A Pure and Friendly Jesus (Letter to Christians)

To my dear pastors, presbyters, lay leaders, parishioners, board members, elders, deacons, priests, and bishops,

We have passed the point of no return for the Christian faith. We can no longer identify a cohesive "Christendom" to geographically or politically define Christianity. It's global now. But with that globalization has come an influx of other religious influences. Christianity no longer belongs to Europe or America, just as Islam no longer belongs exclusively to Saudi Arabia, just as Buddhism no longer belongs to India or even Japan. The world is opening its arms to migration and new people groups just as Jesus himself opened his arms to those no one expected him to love.

This may come to you as bad news as you're hiding out in your bomb shelter of nationalized religion and waiting for this storm to pass. It's not a storm, and it won't just "pass." Religion will no longer be able to exist in a crystallized state of patriotic identity.

In this new climate of religious amalgamation we must learn as much as we can about each other, so resist the urge to resist a change to what has largely been a nationalized Christianity. Note that this does not require going to a Christian bookstore to pick up a new copy of "Why Christianity is Right and Everyone Else is the Devil" by Pat Rewind. That kind of approach was never helpful, and it's actually causing more harm than good.

The existence of other religio-philosophical systems in itself is not a threat to the nature and character of Christ, nor is it an affront to your many years' worth of tithes and Christmas plays. Other beliefs are not "the enemy" and certainly their representative believers do not deserve to be anathematized for not being just like you. You might even benefit from another perspective.

I'm not advocating a total abandonment of Christianity, nor am I pushing you to become anything other than fully in love with the person and nature of Christ. But there are two commissions operative in Christianity that need to be addressed.

The first is that Jesus never said that his closing statement before disappearing into the sky was a "Great Commission" and if you read it without that context it really just looks like a benediction such as would be said from a parent to a child. So Matthew 28:19 is not a call to categorical proselytism but an impartation of divine authority to teach the things he taught, which even in his time were philosophically subversive.

The second commission is the actual content of that teaching, which is found across the four gospels but for brevity's sake I will equate with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. It has been said that the Ten Commandments and the law of the Hebrews was a religious evolution for the Ancient Near East because for the first time ever, a deity cares about the way people treat other people. And since Jesus confirms that he is not abolishing this law at the Mount of Olives, this must be maintained. But we can also add another layer because in Jesus's teaching it is clear that God also cares about how you think and feel about other people, just as much as if you were acting physically. And here is introduced a God who knows your heart, to whom your intentions and thoughts matter.

God emptied Godself (Luke 1:26-38) of power to walk around in human form (Philippians 2:5-8), to teach a better way to live, and to offer absolution for moral transgressions (Luke 23:34) rather than lex talionic retribution. This concept is what makes Jesus such a striking figure even to people who do not consider themselves "Christian."

By taking all these foreign things like Red-White-and-Blue, the King James Version of the Bible, or legal propositions, and bundling them up with Christ you are heretically obfuscating his teaching with your own hegemonic interests.

Thus, I arrive at my two requests of you:

1) Please allow Jesus to have his own voice untainted by your biases and interests, true to the context in which he spoke both historically and theologically.

2) And please spend time in meaningful interaction with people of other beliefs, faiths, and philosophical backgrounds and positions.

You'll find that Jesus is a lot more powerful once you stop interrupting him, and that other people have some very important contributions to make to our understanding as we follow Jesus's teaching. If you integrate these requests into your life you may find that God starts doing some things you never thought possible. But if you ignore me, feel free to let me know how it's working for you.

Sincerely,

Rev. Thomas R. Gartin

Just Jump

Two Kinds Of Good

It occurred to me this week that when you and I speak of a person being "good" we could mean very different things. It's a word with all kinds of connotations and meanings. Specifically, in a spiritual context, "good" is an extremely diverse term.

I've met many I would define as "good" and what I mean is they are merely moral. This kind of good is very responsible and reliable. It's the neighbor that keeps his grass mowed but you wouldn't want to spend much time with because this kind of good survives through contrast. It's good at reminding you of how bad you are. It means well, but its stance is always defensive. This kind of good is defined by what it doesn't do. It's the aestetic alone in the dessert with his hand raised for three weeks. As Tom Sawyer put it, "It's good in the worst sense of the word."

Now, I'm happy to tell you there is another kind of good. I've met many I would define as this "good" and what I mean is they are generous. It's a kind of good that is approachable and attractive. It's a good that has a sort of charm and grace to it. It's the good you are unintentionally refreshed to be around. It's the friend you call for a good laugh because this kind of good prospers within community. It's good at conveying joy. It's stance is always accepting. This kind of good is defined by what they give. It's the trusted friend you met with at the pub to confess something ugly and he responds with an arm around you and a nod to the bartender, "The next one's on me."

See, I write this on Sunday because I know how many of my friends aren't getting dressed for Church this morning because they are weary of the former kind of "good". They have suspicions that God is a different kind of good. God could be the latter kind of good. For some, the suspicion is not much more than a hope. I wanted to share this with you because your suspicions are correct. Your hope can end in joy. I wanted to announce to you that God is very good.

And my life is going to prove it.

Care to join me?

"this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." -1 John 3:16

More to come on this... To Be Continued.

Spiritual Lessons From The Man In The Parking Lot

[Just found this and realized I forgot to publish it at the time!]

Last semester I was approached by a man, while I was walking to my car in the parking lot. "excuse me sir, I like your tie. By the way, are you registered to vote in Placer County and would you be willing to sign this to stop the tuition hike?" (extending a petition with a few signatures already on it.) I was grumpy, tired, and ready for Spring Break, so I answered brashly, "Sure, if you can tell me exactly what I'm signing, and how that will stop the tuition hike." He promptly responded, "Thank you have a great day" and walked away.

Hands down, I wasn't the most polite person to deal with, but really?! I asked a question and he left! As I got in my car and began to criticize the man on his inability as a petitioner, I realized that I have done the same thing when trying to "get signatures" for Christ or even just to go to church! This thought, ultimately led me to three conclusions that I had rarely thought about as a follower of Christ.

1) Cut the Flattery- The minute he gave me a compliment was the minute I gave him one strike. I didn't know him, and he was obviously selling something. The flattery as a use of persuasion was not only extremely obvious, but extremely hurtful to his cause. It immediately shut me down. Now, this is not to say you can't compliment a person and be polite, but examine the motive behind it. If you weren't trying to ask them about church or Christ, would you still have given that compliment?

2) Have the information- 1 Peter 3:15 says, "but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." If you walk up to someone and tell them that Jesus loves them, and they should accept him in their hearts, you better be ready for "why?" Imagine how strange you felt when you first heard this, if you can remember, imagine: An invisible God, who you don't know about, sent His son from Heaven to Earth to die for your sin, which you may or may not see as bad.Not only that, but you should also seek after this invisible being, and ask His forgiveness. Does that not sound nuts if you aren't a Christian?

3) It doesn't matter how pretty you wrap it up, it is still about them- I was in a bad mood before I saw him, I was in an even worse one while talking to him. But it didn't matter. I knew while he was talking that I wasn't going to sign the petition, and it didn't matter to me how eloquently he stated his case. Short of bribing me to sign the petition, there is really nothing he could have done to get me to sign it. Often as followers of Christ, we think it is our job to get the signatures. It isn't. Our job is to love the person, present the material, and let God do the work. At the end of the day the burden is on the person you have shared with, not you. If they aren't ready to accept Christ, there is nothing that you can do or say in that moment. All you can do is love. Often we consider pestering them, yet this only results in working against your cause, making them believe that believers are insensitive to their desires, pushy, annoying, and just flat out rude.

These lessons only reinforce in my mind that the acceptance of and leading to Christ must be done through a personal relationship. The following of Christ is a process, not a moment, and we as followers of Christ need to respect that it is something that takes time. All we can do is continue to show love.

-Chris

Should Christians Rebuke Others?

I have both a Biology Test to do, and genetics questions, yet cannot seem to get something off of my mind. No doubt that by now, you have heard some kind of comment about women and the way they dress during Halloween. Since I am neither a woman, nor a fashion expert, I am definitely not qualified to make any comment on it. Since I am a Christian, a follower of Christ, and a representative of Him to the world, I do feel qualified to comment on the Christian’s reaction to those who partake in the bizarre event known as the way people dress on Halloween.

The first major reaction that I see is nothing. People don’t say anything due to fear, apathy, or any other numerous reasons. Many people see Halloween as no different as women wearing a swimsuit during the summertime, and with such a view, hold back judgement on those who (in my opinion) dress funny on Halloween. Although I don’t fully believe in this approach, I find it a lot less damaging than the next response that has driven this post.

The second response that I see from Christians is one of passionate rebuke. Christians are quick to condemn these women as “skanky, sluttish, and whore-ish, yet believe that since they are not calling that person a skank, slut, or whore directly; that it is appropriate to use these words. In giving those who hold this opinion the benefit of the doubt; I will say that this passionate response comes from a desire to see their friends, families, or even complete strangers dressed in a way that is ultimately respectful to that person. Yet, the righteous desire does not permit, or justify, the use of words that are ultimately condemning, degrading, and judgmental of that person. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Imagine if you were that person who decided to wear a little less, and you had someone judging your character on the clothes you were wearing for one night. Now imagine if you didn’t even know the person making that judgement. That person then proclaims to be a Christian. How do you feel towards the judge, Christians, and Christ Himself? I can tell you that by the reactions of my friends who partake in such an event, these people feel hurt, judged, and angry towards not only the judge (effectively eliminating any credibility that Christian once had- hindering their ability to minister), but also toward all Christians, and even being angry towards Christ for the hypocrisy of His followers.


For anyone acquainted with the New Testament they will immediately point to verses that permit the rebuking of others. Although there are many verses of the sort, we can examine Jesus’ words in regard to the correction of others’ actions. Luke 17:3: “So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.” Yet, I would like to point out something. Christ first says, “So watch yourselves…” Correction is a very personal matter and although Paul instructs it to be done in front of others (possibly for a variety of reasons, such as accountability- the same as having a witness present to attest that everything was said and done appropriately) it is initiated when you, personally, are wronged. We see this in the following of “if your brother sins against you rebuke them, and if they repent forgive them.” Instructions are given later in 1Timothy 5 that say: “1 Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, 2 the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.” Here there are two important things, 1) “Do not sharply rebuke…” without feeling the need to define sharply, let’s just use the word respectfully. 2) In all purity… examine your own actions for the rebuking. Is it coming from the love of that person, or are you just using that as an excuse to passionately condemn someone who isn’t following the rules? How can you tell what your motivation is? If you havn't talked to that person or bothered to keep a relationship with that person, it probably isn't the former.If you have worked to keep a relationship with that person: Be careful of the words that are used, and realize whenever you use the word you, you are making it a personal statement: make sure you aren’t attacking the character of your brother by describing an action. (sucks when someone emphasizes you huh?) I also feel the need to mention, that rebuking should be done by someone close who they will receive it from.

Another thing that is important to point out. Christ mentions a “brother” (For this usage, sister is also appropriate), The Bible defines the word “brother” in two ways. 1) A biological connection between two people (Mathew 13:55). And as a unification of believers (1 Corinthians 12). Neither one of these contexts is used for the unbelievers. With this established, it is not the role of a Christian to rebuke those who do not believe, it is a Christian’s role to love them. Take a look at the encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 8. When accused by the Pharisees of adultery, despite her guilt, Christ responds, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Verse ten then says: “Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” ¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” If Jesus didn’t condemn a sinner, then neither should Christians. He left the adulteress with an encouragement, not a judgement.

With my feelings expressed, I can only leave you with my hope: May you use your passion to uplift those who believe, and those who don’t. May you be respectful of all people: encouraging whenever possible, and correcting only when necessary. May you always remember the power of your words, and the power that you have to affect others. Finally, may you always remember the love that Christ has for each and every person, and let that love drive you to love others.

-Chris