Even though the subject has been widely dealt with on the Internet, I still found it useful to make it the starting point of this journey and the bedrock of future postings.
Nowadays, the word 'Christian' rather evokes a large holdall into which are indiscriminatingly thrown Catholics, Orthodox, Copts, Adventists, Lutherans, Calvinists, Baptists, Anabaptists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Evangelicals, liberals, Methodists, Pentecostals, Charismatics, Emergents, Quakers, Mormons, Celestials, Jehovah's witnesses and many others… In the end, the question remains: who is Christian and who is not ?
Acts 11:26 (ISV), «… It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. »
Christian : the word appears three times in the Bible (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16) and the first group to use it were the Gentiles, who in those days were pagans. The Jews, careful to avoid any possibility of association with the Messiah - the Christ - contemptuously preferred to speak of ‘the sect of Nazarenes’ (Acts 24:5). In both cases, they were all referring to a group of people whose words and behaviour recalled significantly those of Jesus of Nazareth, a group of people who were self-proclaimed disciples of Christ.
But the word disciple alludes to someone who follows the teachings of a master and adheres to them, meaning, who puts them into practice. Thus according to Farrar, the disciple of Christ is he who believes in His doctrine, soaks himself in His spirit and imitate His example. (See International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). To be Christian, is therefore to have Christ for model.
Christ as a model of the respect of the Scriptures : The importance of the Bible
If all those who claim to be Christians were really behaving as such, nobody for instance, would wish to become a Buddhist. When it comes to spirituality, Buddhism seems to be the most associated with the concepts of peace and tolerance. But when I consider how they seek to attain it, as long as the awakening, I do realise that I can do better and even more, by simply putting Christ’s teachings into practice. What then is wrong ? The problem lies in the fact that we have become very complacent with our faith and now live it by power of attorney. We are so lazy to go to the fountain ourselves that we pay others to go; then we hasten to drink without taking the time to check whether the water that has been served to us is limpid, drinkable and indeed fetched from the Spring of Living Water. Is it not written: « … you have rejected me, the source of life-giving water ? » (Jeremiah 2:13)
The Lord was the Word, the Word of God ; and every time He opened His mouth, the Word was flowing out. « It is written » and « It is also written » were both naturally coming out : the Word of God had became flesh. No one could trap Him on any point of the Scriptures ; the devil tried and left empty-handed. Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees also tried their luck with in vain.
Paul’s wish is that we should not be tossed to and fro and carried away by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). But how will this happen if we cannot say « It is also written » as easily as the Master ? That is why we must absolutely read and re-read the Bible. We have to rediscover it. It is such an unrecognized treasure of pure wisdom ; and is within everyone’s reach. The Bible has been said to contain many things that it doesn’t and has also been accused of all sorts of intentions.
Like the Church of Laodiceans (Revelation 3:14-22), we have become so rich, so ‘prosperous’ that we no longer know neither spiritual hunger, nor spiritual thirst… I pray for a thirsty people who would run to the waters, even without money (for the God’s gifts are not for sale) in order to drink ; yes, a thirsty people who would massively come to the Lord to quench its thirst with the waters that He gives, those living waters that can quench one’s thirst forever (Isaiah 55:1, John 4:10,14 et 7:37). Such a people would be assured to be satisfy and to such a people is promised the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:6,3). I pray for such a people…
« …Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. » (Matthew 28:20, KJV) The pioneer Christians were ‘faithful’ because of their attachment to the teachings of the Lord. We have to (re)learn to do like the Bereans (Acts 17:11). Not intimidated at all by the interplanetary or the supra-galactic profile of the evangelists and the Apostles who were speaking to them, they systematically cross-checked in the Scriptures, the accuracy of what was taught to them.
In case of conflict, they would have held the Scriptures for true and the preacher for false, notwithstanding its possible letters of credence. Indeed, "let God be true, but every man a liar." (Romans 3:4) As for us, we no longer examine a thing. In the name of the anointing or the 'revelation' we accept anything and those who dare to speak are marginalized or accused of rebellion and lese-majesty crimes.
However, to be a Christian is having for reference manual, for highway code, for bedside book and for thesaurus the Bible and the Bible in its entirety. They are wrong, those who believe that they can pretend to be Christians while awarding themselves the right to decide what is true and what is not, what pleases and what doesn’t, in short decide of what is divine, and what is not in the Bible. If this is allowed to continue, then there would soon be as many bibles out there as there are Christians. Some would have more than 66 books (like Catholic bibles), others would be limited to strict to ten or so pages and others would have gained additional chapters, taken from esoteric and Gnostic Writings or Eastern mysticism.
After all, doesn’t the one who seeks to be naturalized, accept tacitly to learn the habits and the customs of the country he wishes to obtain citizenship and doesn’t he comply with the laws and institutions? Doesn't he accept 'integration'? There are obviously things he will not concur with but he will have to accept them, or choose another homeland. If one day China were to write down in its Constitution that women are no longer allowed to wear skirts, regardless of the merits of this law, those who aspire to become Chinese will have to take it into account and conform themselves to it, under penalty of going in prison or being deprived of their nationality. As someone said, "France, either you like her or you leave her." Well, so it goes in the Kingdom of God. No one is forced to become a Christian ('naturalization') but when someone chooses to become one, as it is in any kingdom and in any nation, there are strict rules that govern relationships between citizens and their relations with the Authority (God). There are laws and there is a Constitution (the Bible) that should be known and respected. Simply said, there is no more Christianity without the Bible than there is a France without French or a Vatican City without the Pope. For those who choose to be Christian, the Bible is not an option, it is included in the welcome-pack and is authoritative.
Christ as a model of tolerance
One day, the disciples came to boast to have prevented a man to cast out demons, on the pretext that he was not following them! The Lord rebuked them explaining that who was not against them, was in fact for them (Luke 9:49-50). But consider their blindness: because of mere clans’ considerations, they’d rather see their brothers suffer in the throes of Satan than rejoice to see those unfortunate set free at last!!! Clearly, "Either we cast the demons out, or nobody does." A sectarian attitude that is particularly frequent in Christian circles. "I refuse to be friend with him because he doesn’t pray in our church"; "I will not go to this Conference (yet Christian) because it is organized by a rival denomination"; "So-and-so has ceased to be my brother when he decided to leave OUR Church to go X." The worst is when this is done or said by Servants of God: “Either you are with me or you are against me!” (implied: you stay with me in my church and you have to blindly support me because I am God’s mouthpiece) If you don’t bend, you are directly resisting God of course; it is immediately noted and you are henceforth enemies. And I just wonder: where is Christ in all that? Must His body be this divided? This torn? I thought the Church only had one single enemy, one Adversary: Satan… How do we read and understand these words: "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring"? (John 10:16)
To be continued…
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