The earliest followers of Jesus Christ were often called followers of The Way. The term “The Way” connotes a few things: a path/passageway and a way of being/living which is naturally connected with and through Jesus Christ. Couple this term with Jesus’ consistent instruction for his disciples to follow him and we can see that he intended that they live a life that looked and felt a lot like his. At least in those early years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, those who proclaimed a faith in Christ were witnessed by others as living a life that attempted to mimic his. To them, in addition to the God-man, he was the archetype (or perfect example) from which they formed their lives.
The Way of Jesus is The Way of Love. When asked about the supreme law of God, Jesus proclaimed simply that love of God and of one another covered everything! He was very clear in that proclamation. He didn’t stop there however… he also demonstrated these commandments in the way he lived. His parables, ministry, and final self-sacrifice pointed to one way: the Way of Love. The vision of Christ on the cross is a vision of total, self-emptying love for all of us. The Apostle Paul put it like this: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He didn’t put conditions on that love. It was total, it was complete and it was for us.
Paul also made the proclamation that God is love: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” It would be safe for us to assume that we separate ourselves from God when we act outside of this or when we act in self-centeredness. That is when our actions become primarily about ourselves to the exclusion of God and others. Sin begins with self-centeredness and results in our separation from our Creator.
Today, particularly in our country, we are hard-pressed to find unbelievers who proclaim Christianity as a religion displayed first in how it is lived. I'm not speaking of mindless rule abiding but, a religion marked by pure self-emptying love for the other. While none of us can live to this highest ideal, today, we seem more accepting of the faith as one where, we need only proclaim a belief and yet change nothing about ourselves or how we live. For a growing number, it is a belief system focused solely on the death and resurrection of Jesus while ignoring the rest of his earthly ministry; a focus on three days (albeit very important days) and away from his life of thirty-three years. In this, we over-simplify Jesus when we view his life and death as a mere transaction that occurred to save us and, all the while, ignore that he taught us in how we are to live (to be clear, I've spent most of my life stuck in that same mud!). Jesus Christ taught us how to live by how he loved/loves his Father and how he loved/loves us. I’m continually encouraged by that life and the lessons they contained.
I’m encouraged by a Christianity that is concerned with the protection of the least; not by a “Christianity” that is primarily concerned with protecting what is mine/ours. I’m encouraged by a Christianity that seeks justice for the poor and downtrodden; not by a “Christianity” that says it cares, as if on a checklist, but ultimately does nothing to help them. I’m encouraged by a Christianity that is willing to stand for those who don’t look like me; not a “Christianity” that isn’t enraged by the hatred/bigotry/exclusion directed toward them. I’m encouraged by a Christianity that asks me to seek a deeper understanding of the other; not a “Christianity” that is primarily concerned with justifying and defending itself to the exclusion of others. I’m simply encouraged by a Christianity that seeks to live the example set by Jesus Christ; not a “Christianity” that says it believes in him but does not seek, in humility, to follow and learn from him.
