Returning the Favor

Round one:

We see the Conservative, CEO-Jesus step out of his Lexus and into the ring. He’s wearing nice boxing gear and his hair is neatly slicked back. Smiling stylishly, he begins to warm up.

Next arrives the Liberal, Hippie-Jesus, who quietly hops off of his bicycle and climbs into the ring. He wears tattered rags and hemp footwear, reeking of environmental activism. His long hair caked in dust, he silently prepares for the match to come.

So which “Jesus” wins the fight?

Well, I’d assume that the “liberal Jesus,” who is undoubtedly a pacifist, would refuse to fight, and that the “conservative Jesus” wouldn’t even hesitate before clobbering Hippie-Jesus with a series of left jabs followed by a powerful right hook. The CEO-Jesus’ disciples would go berserk, and the headlines the next day would retell the story: “Liberal Jesus Refuses to Fight; Loses by K.O.”

While I’ve yet to see a match like this actually take place, such competitive foolishness between Christians is prevalent in the church today. We all have various perceptions of God, and we all insist that our own idea of God is the correct one. In some ways, to quote George Bernard Shaw, “God created us in His image and we decided to return the favor.”

What the worshippers of the conservative CEO-Jesus don’t understand is Christ’s humility and humanity. They believe all people can and should “help themselves,” while Christ refused to “help himself” by calling down legions of angels, even as he was being arrested and crucified (Matthew 26:53). This mindset can lead to moralistic legalism, as salvation begins to seem like a reward for “earning” the favor of God. Thus, these people look down on “sinners” (despite the fact that Jesus frequently surrounded himself with them), becoming prideful and selfish, captivated by power, money, and success in the eyes of the world.

At the same time, however, the liberal disciples of the Hippie-Jesus often ignore Christ’s deity and begin to see him as nothing more than a social activist, humble teacher, and radical pacifist. Their version of Jesus is a strict vegan with a quiet voice and a variety of tattoos who clearly favors social outcasts and reprobates. While social activism, pacifism, and loving the marginalized can be good things, many liberal Christians make them into ultimate things–false idols that lead them to neglect evangelism, preaching, and practical ministry. Thus, those who view Christ with a liberal bias, too, have become nothing more than slaves to a worldly culture.

Too often do we read Scripture with a closed, biased mind, looking at God through colored lenses structured around our own preconceived notions of God. Because of this, we try to lead our own ideas into Scripture without extracting the true message and meaning. Is God merciful? Absolutely! Will God punish the wicked? How could he not punish evil if He is an infinitely good and just God?

When all things are considered, the message of the Cross remains at the heart of the Christian faith. All of us deserve death, but God, in his infinite grace and mercy, sent His Son to die as a ransom for our lives, a sacrifice for our sins, a substitution for our punishment. If we ever think we can reconcile ourselves to God or be “good enough” for such an infinitely perfect Creator, we are wrong. We have been chosen by God to receive everlasting life, and for that, we should praise the God who is who He is, no matter who we say He is.

Have you truly sought God in your heart? Or have you used God and His Word as a means to justify your own biased opinion? My prayer is that we would all challenge our paradigms, question our beliefs, and examine our ideas and image of God. By doing so, I think we will find something challenging, confrontational, and even offensive; however, at the same time, I believe we will finally be on the trail of something Real, something Righteous, and something so untamed that our boxed-in formulas and neat, theological proof texts simply cannot contain it.