RADICAL CHRISTIANITY
The primary season is about to officially kick off here in the United States, inaugurated by the Republican Party debate this month. Remember, it is still more than a year until the actual Presidential election. One of the topics is sure to be radical Islam, a term that has been tossed around and denied by different sections of the populace.
As one listens to talking heads throw around the term “radical” like parade candy, one can be forgiven for suspecting they do so in order to make the message of mainstream Islam appear more tolerable.
When one talks about being “radical,” negative images come to mind and the issue denigrates into assertions that every religion has its “radicals.”
And they would be right, except for the negative characterization. For one to find what is radical in Christianity, a good place to begin is in the gospel of Matthew, Ch. 5. Here we find what is called the beatitudes; really they can be called the characteristics of Jesus. If one is to follow the example of the most perfect person of their respective religion then you have to look to the best example.
For Islam one would look to the person and nature of Muhammad, just as you would look to Jesus and His nature to fathom the ideal within Christianity.
Jesus spoke to His disciples and the crowds in the Sermon on the Mount; “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3, ESV). This is likely not what the crowd was expecting to hear, immediately after seeing the mighty miracles done by Jesus. They may have been expecting a crash course on how He healed all the people and how they too could draw huge crowds around them.
But no, Jesus taught them to completely depend on God for all things in their life. Wait, what? Totally deny yourself, is that what radical following of Jesus is? In short, yes. “When you lose, you win; that’s the way it is with Him,” (Thanks Rez Band for those lyrics!).
Jesus said it of Himself in John 5:19; “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He see the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” And later on in the same chapter Jesus says this; “I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30, ESV).
Jesus was completely focused on the Father’s will for Himself. If one would read the Christian Scriptures of the New Testament, they will find that Jesus never did any wrong/sin, and as a worthy and pure sacrifice, would die in our place so that the person who believed in Him would have eternal life.
So radical Christianity is not taking vengeance upon those who you consider your enemy, but following Jesus and focusing upon His perfect life. And when someone slaps you on the right cheek then turn to him the other also (That’s also from Jesus).
In coming to faith in Jesus and believing in His name, we have the peace of God and peace with God. Vengeance is not for us to take because we are flawed human beings. We are to trust God because He is faithful and perfect in all He does.
How should a Christian look upon Islam? Just as Jesus did:
I
Sincerely
Love
All
Muslims.