Three Observations
“It is easy to understand why Christians today are frightened and discouraged, but isn’t something off-kilter in an angry Christian?” questions Fr. Terrance Klein in an insightful piece for America: The Jesuit Review. He continues by asking, “Can vitriol ever truly align with the teachings of a disciple?”
John Fea, in an Atlantic article, suggests that fear, more than any other factor, drove evangelicals to support Donald Trump in 2016 and persist in their backing of his presidency. Fear of cultural shifts, fear of losing influence, fear of a world slipping away from their grasp—these emotions have fueled an unholy political alliance that has left many conservative Christians, like me, bewildered.
Ruth Braunstein, writing for The Guardian, delves into the phenomenon of people turning away from evangelicalism, attributing it to a backlash against the influence of the religious right. I have shared my views on Christian Nationalism elsewhere. In this post, I hope to encourage disciples to consider how we might counter its impact in our spheres of influence.
Anger and Fear
It’s surprising to see followers of Jesus characterized by anger and fear. The gospel is supposed to be about faith, not fear, and self-control, not anger. However, for decades, the fear-mongering tactics of the religious right have been eroding the true meaning of following Jesus by faith.
Many self-professed believers have shifted their focus away from Jesus and toward political figures. This has resulted in a climate of fear and hostility on both ends of the political spectrum. Jesus was a rebel who challenged societal norms and frequently spoke of the kingdom of God, emphasizing that it was not of this world.
Background
However, since the era of Jerry Falwell’s “Moral Majority,” there has been a noticeable trend of Christians attempting to assert their influence to establish a version of America as God’s kingdom on earth. This shift has significantly altered the perception of the church among non-believers, particularly since the contentious 2016 presidential election. Legislative decisions are being made that inflict unnecessary suffering, while actions that could alleviate suffering are not being implemented.
If you were to ask non-Christians what they think is wrong with Christianity, many would say that the Christians they know do not practice what they preach. Even those who are not religious expect Christians to behave differently. This discrepancy between professed beliefs and actions undermines the credibility of Christianity in the eyes of many.
For unbelievers, Christians are the problem with Christianity. For many Christians, Jesus is. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Jesus plus nothing. But it doesn’t end there. We are not saved for heaven. We are saved to do the good works God has prepared us for. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10 | NIV)
Six Commands
Many of our brothers and sisters have forgotten that Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15 | NIV) They are not living lives that demonstrate complete surrender of their will to God’s will for them. The Institute in Basic Life Principles identified 50 commands of Jesus, we should all strive to obey. However, to keep this post manageable, let’s just focus on six of them that we can live out as we encourage our believing brothers and sisters to turn their eyes back toward Jesus and away from Fox News and CNN.
- Seek God’s Kingdom. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 | NLT God’s kingdom is already, but not yet. Are you living under the kingship of Jesus, whose kingdom is not of this world? Don’t allow politics to become an idol.
- Love Even Enemies. And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 | ESV But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44 | ESV Are you unloving toward those who hold views that differ from your own? There is no room for a culture war in the kingdom of God.
- Follow His Example. “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40 | ESV) Jesus sees each individual as God’s handiwork, worthy of his love and complete attention. How about you?
- Repair Damaged Relationships. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24 | ESV) Can you think of a relationship you need to make whole again? Disciples are bridge menders, not bridge burners.
- Serve Others. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13 | ESV) Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45 | ESV) When was the last time you did something for another person for no reason?
- Live Like He’s Coming Back Today. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:44 | ESV) Are you living in a way that Jesus will catch you doing something good, or will you be trying to apologize for your words or actions?