What would happen if a scroll were discovered that shed a new light on the nuances in the words that Jesus spoke?
What if instead of calling the religious leaders, “white washed sepulchers” we learn that he was really saying, “You’re full of shit?”
How would King James handle that one? “For verily, I say unto thee, thou art full of faeces!”
Why is this crazy thought so offensive? I think it is because we’ve substituted a code of behavior for life transformed by his grace. Because when you become a Christian, you’ve got to clean up your act, right? (Which means no smoking, swearing, chewing or associating with those that do.) And the first steps toward performance based Christianity are taken.
Truth is, Jesus was VERY offensive. He was a thorn in the flesh of the religious leaders nor did he mince words with them. And I’m sorry, but Jesus did not speak the Queen’s English either; he spoke in the common language of the common man. He spoke so the uneducated and the simple could understand.
Somehow it’s much easier for me to think of the religious as those wearing tall pointy hats, swinging incense and chanting Latin.
No. I need only look in the mirror to catch a glimpse of religion, try as I may to rid myself of it. I find it anytime I sniff my disapproval at someone’s behavior. I am confronted with it anytime I am offended because, after all, the Word of God says…...
And I know my tendencies well enough to know that if I lived in that earlier time, I would likely gasp loudest at Jesus’ heresy. After all,we all know a good Christian would never swear.
Why is it that we gasp at outward behaviors and not at our own shortcomings and our need for grace? You know the stuff…the stuff we work so hard at keeping hidden so we look good?
Except for the love that transform me and frees me from the tyranny of Christian self improvement…I will remain on the treadmill judging others and remaining offended. And also being judged and offensive myself.
Would Jesus cuss? I don’t think he ever gave thought to his behaviors…his relationship with his Father defined who he was. Living inside that love he remained holy; it wasn’t his committment to clean living. But still- his extended invitation to enter into that same relationship with God sans condition was deeply offensive to the law keeper in us all.
Living loved is the only thing that will make for the real changes. Less gasping… more acceptance. Less judgment and more love.
If anyone tries to tell you else wise, they’re full of….religion.
Filed under: church, church life, Spirituality, The God Journey Tagged: | living loved, religion
Oh, yes, Christian self improvement…whoops, I’m sorry, I meant discipleship and accountability. Besides how will I know how well I am doing (in this-christian-born again-Christ thing-walk) unless I can Performmmmm (fade in Olympics music) and get a gold medal, er, uh, I mean, accepted as a deacon to start with so maybe I can begin working my way up the corporate (I mean Christian) ladder and gain validity someday.)
Oh my….you are a naughty, naughty boy!
Oh my gosh Theresa… you, you, you swore! You said the *s* word. I’m gonna tell on you!
So true my friend (and Jay’s comment too).
Reminds me of the story about Tony Campolo, I think. (Forgive me if I have attributed him incorrectly) where he said the ‘s’ word… and then went on to correct the audience because they cared more about him saying the s word than the point he was making, which was along the lines of…
“****I have three things I’d like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don’t give a shit. What’s worse is that you’re more upset with the fact that I said shit than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night. ****”
That’s the sort of stuff I ‘m talking about Susan! We get so focused on outward appearance. And I get so tired of small minded believers who live in their little boxes and live in misery expecting others to do the same.
I read a letter to the editor in a local parenting magazine last week and it made me embarrassed for the writer. It was full of rebuke and “how dare you” WITH “but Jesus loves you and so do I.” Uh-huh. (She had taken offense at some of the content in the magazine which, BTW was NOT a Christian publication.)
ARGH!
Thanks for adding to the conversation, Susan….I so appreciate your heart.
Good blog, Theresa. Christians get so bogged down with the laws and legalisms of their own interpretation and give little room for others who may interpret differently. Jesus was real and he did get very upset with what he saw around Him. I suspect he had his own choice words………maybe different from what we say now but maybe “DUNG” would have been his choice word of the day!
No, Jesus would not “cuss” nor did He cuss.