Faith

I have been having somewhat of a crisis of faith.  Not my faith in Jesus, if anything that has strengthened.  My faith is all about trying to follow the life and teachings of Jesus. As Peter says in John 6 “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”   

Nor is my crisis related to not believing the Bible. I believe the Bible; taken seriously; points to Jesus. It is not a science book, it is not a history book, it is not a rule book, it tells a story that leads us to Jesus. There are rules along the story, but as the story moves, we are left with two rules - love God and love neighbor; especially anyone in need. In the Gospels, we read that the most of the people that were experts in scripture completely missed Jesus and were active in getting Him executed.  So, according to the Bible, the Old Testament can lead us to Jesus or can lead us away. The Old Testament is important, but it is not the end of the story, we don’t have Jesus yet, it is unfilled. Jesus is the new wine, as He states.

My crisis of faith is with the Church; by which I mean the group of people that call themselves Christian. I am speaking of Christians as a group, not each individual. Jesus taught a radical self-sacrificing love, acceptance and forgiveness message. It is a radical message; it is as radical now as it was then and it is as unacceptable to the majority of religious leaders as it was back then.  Here are some of the teachings.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you: Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also,- Matthew 5:38-39

But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  - Matthew 5:44

Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword. - Matthew 26:52

Then he said to them all, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. - Luke 9:23-24

Jesus not only taught to “not resist an evildoer”, to “love your enemies”, that those “take the sword will die by the sword,” and those that “want to save their life will lose it”.  He lived it.  Jesus, who had all power, chose to suffer instead of retaliate.  He taught that true peace comes only through love and not through violence. Not by beating our enemies into submission. He chose to die on a cross instead of defending Himself.  He taught that His followers must do the same, that they must “take up their cross”. One can not pick up their cross until they put down their weapons. In the Bible, Jesus followers never use violence, they were punished but never used violence. That is in stark contrast to the Old Testament. That is radical, that is Jesus, that is not what most Christians believe, that is not what most of the Church teaches.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[_h] consume and where thieves break in and steal, - Matthew 6:19

No slave can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” - Luke 16:13  

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” - Mark 10:25

Then he looked up at his disciples and said:“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.- Luke 6:20

But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.- Luke 6:24 In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus; Jesus teaches that the nameless rich man went to Hades while Lazarus is by Abraham’s side. The rich man calls out to Abraham; then…  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus in like manner evil things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. - Luke 16:25

Jesus’ words against the rich are very harsh. Jesus taught against storing up individual wealth; He even put a thief in charge of the money. God did not create money, governments did. There are plenty of resources for everyone’s need, God has provided for us. John Wesley stated "If I leave behind me 10 (pounds), you and all mankind will bear witness against me that I lived and died a thief and a robber." In the story of the widow offering, Jesus tells us the poor widow put in more that the rich, because it is not how much you put in,but how much you withhold. That is radical, that is Jesus, that is not what most Christians believe, that is not what most of the Church teaches.

 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.- Mark 5:44

Jesus does not call His followers to be rich or powerful.  They are not to live in rich luxury while others suffer financially. They are to call for everyone’s needs to be met.  They are not to use violence on others so they can live in safety.  They are called to be willing to die for their enemy, not to kill. It is about a worldwide community where everyone matters equally. Spreading that message is what Jesus’ followers are required to do. That is wanting His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven….

While I don’t ever remember learning such a radical message in Church, ever; the problem has gotten much worse. Jesus teaches In Matthew 25; Jesus states that in the end people will be divided into 2 groups, those that care for the least of these and those that do not. That is it, it is all about caring for those in need. Yet, most Christians have been quiet as services to the poor are being cut, blaming the weak for our problems, demonizing the immigrants, racial attacks, hate towards the different in general; while funneling more wealth to the rich. Increase in spending in tools of violence both nationally and individually.  While all that is against the teachings of Jesus. The crisis for me however has come with the genocide in Gaza. If Christians/the Church cannot call out this evil, what is the point?

To be clear, I do not support the violence by Hamas. However, I don’t know anyone that thinks their attacks are justified, while most support the violence done by the government of Israel and providing more tools of violence to them. I think this gets to the root of the problem.  We want a God for us; a God that is on our side.  A God that blesses us. We can use violence against them because we are the ones truly loved. Our wealth is ours, we are to be praised if we give some to those in need, but it is not about pulling those up to be equal, they must remain lesser. That is a religious I want no part of, it is not the teachings of Jesus    

Jesus had harsh words for religious leaders. They did not bring people to God. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.-  

It is time, past time to call the Church back to Jesus.  I want a Church that clings to the radical love of Jesus, I don't want Christian unity around a ritual song and dance about us but one that has at its heart the great commission; proclaiming the teachings of Jesus to the world.