Righteous Christianity and
You. That’s the title of this post, and the point implicit within it isn’t that
you are or aren’t righteous, Christian, but that another who is not you may yet
be a righteous Christian. But perhaps that’s too many short words, so here I’ll
spell it out:
You are not the standard for righteous Christianity; Christ
is.
You may very well be righteous and moreso as the days pine
on,
But the same can be said of her. And him.
When you entered into covenant relationship with God, you
surrendered yourself. As Russell Moore has taught us, true Christianity doesn’t
invite Jesus into your life, it begs
to become subsumed into the life of Christ. You have identified yourself as
Christian, Believer, Disciple, or whatever the newest ‘early church’ term is.
But Christianity is the family name, you are the family member; Christianity is
the blue whale, you are the parasite who feeds of its life. When you became a
Christian, the Church world didn’t reorient its being to your every theological
whim and social ethic. There are fellow believers who are not like you.
I know the thought that runs through your mind at this
point. It’s something like, “Yeah, but at least I…” I know
that’s your thought because it is my thought too. And to some extent, some
small measure, you are speaking truly: there are some things you do and
understand which others fail to. Everything you believe, you think is true—otherwise
you wouldn’t believe it. And yet, there are some things which really, truly, in
fullness of reality, are actually not
a matter of right/wrong, true/false, good/bad, Christian/pagan. The sad thing? I tend to
think that even in these areas, I have a capital on Christianity: my
preferences are preferred by God. But deep in my soul, God the Holy Spirit has
been teaching me: I am not the standard of righteous Christianity; Christ is;
Not everybody must look, think, laugh, and act like me to be saved by the grace
of God into a faithful covenant relationship in the kingdom of God.
I’m thinking back to a morning I sat with my girlfriend in a
local coffee shop. A group of high school-aged boys came in to do a Bible Study
together. I should have been encouraged! Instead, I was skeptical and critical,
looking for reasons to criticize and
mock them. As if that was the way to fulfill the commandment of loving one
another. As if Christ didn't suffer the wrath of the Father to bring me into communion with
him and humanity. As if I wasn’t once in high school; studying a chapter of a
Pauline epistle; struggling with social maturity along the way. And though the lesson
was learned that morning, I would be ashamed to know the exact moment it was
again forgotten.
Do not make your study group conform to your image of
Christianity—they are made in the image of God being transformed into the image
of Christ in righteousness. Do not expect your pastor to live Christianity the
way you do—in doing or not. Do not quote “You will know a tree by their fruit”
in order to console your dark soul as you castigate fellow believers. Recognize
the beauty of diversity which God has endowed humanity.
You cannot expect people to be made into your image. That’s
idolatry.
Not all Christians look like you.
Some enjoy art. Some enjoy food. Some enjoy reading. Some
enjoy writing. Some enjoy fashion. Some enjoy coffee. Some enjoy beer. Some
enjoy off-roading. Some enjoy soccer. Some enjoy movies. Some enjoy home. Some
enjoy travel. Some enjoy video games. Some enjoy campfires. Some enjoy
alone-time.
I pray that you are sanctified and that today pushes you
further into our Triune God. I pray that you are righteous in part, and
tomorrow you will be righteous in more.
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