For Christians, the ends do not justify the means. The means are important. And so are the ends. When we look at the example of Jesus, we see that means are important. The Sermon on the Mount is one verse after another about how the means are as important as the ends. Blessed are the peacemakers – not blessed is peace. Peacemakers are in the process of making peace happen. It’s the means.
Bless are those who thirst for justice – not those who have arrived at justice. It’s in the process.
The means are important. Because if the ends justify the means, then it makes sense to bully your way to the ends to get what you want. But Jesus never condoned this activity. Christianity can be described as many things – a way of life is one of them. A way of life means that there is more to life than just the end result – there is the living of your life that matters.
But unfortunately, there is a theology out there that says that only the end matters – where you end up when you die. There is a theology out there that promotes Rapture – an escape from this world. If we are going to escape, then what happens here doesn’t matter. There is a theology out there that promotes a wrathful God who relishes destroying anyone who even questions God. If there is no room for questions and doubt, then we are just robots and life doesn’t matter.
There is a theology out there that mixes its political and partisan loyalty with theological belief (or rather disbelief). It confuses political identity for baptismal identity. It puts faith in leaders who will do anything and destroy anything or anyone in the way in order to get the desired result.
When you can willingly be cruel, oppressive, dehumanize, mock, ridicule, divide, foster fear and anger – or support someone who does this on your behalf – then you have a faulty belief system. That’s not a belief system of Good News. It’s a belief system on an earthly empire concerned with obtaining and wielding power and crushing enemies. That’s not God’s kingdom and it’s not Good News. It’s not a belief system that saves anyone. It’s not a system of belief that builds off of trust. It’s a belief system based on slavery, demands compliance, unquestioning allegiance, and lacks any freedom.
It’s a belief system that sells one’s soul to the empire to receive a short-term gain, at the expense of the Kingdom of God. Rather, we are to deny ourselves and our quest for power and pick up our cross and follow Jesus.
If we didn’t question, how would we learn more about our God and the way grace comes to us, etc etc? Can you further explain the paragraph about political and partisan loyalty being confused with baptismal identity? Sometime?
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There are many Christians today who seem to think that their faith in a political party is what brings salvation and a leader of their party is a Messiah-like figure that will save the nation and people. This is true of many Christians who are strong supporters of the Republicans and Trump today. It was also true of a different strand of Christians who were strong supporters of the Democrats and Obama when they controlled government. These things and their leaders will pass. This isn’t new. It’s been the norm of humanity – it happened in Rome, in Greece, and in every empire that has ever exist, or any nation that could be considered like an empire. Power draws people in – or at least the perception of power. It is our broken human nature to want to move towards the powerful. Yet, Christ’s example of entering Jerusalem counters this message. Christ’s message to pick up the cross and follow him counters this message. We don’t place our faith or hold our salvation in political parties or politicians. Our salvation is in Jesus.
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Lots and lots of good stuff in this article! Thanks!
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Thanks Tim.
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