The Re-Definition of a Christian
Published: September 20, 2008
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Recently, while reading Relevant Magazine, I came across an excerpt of Barack Obama’s speech at a national meeting of the United Church of Christ. He was stating his concern and disagreement with the religious right. He stated: “But somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and faith started being used to drive us apart. Faith got hijacked, partly because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, all too eager to exploit what divides us. At every opportunity, they’ve told evangelical Christians that Democrats disrespect their values and dislike their church, while suggesting to the rest of the country that religious Americans care only about issues like abortion and gay marriage, school prayer and intelligent design. There was even a time when the Christian Coalition determined that its No. 1 legislative priority was tax cuts for the rich. I don’t know what Bible they’re reading, but it doesn’t jive with my version.”
Amen, Brother Obama. As someone who is fed up with political parties and organized religion, not to mention the cross-section of the two groups, I couldn’t have said it better myself, so I won’t attempt to. It seems that so many of us have been playing church for so long, a tradition that may have started generations before us, that we have made no attempt to define our own personal Christianity, our own personal relationship with Christ. It is as if we found salvation, and then stopped seeking God. In the midst of the rituals, orders of service, dress code, and call and response rhetoric, we have lost sight of the revelation of and relationship with Christ that should inspire our lifestyles.
For many of us, our Christianity needs to be re-defined. By no means do I consider myself a theologian. A few religious studies class at a Catholic high school does not constitute such a title. However, as a student of the Gospels of Jesus Christ, I am always in pursuit of a deeper understanding and more intimate relationship with the Messiah. And as I read, study, contemplate, pray, and then read again, I am confirmed in my conviction that today’s brand of Christianity is not what Jesus had in mind when he sent His original disciples out into the world to spread the “Good News.”
What I find so amazing is that what frustrated Jesus so immensely during His time on Earth, are the same missteps that today’s Christians are so guilty of. The Law that was passed on to the Children of Israel through Moses’ relationship with God had become nothing more than dead instructions and guidelines by the time of Jesus’ arrival. Much to the chagrin of Jesus, the spirit of these laws were ignored; the letter of such laws, on the other hand, were used to oppress certain groups and justify others. The worst culprits, the Pharisees and Saducees, were too self righteous and arrogant in regard to their understanding of The Law to be told anything different. Simply stated, a true relationship with God had been replaced with a spiritless practice of memorizing law and reciting it when convenient. In fact, their relationship with God was so stale that they didn’t even recognize His Son upon arrival. It seems as if we are doing an excellent job of repeating the tradition. Much like Moses, the Apostles began Christianity, or “The Way”, based upon a real relationship with Christ.
However, over time, we as a people have taken it upon ourselves to reinterpret that relationship as we see fit. The unpopular faith that had once forced a group to come together, abandon personal ownership for the sake of community, such as in the book of Acts, can now be found divided into countless religious sects, at times worshipping on the same street, serving the same God, without any regard for their fellow Christian brethren. The original Christians called their lifestyle “The Way”. Simply put, it was not a religious practice or a tradition. Instead a “way” of life, based upon the One who was and is “The Way, The Truth, and The Light.”
There is no reason this ever had to change…yet it did. Like the Israelites, modern Christians are quick to quote scripture and point out sin. They are slow, however, to show the type of love and compassion that Christ illustrated through His lifestyle and highlighted as the greatest commandment. And what is the result? In today’s society, we as Christians are seen as a weak, hypocritical and judgmental group of people who believe in rules and traditions that are no longer relevant. Our voice is not heard or respected because our own congregations are run amuck with adultery, homosexuality, and divorce.
Meanwhile, we hypocritically pass judgment on “the world” that is, perhaps, more honest and transparent about their lack of a God relationship than many of us are. We as Christians must stop playing church because the stakes are simply too high. We can no longer allow “Christian” to be defined as a person who believes in God, attends a weekly church service, and recites scripture. Oddly enough, Satan himself could easily be accused of all of the same things. These attributes of modern Christianity are not why Christ was born or why He died.
“Christian” has to be defined by a desire to be Christ-like in our thoughts and actions. “Christian” has to be defined by transformed lives. “Christian” has to be defined as a decision to choose life over death. “Christian” has to be defined as passionate, compassionate, understanding, and non-compromising. “Christianity” has to be defined as a lifestyle based upon faith in a resurrected Christ that is exemplified through acts of love and a desire to profess this Christ to anyone who doesn’t know Him, by any means necessary. “Christian” and “Christianity” has to mean these things, or it will continue to mean, to many, nothing at all.
Copyright © 2012 you129 & Michael Calloway. All rights reserved.
