Keep The Christ In Christians – 5 of 12

JESUS WAS NEITHER LIBERAL NOR CONSERVATIVE…OR WAS HE BOTH?

There are few ways that American Christians are more divided today than in the realm of politics.  I’m not going to touch this polarized hot-topic with a 10-foot pole…not because I don’t have opinions or because I’m afraid to pick a side, but because I think the vehement differences of opinion that are causing Christian brothers and sisters to bicker & fight & battle are simply not the point.  I’m not interested in having half of you demonize me because I don’t share your opinion about your chosen set of topics.  Personally, I see both truth and corruption on both sides of American politics today, and why shouldn’t there be…it’s the world!  I call for honesty and respect among all who would claim to follow Jesus…regardless of “what direction our country is going.”

Truly, if you look at the historical and Biblical record, it’s clear that Jesus was neither purely conservative nor liberal, but appealed to all types of people.  He’s a wonderful model for us, I think.  At times He was quite liberal…especially when it came to social issues of His day regarding the honor and treatment of marginalized people.  At other times, He was obviously conservative…upholding the Law of Moses and the Prophets and teaching others that obedience to God’s ways was equal to loving Him.

Here are some passages that seem to show two sides of Jesus the Christ:

Jesus The Liberal

“When one of the Pharisees (aka super-religious conservative guy) invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”  “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.  Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:36-50)

Jesus The Conservative

“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”(John 2:13-17)

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19)

In my opinion, we need to hold onto one without releasing the other…and let go of the ridiculous expectation that we’re all going to agree about everything.  Living in sincere harmony with others  has nothing to do with what you agree on…it’s about respecting each other enough to allow for differences of opinion.  Also, we need to keep the main thing the main thing…

“We have a poor history of staying put on the priorities of the Kingdom of God. Historically the institutional church has often been so wrapped up with the culture it was in that it found it difficult to set aside unjust causes…slavery, both in England and in America…the actions of the WWII German government…becoming identified with a particular political party… And we have been polarized by social issues like the Jesus Movement in the late 60’s, the abortion controversy, homosexuality, etc, etc. Every time the church or part of the church has become issue oriented, we have taken a side step from our main purpose and have often ended up looking obstructionist, plain silly, and mean-spirited.” (Taft Mitchell, my favorite super-wise old guy)

Christ wants His People to shine for Him during this time….Some of us need to stop acting like Middle Schoolers with the slander & back-biting & name-calling…allowing for variation in how our faith in Christ is supposed to play itself out in this fallen world and political system that will always be fallen until His return.  We need supportive dialogue with each other, not shameful scandalization of each other!

I’ll close with these scriptures:

“Love must be sincere…Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves…Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse…Live in harmony with one another. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12-excerpts)

“My prayer is not for them [Jesus’ disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)