Christians Creating Confusion About Christ

How many of us have heard someone say something like, "The church is full of hypocrites"? For every one we have heard, there must be many more just out of earshot. If it was ever in vogue to be Christian (certainly there was an expectation at one time), that time is gone. I believe that the change has come primarily from people who are sick and tired of the intolerance many vocal Christians spew in public venues. Let's face it, Fred Phelps is a more recognizable figure in the news than a Brian McClaren or Rob Bell. Tolerance doesn't sell, so we are working from a disadvantage. People loving their neighbors as themselves isn't very sexy compared with stories of conflict surrounding homosexuality or abortion.

Intolerance has become the Christian byproduct of pointing out sins. The problem is that our Rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, was perhaps the most tolerant person to ever walk the earth. The Pharisees, an ultra-conservative group of Jews in Jesus' time, were constantly appalled at Jesus' willingness to eat with those deemed unworthy because of their apparent sins. Jesus was a rule breaker. He was always about pointing out the spirit of the law and criticizing the letter of it. The letter of the law was determined by the interpretation of the teachers of the law, the scribes.

Jesus calls his followers to a changed life. Salvation is not intended to be fire insurance - get it and be saved from the flames. Salvation is about becoming new, being "born again" to use that phrase. Brian McClaren treats this issue well in his most recent book The Secret Message of Jesus. Our Christian culture has tried to reduce the concept to a commodity to be procured from God when, in fact, it is an unearnable gift that we discovered we would never want to do without.

People know what they see. We as Christians aren't providing much to see beyond the divisiveness and hatred witnessed through the news. We must stand with our Rabbi, our Savior, our God and be light and salt in this world. Light brings hope. Salt brings flavor. The world needs good news, and that is exactly what we are to be about. If we can make that real, tangible change in ourselves, perhaps we can begin saving the word hypocrite for politicians. Maybe people would find new problems to point out in the church. Maybe it would renew hope and growth in what Jesus referred to as his body on earth. It's worth the effort.