Living, Visible Models
Father Richard teaches that we can only practice new ways of being in the world if we maintain some degree of nonattachment from the systems around us:
The foundation of Jesus’ social program is what I will call non-idolatry, or the withdrawing of our enthrallment from all kingdoms except the kingdom of God. This supports a much better agenda than feeling the need to attack things directly. Nonattachment (freedom from loyalties to human-made domination systems) is the best way I know of protecting people from religious zealotry or any kind of antagonistic thinking or behavior. While there are certainly things we are against, we must keep concentrating on the big thing we are for!
Paul tries to create some “audiovisual aids” for this big message, which he calls “churches” (a term Jesus used only twice, found in Matthew 16:18 and 18:17). Paul knows we need living, visible models of this new kind of life to make evident that Christ’s people really follow a way different from mass consciousness. They are people who “can be innocent and genuine … and can shine like stars among a deceitful and underhanded brood” (Philippians 2:15). To people who asked, “Why should we believe there’s a new or better life possible?” Paul could say: “Look at these people. They’re different. This is a new social order.” In Christ, “there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
In Paul’s thinking, we were supposed to live inside of an alternative society, almost a utopia, and from such fullness “go to the world.” Instead, we created a model whereby people live almost entirely in the world, fully invested in its attitudes toward money, war, and power—and sometimes “go to church.” This doesn’t seem to be working! In Christianity, groups like the Amish, the Bruderhof, Black churches, and members of some Catholic religious orders probably have a better chance of actually maintaining an alternative consciousness. Most of the rest of us end up thinking and operating pretty much like our surrounding culture.
Many people now find this solidarity in think tanks, support groups, prayer groups, study groups, house-building projects, healing circles, or community-focused organizations. Perhaps without fully recognizing it, we’re actually heading in the right direction. Some new studies indicate that Christians are not so much leaving Christianity as they are realigning with groups that live Christian values in the world—instead of just gathering again to hear the readings, recite the creed, and sing songs on Sunday. Jesus does not need our singing; we need instead to act like a community. Actual Christian behavior might just be growing more than we realize. Behavior has a very different emphasis than mere membership.
Remember, it’s not the brand name that matters.
It is that God’s heart be made available and active on this earth.
1 CORINTHIANS 13 IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTIONS OF LOVE, A CHAPTER OFTEN USED AT WEDDINGS. SO, MOST OF US ARE FAMILIAR.
The chapter describes love as patient and kind and continues by laying out the stunning attributes of God. Tucked between “Love isn’t easily angered” and “Love doesn’t delight in evil” is a powerful world-changing truth:
“Love keeps no record of wrongs….”
Jesus, Love in human form, hanging on a cross between heaven and earth, His body battered, the lie of separation a veil between Him and His Father, the myth of abandonment cutting Him off from sensing His Father’s affection; the fiction that God punishes screaming its message through the iron nails that tore His flesh and held Him fast to a cross, reveals the power of a free will submitted to love.
Jesus—fully God, fully Man, one with Father, intimate with Holy Spirit—forgives. And His forgiveness confronts the transactional, sin-counting, retributive justice payment system—“What seems right to a man.” (1)
Casting back to before the beginning and looking forward to after the end, Jesus keeps no record of the wrong humanity has committed. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” He said. And the power of that Greater Love saves the world.
Do you know what happened when Jesus kept no record of our wrongs?
He couldn’t justify His right to hold onto offense—and all creation was reborn in that powerful conclusion.
And we’ve been invited to live in that same powerfully transformative freedom!
All creation has been invited to awaken to that reconciling measureless revelation. Love doesn’t count sins; it keeps no record of wrong!
(1) Proverbs 14:12
This article is excerpted from my book, Leaving and Finding Jesus. Jason Clark. ReThinking God with Tacos
