What’s funny about being a Christian is that some Christians just do not get how to be one! As a Christian who is a Democrat, I am glad that I am the right Christian and not one of those gun carrying, racist and close minded conservatives! One day God will smite those hated Evangelical conservatives off the face of the earth and us right Christians will be left to celebrate!
If you have not figured out by now, that ludicrous and hypocritical rant was sarcasm. I intentionally used the above example to make a point. Although the truth is important, it is important to realize that all of us Christians carry with us our assumptions about who is more Christ-like. When I first became a Christian, I had to deal with my prejudices not against gays, not against those liberals, but against conservatives. Yes, my friends, Christian democrats can be just as sinful and judgmental as those Christian conservatives you hear about and I was and still am an example. Unfortunately, over the years, many have equated conservatism to be Christianity. Yet, that is selling Jesus short. But Jesus does also not equate with liberalism in America either. He transcends all of our petty labels that we try to confine everyone else into. Now I am not saying that Christians cannot have different viewpoints and I am also not saying there is no right or wrong. Yet, you will find that many who promote their ideology over their Christianity clearly forget to acknowledge the humanity in the side who disagrees with them. Jesus is pretty clear that everyone is made in the image of God, Christian or not. Does that mean some people will stray away? Of course. God is not some programmer controlling us like we’re robots! (If you at all resonate with the above ideas, I recommend strongly that you check out Christena Cleveland's book entitled: "Disunity in Christ.")
So, to amend my statement in the opening paragraph, what’s funny about being a Christian is that you learn that no one really has all the answers. The gospel calls each and every one of us out. I’ll say it again for the people in the back of the pews: it calls each and every one of us out!
"Yet, you will find that many who promote their ideology over their Christianity clearly forget to acknowledge the humanity in the side who disagrees with them."
It tells all of us that we are in some way wrong in the actions or beliefs that we hold about the world around us. And that is what is hard to swallow for many, including myself. Repeatedly, throughout scriptures, Jesus interacts and ministers to those who disagreed with him, those who agreed with him and even those that would one day hang him on the cross. One might say, "But that was Jesus." Yet, we are commanded in scriptures to be Christ like. That does not mean we will ever be perfect. It does mean as we walk with God, we will slowly be conformed to what his will is for us. Through it all, Jesus is still patient with us. It's like my man J. Cole says: "I'm a born sinner, but I'll die better than that!"
The gospel calls each and every one of us out. I’ll say it again for the people in the back of the pews: it calls each and every one of us out!
To bring it back to the central point of this article, all of us as Christians have our internal biases and predispositions that we bring to the table. Many of these predispositions can very well not be warranted and simply not true. Yet, that's the point! Jesus doesn't proclaim, "I'm not going to claim you as my own until you get your s**t together!" No, he walks with us. Every day, Jesus constantly dies for our sins because Jesus does not see us for our sins, he sees us for what we are: image bearers of God. We all have intrinsic value. No one person, regardless of status, is less valuable than another. Does that mean people cannot be held accountable in this life for their actions? Of course not. But this revelation also gives perspective on where we should come from when talking to those who disagree with us. It also brings to the surface a central tenant of Christianity: God is clear that we will all be different and have some disagreements, but at the end of the day, we are all children of God.
Jesus doesn't proclaim, "I'm not going to claim you as my own until you get your s**t together!"
Now, I am not perfect, and yes, you still may see me flipping off a driver who cuts me off, but let's all be reminded of this lesson. Time is too short to not be communicating to everyone around us that they are image bearers and they have purpose. Time is too short to demonize a group of people just because we disagree with them. Christian community, as made clear in the acts of the Apostles, was never meant to be free of conflict. However, it was meant to be a witness to the one and true God who transcends all of our ideologies. We may not agree on our party affiliations or certain theologies, but the love and togetherness we have in the blood of Christ is something that we should all constantly rejoice in. It's also something that this world, Christians and non-Christians alike, deeply needs to see.
"Be joyful; pray continually; gives thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians 5:16
**Next time, I will explore Christianity's complex history in regards to Social Justice! Eventually, I will delve into Christianity and modern relativism versus absolutism!**
