Being Christian
What does it mean to be Christian? What do I have to do to be a Christian? Isn’t Christianity just one of the many different religions all trying in their own ways to worship God and follow Him in faith? These are all great questions! In one sense, life at our Church is all about exploring and answering together these important questions.
Sometimes it’s easier to start answering the Christian question in the negative, first clarifying what Christianity is not. So for instance, Christianity is not fundamentally a list of do’s and don’ts, a catalog of rules for living. Someone is not a Christian because he or she have been baptized, goes to Church, and tries as best they can to keep the 10 commandments. Christianity, at it’s core, is not a system of beliefs either. You’re not a Christian because you’ve graduated to a certain level of head-knowledge and happen to know all the right stuff. There are plenty of people out there who were baptized as kids, know the Bible as well as many pastors, and live virtous lives…but may not be Christians.
At the foundation of Christianity is a person. This is a critical distinction to make, so let me say it again: Christianity is not primarily about particular rules or beliefs, it’s about a person! Don’t get me wrong, Christians do believe there are right and wrong ways to live and think (for instance, check out What We Believe), but at the end of the day what defines a Christian is his/her relation to the person Jesus Christ. In other words, being Christ-ian means being related in some way to Jesus Christ.
The Bible gives us the story of Jesus - all the drama leading up to His coming, eyewitness accounts of His words, relationships, and activities; what took place in the world after Jesus went to be with the Father in heaven. And at the center of the Jesus story is something very dark and disturbing. It’s a cross - an ancient torture devise. (Surprisingly) what we learn in the story is that the cross was a critical and even planned part of His being here to begin with. That of course begs the question: what purpose could there possibly be for something so terrible?
Jesus came with the intent of rescuing and healing a world that was not right; a world dragged down by the curse of evil and injustice, a world full of people deservedly separated from the One who gave them life (and gave that life meaning). And just like every good rescue story, the hero has to enter the hostile arena and in some way engage the
opposition. Jesus’ engagement was to take it upon Himself, all of it - the suffering, the injustice, the curse, even the weight of sin’s guilt and just punishment. He took it to the fullest and it consumed His life there on that cross.
If the story ended there, Christianity would be the most hopeless of religions. Granted, the cross would still have been quite the display of love and selfless heroism. But if the enemy wins and the hero fails, what’s the point of holding out hope? Those who cling for life to something that has no power to rescue and heal are pitied.
Thankfully, the next act in the drama is resurrection - new life set free from the weight and curse of all that was not right in the world. The resurrection of Jesus is victory. It is a bursting forth of new creation, a new world now ripe with the potential for new life. It is release from the prison that separated rebels from their gracious and forgiving King. Just like a new found cure changes the story of a disease-ridden patient, Jesus’ victory changes the entire story of a disease-ridden world full of sick and dying people.
The Jesus story is exciting, at times unbelievable, inspiring…but also somewhat offensive. Right? If I’m hearing it correctly, it seems to imply I need rescuing, that my life is withering under a curse, that I am bound in guilt, and that I’m powerless on my own to change my circumstances for the better. As much as I appreciate the ideas of love and mercy that play into it, I’m uneasy at the thought of needing someone to die a cruel death in my place. Realizing this, one realizes that following Jesus, being Christ-ian is something much more serious and life-altering than just getting dipped in water, saying a magic prayer, wearing WWJD bracelets, and voting Republican…or Democrat (not that any of that is wrong). It means embracing my need for a rescuer at the expense of my long-entrenched pride. It means turning from all that was killing me, all that was offending Jesus’ God and clinging in prayerful dependence to this hero who leads day by day into life that is new and different. It means trusting His prescription for healing and growth…such as breathing in His story from the Bible, receiving the sign of His commitment to me (baptism), and joining a community of other rescued, yet still recovering, sinners.
The story and person of Jesus should rightfully be a bit overwhelming. That’s one of the reasons we liken this whole business of relating to Jesus as a journey. If Jesus strikes a note of curiosity for you, if His story addresses burning questions or warms the heart with impressions of hope and freedom, would you consider taking a step in this exciting journey…or at least investigating where the road leads? Not that we have all the answers, but a good first step would be connecting with a group who similarly are either on or considering the journey…like our Church family. We’re a healthy mix of questioners, struggling journeymen, and even mature individuals who enjoy a rich and beautiful relationship with Jesus. And we’d love for you to join with us.
If you’ve read this far, let me encourage you and challenge you by saying the Jesus story is far too important, far too critical not to investigate further. Keep exploring, and don’t let anything, be it pride or fear or even hurt and confusion, get in your way. And may Jesus meet you in rich and pointed ways and lead you in the beautiful journey of life everlasting.
