party (Luke 5:27-32), when he let a prostitute touch him (Luke 7:39), when he favored tax collectors and "sinners" with his presence. They believed they were better than others and would be polluted by with them. Sadly, the same is often true today.
Paul has learned that to live in obedience we must identify with those God is reaching out to. If we distance ourselves, then we are not following Jesus example or command to us. In other words, we are rebelling against Jesus. But it doesn't stop there. We are not only to identify with them, we are to become like them.
Really!?! In what way?
Paul says, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." first, that phrase, "by all possible means", is important. From the rest of Paul's writings we know this means that he avoids active sin. While I can minister in a bar without sinning, I cannot minister in a topless bar without sinning. That's just the way I'm made. So I avoid that. If I struggled with alcoholism, I would also avoid the bar. I will also avoid becoming drunk in response to God's command. Wisdom is not thrown to the wind.
What Paul is saying is that he becomes as much like the people he ministers to as possible. He adopts their customs, their food, their speech. This doesn't mean that he begins to curse around those who curse, or that he believes that he has to drink to fit in with those who drink, but neither will he flee from those who curse or drink. Too often today, Christians are uncomfortable with those who merely disagree and will avoid them. How short that falls from Paul's definition of active faith.
Paul has a reason for his actions. He has given himself to Jesus. Jesus is now his Lord. He wants to follow Jesus. And what is Jesus doing in the world? Why did the Son come to earth in the first place? He came to reach the lost. He inconvenienced himself for the sake of others, and he calls us to do the same.
A faith that revolves around personal salvation alone seems pretty selfish when compared against Jesus' call. He has called us to become fishers of men and women, and we are to alter our lives to be true to that call. Anything less and we miss out on so much of what Jesus has to offer. A life of faith is not safe or convenient. It clashes with the American dream so often. But it is dynamic, powerful, and, every time God touches someone through us, incredibly intimate. What seems like sin to some of the "religious" turns out to be the holiness of God.
How close are you to the people around you? How many preChristian friends do you have? How often do you invite them into your life, or respond to their invitations? How often are you in the party with Jesus?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)