In his book UnChristian: What a Generation Really Thinks About Christianity, David Kinnaman sites the top three negative perceptions of Christians as: (1) Antihomosexual; (2) Judgmental; (3) Hypocritical.How should Christians respond? Should Christians lighten up on their beliefs and be more accepting of the beliefs and lifestyles of others? Or should Christians just become more entrenched in their beliefs and write off these perceptions as the misinformed postmodern views of a godless people? There is a third way in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Problem with Relativism
During the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5, Jesus makes some strong statements about his life's purpose. Starting in verse 17, Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
It seems that the perception that people had about Jesus was that he was a relativist. They thought that he stood for "abolishing the law." When we read the Gospels, we can certainly understand why. After all Jesus spends significant time with people of irreputable character (corrupt officials, prostitutes, loose women, drunkards, etc.).
The problem with abolishing the law with relativism is that this means we can have no hope outside ourselves. Right and wrong hang in the balance based upon who we are here and now; and who we are here and now in this world is all we will ever be.
Jesus says, "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
The kingdom and heaven does not stand on relativism, but on the perfect righteousness required by the Law of God.
The Problem with Moralism
On the other hand, Jesus clearly declares that moralism is not the answer either. Jesus concludes this portion of his sermon saying, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
When we hear Jesus speak so strongly about the importance of the Law, we might think that the answer is that we must simply try harder to live moral lives. Jesus addresses this potential misunderstanding right away by pointing to the most moralistic people living in Israel: the Pharisees. Jesus is saying that moralism is not enough. The Law of God requires a righteousness that surpasses the most moral people among us. This is a righteousness that surpasses the Mother Teresas, the Mahatma Gandhis, the Dalai Lamas, or the [insert your model of morality]. How much morality is enough? The Law of God requires morality that does not "relax one of the least of these commandments" nor "teaches others to do the same."
In the end, moralism abolishes the law just as much as relativism. For moralism brings the law's requirement for perfect righteousness down to a human scale. Moralistic people consider themselves moralistic because they consider themselves more moral than others. Not even the most moral among us would dare say that they are morally perfect (unless they are delusional).
The Friend to Sinners who Fulfilled the Law
Jesus says all this to point out that he is different from us. Jesus does not abolish the law with relativism or with moralism. Jesus fulfills the Law. In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ all of the Law is accomplished. You would think that such moral perfection would make Jesus into a very judgmental person. Yet he was a friend to sinners. In fact, he was so close to sinners that people perceived him to be a relativist.
What we see here in Jesus' sermon is not a call to action as much as it is a call to faith. He is calling us to see that we really have no hope to imitate him. Jesus is not giving us a model for Christian life as much as he is presenting himself to us as our Savior. He wants us to see that we are the sinners - whether we lean toward relativism or moralism - we have all in our own way abolished the Law.
Jesus Christ, the God-Man, fulfilled all the Law of God in our place so that all who believe in him can say that through union with Jesus they too have fulfilled all the Law of God. He drew near to people like us, law abolishers, to live, die, and rise again for our salvation. This is good news for antihomosexual, judgmental, hypocrits. It is good news for a generation that thinks poorly of Christians. This news humbles us, makes us compassionate, inspires us to befriend and care for people who need this Jesus as much as we do, and it stokes a fiery love for the goodness of God's Law that exposes and restores us from our hypocrisy.
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