What is a Christian?
I recently felt I should offer summary of what information technology is to be a Christian on the blog, in written and in video grade. This is my first effort at a script for this; observations and suggestions welcome in the comments.
In online debate, in media discussion and even in coincidental conversation, there is quite a lot of confusion about what exactly is a Christian. The term is frequently taken as code for a particular political position, or every bit someone having a particular view on a controversial topic of the day. Merely none of these actually explains what a Christian is, or what Christians believe.
Christians come in all shapes and sizes—and the vast majority of Christians today can be establish in non-Western countries. But through history, and across cultures, Christians have more often than not shared a belief in four things.
The first is that the world is good. We live in a world total of wonder—a world of extraordinary diversity and complexity. And the wonder that we see in the world does not come to us simply as a material fact—nosotros often sense it as pointing to something beyond the textile. Many people experience what we might call these moments of 'transcendence' in all sorts of dissimilar ways. Perhaps standing on a mount meridian and communicable their breath at the majesty of what is lain out before them. Perchance in the extraordinary complication of the systems we find in the physical world. Perhaps a painting speaks of a profound reality of life. Perhaps information technology is in a moment of intimacy in relationship—or the absolute wonder of a new life entering the globe. Any gives ascension to information technology, these moments come to u.s.a. like the sun breaking through nighttime clouds and causing a sudden shaft of light to pierce the gloom. Although all we come across is material, it sometimes seems to speak to united states of something beyond the material.
The Bible describes such things as the revelation of God through his cosmos. The reason why Christians conventionalities that the globe is good is that they believe it is a a skillful souvenir to us from a proficient creator, ane who delights to give good things to us. None of us asked to exist built-in—nosotros receive our very lives every bit a gift that has come from another. Because the globe has been made by God, information technology reflects something of this God—his power, beauty, and generosity—makes the sun polish and the pelting fall on the good and the bad alike! And every bit the world reveals something about the truth of God to united states, it calls us to wonder and worship—and even in a sense offers worship itself. This is non something in contradiction to the natural procedure we encounter around us—simply something that happens through aspects of nature. And it answers the kinds of questions that scientific observation can never respond—why do we have this sense of wonder and transcendence? why practise we seek to find guild and meaning in the world? And why is at that place a earth at all—why is at that place something rather than goose egg? This is a earth not merely gifted to us, merely one which we are invited to enjoy and protect, to be blest past (in what it provides) and to bless, every bit we care for it like a precious gift.
But alongside this, Christians believe a second truth—something has gone very wrong with the globe—and not only with the earth, but too with us. We see wonder in the globe around us—merely we also see pain and suffering. Nosotros meet this in the natural world—only nosotros feel the strength of it mostly sharply in the suffering of beau humans. You will know this if you have been close to someone who has died earlier their time, or been tragically injured in an accident—our grief and anger is frequently accompanied by our bafflement as to how this darkness cuts across all the good in the world. Suffering is caused by natural disasters—simply by far the virtually suffering is caused past humans themselves—past humans' inhumanity to their boyfriend humans. We see it on our news—nosotros watch, with an eery fascination, on our soaps—we see it in families and relationships all around united states of america. And it is shocking. People are capable of extraordinary feats of heroism—of selfless endeavour, even cocky-sacrifice, on behalf of others. And nevertheless the same humanity is capable of the utmost cruelty, of cowardice, selfishness and indifference on a global calibration.
And we don't just see it 'out at that place', in the lives of others. We besides see it 'in here', in our ain lives. How is information technology that nosotros can be moved by the suffering of those many miles away—and yet often don't even know what is happening in the lives of our neighbours? How tin can nosotros be moved to acts of kindness one minute—yet in the next moment a flash of anger produces words that wound? Why are nosotros so hands drawn in to the conversation that is destroying someone'south graphic symbol behind their back? Why are we so often gnawed at by anger and resentment at the way others have treated us?
Of form, most of us haven't committed cracking crimes—only that'southward probably because most of us take not been greatly tested—and if we are honest nosotros strongly suspect that the straw house of our moral integrity would be apace blown abroad by the tempests of testing that others have had to face up.
The Bible describes this reality of the human condition in a range of vivid ways—you tin can observe all these faults and more in its pages! But one of the key words it uses is 'sin'—non meaning doing something a flake naughty when no-one is looking—but abiding tendency to do the incorrect matter when we have the gamble. Sin is the turning away from the person in need when we are but a little too tired. Sin is the lack of courage to swim against the tide when nosotros know things are wrong. Sin is that instinct for self-protection rather than taking the risk of continuing upwardly for what is right. Sin is the style we put ourselves at the centre of our lives—as one Christian leader put it—the heart turned in on itself. And the Bible says that the root crusade of all these things stems from our turning from God himself—turning from the one who has given usa the gift of life and this good globe, and using what God has given usa for our own ends.
And very often we might notice ourselves as much sinned against as sinning. Nosotros are wounded by the selfishness of others just as we wound them with our selfishness. Sin finds it way into whole patterns of relationships, creating dishonesty, unfaithfulness, corruption, inequality and exploitation. And very often we are left feeling hurt and insecure, lost and solitary. Even the globe effectually us groans from our greed and exploitation.
But Christians believe in a third truth—some remarkably adept news. Even though we have, in so many ways, turned from God and spoiled the good things he has given the states, God has not turned from us—quite the opposite. The Bible depicts God equally constantly seeking out estranged humanity. God is like a shepherd who has lost a sheep—a woman who has lost a precious piece of jewellery—a parent who has lost a child. God is constantly seeking out you lot and me. The story of the Bible is the story of God seeking out a people who would know and love him—to whom he stayed faithful even when they were not faithful to him. And the climax of that story was the coming of Jesus.
John's gospel describes the coming of Jesus in a remarkable fashion—'he pitched his tent among united states of america.' Despite all our achievements, nosotros know that life is fragile, vulnerable and finite. Human mortality rates are remarkably consequent: 100% of the states will one day die! But Christians belief that, in the person of Jesus, God came and shared in our fragile lives. He was hungry and thirsty, but as we are—tired and lonely, just equally nosotros tin can be. He experienced the joy of life and the disappointment of broken friendships. He knew the faithfulness of friends and the bitterness of betrayal.
But he did more. He didn't merely experience the fragility of man life—he also brought his transforming power to it. He healed the wounded—he welcomed the outcast—he forgave the sinful—he embraced the lonely. And the accounts of his life in the New Testament (the 'gospels', meaning 'proficient news stories') spend more time describing the events around his decease and resurrection than annihilation else. They merits that, in Jesus' death on the cross and rise once again, God has dealt with sin and all its consequences. Jesus took on the consequences of sin and offers us forgiveness. Jesus took on the pain of sin and offers us healing. And Jesus took on the power of sin, and is able to set up usa free.
So he gives united states of america an invitation. But every bit he chosen his offset follows, and so he calls united states of america: come, follow me. Come and receive the life that I offer you. He invites us to turn once again—just as nosotros have turned away from God and what is right, he now invites usa to plough back to him—to receive forgiveness for what is incorrect—to receive healing for what is broken—to receive freedom from the things that agree usa in their grip. In Matthew's gospel Jesus offers this invitation:
Come, all you who are burden and heavy laden, and I will give y'all rest. Accept my yoke upon y'all and acquire from me, and you will discover rest for your souls. For I am gentle and humble in spirit.
In the Book of Revelation, Jesus puts it this manner:
Behold, I stand up at the door and knock. If anyone hears my phonation, and opens the door, and I will come in and will eat with them.
Jesus is ready to come and meet with y'all, enter your world and offer you a new life to live. God has pronounced his 'yes' over you, and waits to hear your 'yeah' in return. God has made a conclusion to love you and seek you out and (this is the fourth matter Christians believe) he waits for y'all to brand a decision for him.
And when nosotros do decide to plough back, to welcome him and notice his welcome of us, then God gives us three gifts to sustain united states. First, he promises to give u.s.a. his Holy Spirit—his own presence in our lives, speaking to us, equipping us and helping us to alive this new life. Secondly, he gives us the Scriptures, the Bible, which teaches us about God and guides us in our daily living. Thirdly, God gives united states of america his people (the church), as young man pilgrims in the life of organized religion. As nosotros meet together calendar week by calendar week, we encourage each other, learn together, and encounter God's renewing presence in worship.
Christians as well believe that, i solar day, Jesus volition return again, and volition complete the work that he has begun. All the wrong in the world volition finally be put right; all the sources of evil will be destroyed; every pain and grief will exist ended. The final chapters of the Book of Revelation put it similar this:
And I heard a loud vox from the throne proverb, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They volition be his people, and God himself volition be with them and exist their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more than death'a or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
And this hope sustains the states through all the joys and challenges of living our new life in God.
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