The State of Christianity

Every year, we seek to assess the happenings of the past year, and then try to extrapolate some conclusions. It seems like a good thing to do. I was reading a little bit about “The State of Christianity.” This is a tough one. I’m not sure what I learned. 

For one thing, I’m pretty sure that “The State of Christ” and “The State of Christianity” are two very different things. Christ is doing well. His first mission was a success. He was born, lived, and died, according to divine plan. The devil was defeated. Redemption was accomplished. Sinners are being saved and sins are being forgiven. Jesus is ascended and glorified in heaven, at the right hand of the Father. He is preparing a place for His followers, and, when ready, according to plan, He will return to gather these to Himself and render judgment and exercise justice in a kingdom in which there will be no sin or evil. The State of Christ is excellent!

Christianity, - we’re not really sure what that even is. The Bible admits that followers of  Jesus were called Christians, and though it most likely was not intended as a compliment, it fits. But the Bible doesn’t speak of Christianity as an abstract concept. It speaks of believers, and the churches in which they gather. Without a Biblical faith in Christ; and without churches in which these Christians gather, there is no Christianity. The Bible acknowledges no such thing as a Christian radio station, or a Christian camp, or a Christian nation. Just believers, and their assemblies, doing what they do.

So when an assessment on “The State of Christianity” speaks of the growing trend among younger generations to pursue Christianity without theology and apart from church, they must be talking about something different than I know. It seems that they are reaching into the realm of subjective experience, undistracted by the hard edges of beliefs defined as doctrines, and safely separated from having to deal with older generations whose convictions are born out of painful battles. This sounds like youth group - which may or may not be good for youth. But if you are 30 or 40 and still in youth group, something is amiss. 

G.K. Chesterton is famously quoted: ‘The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.’ The State of Christianity will be just fine as believers actually believe, and as churches work hard at making disciples.

Mercenary Ministry

There is a cryptic story late in the Book of Judges of the Old Testament Scriptures that describes a priest, a Levite, on the road, looking for work. He had left home, “Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,” in search of another spot. Evidently the “church” that he left wasn’t doing too well. Perhaps the mutual admiration between pastor and people had soured. Maybe a new assembly had started up in town, and a bunch of sheep opted for greener pastures and stiller waters. 

In his travels, this wandering priest meets up with Micah (not the prophet). This Micah had stolen money from his mother, but then returned it, and when he did, she was so pleased she gave him some silver and they made an idol out of it. He decided to build a church around it, and now all he needed was a pastor/priest. The Levite enters, stage left, and they strike a deal. “You work for me, I’ll take care of your expenses; I’ll call you ‘father, so long as you do what I say.” It sounded like too good a deal not to pass up.

Things went well until a gaggle of Danites passed through looking for a place to live. They were seeking new digs, because they had not been able to clear the original territory allotted them by Joshua. We are not sure how hard they tried. They also were looking for greener pastures, and, they knew they would need a priest when they got there. So they struck a deal with Micah’s Levite, and promised him something bigger and better.

This doesn’t sound much like a Christmas story for a newsletter dated December 25. But the connection is this mercenary minister from the same town where one day, centuries later, a baby would be born who would be more than a priest - he himself would be the sacrifice, for all our sins, once and forever.

This baby born in Bethlehem was no mercenary minister. Jesus, in contrast to our Levite, departed the heights to live and die in the depths. He left behind the riches of heaven for the poverty of homelessness and false accusation. He sacrificed the love of the Father for the hate of mankind.

Followers of Jesus are fellow-servants; fellow-ministers. And following Jesus’ pattern, it’s not about what we get; it’s about what we give. It is not a pursuit of bigger and better, but how we can serve best.

No Easy Thing

This step that Mary was asked to take - it was no easy thing. She no doubt had some sort of vision for how her life should progress - marriage, children, an active member of the community. And this angel-visit put all of it at grave risk. It must have been no easy thing.

Imagine her conversation with her parents and family. “Hey, I’ve got to tell you some difficult news, but it’s not what you think.” The disappointment would be matched by the outrage of actually trying to “deify” her immoral actions. “How dare you blame God for what you have done?” I just don’t believe that family members would swallow her far-fetched explanation.

And then there is Joseph. Who would expect him to stick around? His proximity to her situation could only be condemning for himself. He was considering what to do, and it did not involve a future with this young woman. Now another angelic visit stopped him in his tracks. Amazingly, he was willing to embrace Mary as his wife, choosing to act according to the angel’s message over against public opinion. But, when Mary offered her testimony of submission to the will of God, she could not have known at that point how Joseph would respond. But she could have guessed. And so her step of faith was no easy thing.

And then there is public opinion. I don’t know how long it took her first family to come around. They might have changed their minds when they heard the testimony of shepherds or wise men, or watched this unusual young man grow up, sinless and all. But maybe not until thirty years later, which might not have come before Mary’s parents died. But then, how long did the public hold against her what they must have believed about her - that she, and Joseph,  were fornicators, and liars? Some would have changed their minds when they believed. But others never believed; nor would they have ceased to condemn.

We know that the story turns out all right in the end. The story always turns out well for those willing to submit to the will of God, in the end. But it is getting to the end that is so difficult. It may involve months, or years, or a lifetime of being different, of suffering disavowals, or enduring condemnation, or experiencing persecution.  And that does not apply only to Mary. It applies, in some measure, to every follower of Jesus. Paul says to Timothy “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” It is no easy thing. But, it is worth it in the end.

Christmas Wonder

What if a person could see Christmas with new eyes? What if a person, shaped and schooled by this world system, all of a sudden found in Jesus forgiveness of sins, and meaning, and love?

If that were to happen, then I would think that this person’s approach to the Christmas season would change, dramatically. For instance, what about those angels?

Nobody really believes in angels, do they? I suppose fruitcakes do. But no, the Bible is full of angels - heavenly messengers who break into the program with an important message that one could not possibly know without help. It happened to Zecharias, the father of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus; it happened to Mary, the young maiden who would be plucked from normal life and made the vessel for a divine operation. All of a sudden, our new believer will look around with a sense of new sensibilities - not that most of us, or any of us, will actually be visited by angels - but that God has a plan that is so important, that he sends “angelic alerts” at key times. God actually has a plan, and is working it. Who would have thought?

This new believer will see that the magic of Christmas is not based on a mere myth. He will see that there is a story of which Christmas is ‘only’ the beginning. That this Jesus lived, sinlessly. And then he died, blamelessly. And then, he rose from the dead, miraculously. He seemed crushed at the bottom of the world order, and then he turned that whole world order (of which a key part is this: you live, and then you die), upside down. He was born to die, so that we could be born again, to live, forever. And so it will dawn on this new believer that the ‘magic’ of Christmas is not a sentiment, but a wonder, that God so loved the world, that He sent His Son. 

And then, amazingly, he will begin to ponder how it is that the Creator could become a creature; how the King of the Universe would sacrifice His life for unruly subjects; how the High Priest of Heaven actually stoops to become the sacrificial lamb; how the Prophet who knows the mind of the Father actually comes to become the Word, so that this new believer does not just believe what He says - He believes in Him.

The new believer is surprised to learn that this Jesus has been foretold centuries before. But he will not be surprised that the prophet, 600 years in advance, called him ‘Wonderful.’

Disagree without Disgust

We live in a free society which allows for you to disagree with just about everybody about one thing or another. We are not forbidden to express our opinions and positions (that is, until recently). Because of that, we can listen to people who think differently, and, we can learn from them. Or, we can hate their guts.

It seems we are opting for the latter option rather than the former. Rather than honing our own positions, having properly understood the other’s position, and then clarifying the points at which those positions rub - we stop listening, and we demonize those with whom we disagree. We develop an attitude of disgust. This is not good practice for citizens of a free society. It is not acceptable for those who profess to be followers of Jesus.

Let’s take this problem off the street and see how it plays out at home. Picture a husband and wife. They have a disagreement. Maybe it’s about the kids and what freedoms or disciplines to enact. Maybe it’s about how to communicate boundaries to a zealous in-law. It doesn’t really matter. Disagreements happen. They are allowed. And you would think that this couple could talk and disagree, and talk some more - give it some time - go on a walk together, and listen, think around the issue, and talk some more. Or, on the other hand, they could just stop listening and talking. She (in her head - not out loud) calls him a bonehead, or worse. He (in his head - not out loud) calls her a witch, or worse. And, not surprisingly, they begin to despise each other.

In the first instance of disagreement, the couple eventually comes to an understanding. And, they end up loving each other all the more for having gone through the difficult process. But in the second scenario, they get a divorce. You don’t live long with someone with whom you are disgusted. But know this. The decision to allow disagreement to proceed to disgust was yours, and yours alone. We can absolutely disagree without disgust, whether at home, or on the street.

Are you disgusted with someone who was a political candidate? We disagree with all of them at some point. But are you disgusted? You have then crossed a line that is not civil, nor Christian. The points of disagreement might reach to areas that are very serious, even sacred, like disagreements about the value of human life. But allowing the disagreement in your mind to give way to disgust in your heart - that spillover is your problem. And, it’s a problem.