A Redeeming Revolution
Easily forgettable in the attempt to not belittle Christ’s deeds in redemption is the fact that Christ did lead a life different from that of any other person in the world’s history. He embodied another way, separate of this world, yet of it; a far cry from the American Christianity evolution. Believers are called not to say a simple sinner’s prayer, but to take up their cross daily, sell all they have and give to the poor, love their enemies (even across the invisible borders of countries and continents), and serve God rather than mammon. His resurrection proves not only that the Savior is alive and living, but also that the believer’s Leader, the Prototype for this life, is still calling sinners “saints”, still challenging the religious leaders to come alive or step aside, still reminding politicians that they are not God, and still scandalizing this world with grace.
Therefore Christians should be in the forefront of the redemption business (they do, after all, know about it first hand). In an age when celebrities and rock-stars seem to hold more credence concerning the literal teachings of Christ than His followers do, a shift in thought and behavior is beyond necessary. As recipients of a glorious grace, believers in the Christ-who-saves cannot help but overflow with life and love. Moral issues are not the only issues of Jesus, and certainly not in the present narrow definition in which they are defined.
One day, a remnant will rise and be consistent in her cries for the things of God. She will don a consistent ethic of human life, stretching to not only speak out against abortion, but adopt the nearly aborted ones and love the ones who went through with deed. She will question things that vie against human life such war and the death penalty. She will pledge allegiance to a Kingdom and not a flag, claiming that to “live is Christ, and to die is gain”; finding greater adherence to the King who rules “by a towel and not a sword”. She will be the first to find solutions for the environment, instead of blindly jumping on another bandwagon. She will stand and say, “This is My Father’s World” for He says, “the world is Mine, and all that is in it.” She will open the doors of her beautiful buildings to let the dirtiness of human pain stain the carpet. She will stand against injustice, against poverty, and against worldwide hunger and the systems and circumstances that create it.
In an excerpt of unChristian, Jim Wallis says,
“The Church’s mission will expand to include protecting the environment, confronting global and domestic poverty, and addressing ethics of war and peace”
“And when we [finally decide to] cry out against wrongs and evils in this world, people will listen and know what we say is true because our words will sound a lot like those of our Savior.” (Mike Foster)
I don’t know what I’m looking for. I keep telling my friends that once I find it, I’ll know. Like some idealized notion of a romantic, I’m sure I’ll stumble across it and I’m sure that I’ll know it right away. At least that’s the hope. And hope is a rare commodity for this glass half empty gal. I want to stop pointing fingers. I want to be a working part of the Church, changing the system from within, calling Her out without words, but with actions. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I want to be a part of something bigger than myself. And not just me, but my generation too. We long to be tangled up in a grandiose plan that enacts transformation. My youth ministers told me that we could change the world (presumably for Christ); I was foolish enough to believe them.
Action must take precedence though. The way of complaints and bitterness is always an option, one that hinders the continuance of life and healing. The church does not need any more critics, She needs more people who unapologetically follow their Savior, people who take the greatest commandment to heart: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Finding out what that means and how to live it out is key, not only in a decrepit society but also a delusional church. Maybe then that strange little remnant can indeed change the world.
Christ is just so good at redeeming things.
Therefore Christians should be in the forefront of the redemption business (they do, after all, know about it first hand). In an age when celebrities and rock-stars seem to hold more credence concerning the literal teachings of Christ than His followers do, a shift in thought and behavior is beyond necessary. As recipients of a glorious grace, believers in the Christ-who-saves cannot help but overflow with life and love. Moral issues are not the only issues of Jesus, and certainly not in the present narrow definition in which they are defined.
One day, a remnant will rise and be consistent in her cries for the things of God. She will don a consistent ethic of human life, stretching to not only speak out against abortion, but adopt the nearly aborted ones and love the ones who went through with deed. She will question things that vie against human life such war and the death penalty. She will pledge allegiance to a Kingdom and not a flag, claiming that to “live is Christ, and to die is gain”; finding greater adherence to the King who rules “by a towel and not a sword”. She will be the first to find solutions for the environment, instead of blindly jumping on another bandwagon. She will stand and say, “This is My Father’s World” for He says, “the world is Mine, and all that is in it.” She will open the doors of her beautiful buildings to let the dirtiness of human pain stain the carpet. She will stand against injustice, against poverty, and against worldwide hunger and the systems and circumstances that create it.
In an excerpt of unChristian, Jim Wallis says,
“The Church’s mission will expand to include protecting the environment, confronting global and domestic poverty, and addressing ethics of war and peace”
“And when we [finally decide to] cry out against wrongs and evils in this world, people will listen and know what we say is true because our words will sound a lot like those of our Savior.” (Mike Foster)
I don’t know what I’m looking for. I keep telling my friends that once I find it, I’ll know. Like some idealized notion of a romantic, I’m sure I’ll stumble across it and I’m sure that I’ll know it right away. At least that’s the hope. And hope is a rare commodity for this glass half empty gal. I want to stop pointing fingers. I want to be a working part of the Church, changing the system from within, calling Her out without words, but with actions. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I want to be a part of something bigger than myself. And not just me, but my generation too. We long to be tangled up in a grandiose plan that enacts transformation. My youth ministers told me that we could change the world (presumably for Christ); I was foolish enough to believe them.
Action must take precedence though. The way of complaints and bitterness is always an option, one that hinders the continuance of life and healing. The church does not need any more critics, She needs more people who unapologetically follow their Savior, people who take the greatest commandment to heart: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Finding out what that means and how to live it out is key, not only in a decrepit society but also a delusional church. Maybe then that strange little remnant can indeed change the world.
Christ is just so good at redeeming things.
Comments