Definition #4: Life
A central teaching of Christianity has always been that life
is more than school, marriage, kids, work, 401k’s, Florida retirements, and
hearing aids. Instead, Christianity claims that every person has an eternal
soul that will exist even after his or her earthly body dies. Therefore, those
who believe in God’s grace through Jesus Christ will have eternal life in
heaven and eventually on a new earth, while those who don’t will be separated
from God forever in hell. As Jesus said, he came so that humans may have life
that has meaning, purpose, and joy. See Chapter 9 for more on these life and
death matters.
Definition #5: The Bible
Christianity says that God revealed who he is and what his
plans are through the written words of the Bible. Christians have historically
believed that the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, are
without error in the original writings. And serve as the final authority for
the Christian faith. In fact, Christians have traditionally believed that their
religion is intricately interwoven with the Bible, so much so that you can’t
separate them from each other without destroying the fabric of both. See Chapters
2 and 6 for more on the Bible.
Definition #6: A transformed life
When you know a lot about a subject, it’s easy to get lost
in the details. I can ask a chef about his prize soufflé, and he may bury me
with the details of its preparation rather than what I care about – that its
taste is to die for! I can ask a Web site developer about her Web site, and she
may talk at length about technical aspects of HTML when all I care about is how
I can use the site to order books. Or I can ask a theologian about what Christianity
is, and he may go off on the particulars of the Nicean Creed, when all I want
to know is whether the faith brings peace and joy to life. When the chef, Web
site developer, and theologian responded, they were telling me the truth, but I
was hoping for something more relevant and tangible. So, although you explore
many aspects of Christian belief throughout this book, don’t forget that, for
the average Christian, the Good News of Christianity on a practical, everyday
level means a transformed life, from a life that was empty to a life that has
meaning and hope, even when tragedies happen.
Check out Chapters 3, 5 and 13 to discover how Christ
changed the lives of people in Bible times as well as those living today in the
21st century.
Being forewarned of stereotypes: What Christianity is not
You get a glimpse of what Christianity is in the preceding
sections, but this section helps you take note of several misconceptions about Christianity
that permeate popular thought. Some come from people who aren’t Christians,
while some are from Christians themselves who take Christianity a la carte,
emphasizing one part of Christian teaching rather than the entire Christian message.
Consider the following misconceptions that are popular
today:
Christianity is harsh and legalistic.
Christianity is just about love.
Christians can’t have any fun.
Christianity is just a European religion.Christianity is one of many paths to the same end.
Christianity is a one-hour-a-week obligation.
Christianity is a feel-good kick.
I discuss these in the sections that follow.
Christianity isn’t just about judgment and condemnation
Because Christianity seeks to change, even kill, the sinful
nature, many people have come to think of it as a faith that’s based on meeting
a certain behavioural standard. And if you don’t measure up, then you’re going
to be judged and condemned.
Movies and TV shows often portray the Church as legalistic
and judgmental. Take, for example, the film Chocolat. It tells the story of a
wandering single mother, Vianne, and her daughter who come to a French village
that’s dominated by the Comte de Reynaud, the mayor who has a firm hand on all
that goes on in the village and its church. When the mayor learns that Vianne
had her child out of wedlock, has no interest in coming to church, and plans to
open a chocolate shop during Lent (the religious season when Christians traditionally
abstain from eating something, such as chocolate), he resolves to run her out
of town. The film portrays a stark contrast between the Comte’s strict legalism
and Vianne’s loving grace throughout the movie.
Many undoubtedly identify with Chocolat’s depiction of the
Church. Perhaps you even grew up in a church like that. Yet, the irony is that,
in watching the film, Jesus would be one to identify with the character of
Vianne, not the mayor. After all, in many ways, the religious leaders of his
day looked upon Jesus in the exact same way as the Comte looked upon Vianne.
Throughout history, strands of the Church have had this
tendency to slip into legalism. However, this attitude isn’t unique to Christianity.
When you look at any religion, you find a similar portion of its followers
stressing regulation and conformity to an expected standard, looking down on or
being suspicious of those who don’t live up to the rules. Ironically, even
those who profess no religion at all sometimes fall into this legalism trap,
criticizing those who believe differently than they do.
Jesus often battled with the Pharisees, the Jewish leaders
of his day, over these very issues. Time and time again, Jesus made the point
that the Pharisees cared more about rules than people and were preoccupied with
obeying legal principles rather than loving others.
As you discover in Chapters 3 and 9, Christianity doesn’t ignore judgment of sins, but biblical Christianity is a faith for the Viannes of the world, not the Comtes and the Pharisees (although they can be forgiven, too).
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