Fundamentals

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

When I need a self check on my faith life, I go back to this verse. It is as profound as it is simple, and easy to understand, yet difficult to practice. We can get caught up in the minefield of differing theological views, and some are held dear, but our mission statement has everything to do with our heart’s motives.

We are required to seek and practice justice, mercy and humility. If we are good and careful, we might get one out of the three, or if we are super faithful, we might get two out of three. What does it take to meet all three of these requirements. They are not optional, or nice to have on a good day. They are ‘required’. Important, necessary, essential to our God.

Micah wrote this verse some 700 years before the birth of Christ, and was preparing the way for Jesus’ birth and ministry. He is setting the scene for the church of his day, and the hearts of his people tomorrow. Without redemption through Christ, these three essentials would have seemed impossible, but we are living with the benefit of salvation. We know the rest of the story that Micah prophesied about, and although still a tough call, we can aim, and aim high to achieve justice, mercy and humility, but only with the help of the risen Christ, it can be more easily achieved. Of course first of all we must want to try. On a personal level, do I really want these characteristics in my heart and life? If so, then I must trust and believe it is possible, but only with the power of Jesus behind me. Is it that personal to you too?

Christian?

“Right wing, Christian fundamentalist, extremist terrorist” is the way the media is reporting the perpetrator of the biggest single massacre and loss of life in Norway for over 50 years. He succeeded in bombing a large part of the Oslo city centre which houses government buildings, and then, dressed as a policeman, made his way to a Labour Party youth camp on the small island of Utoeya where escape would be almost impossible. He had a captive victim group to empty his guns on.

We are well used to seeing reports of Islamic extremism, and the terrorism they embark on around the world. We may even be getting used to it. But how can those words at the beginning of this piece be used in one phrase to describe a Christian? Not only has this 32 year old Norwegian man changed the face of a very peaceful nation, he has been successful in giving the media a description of a 'mad Christian'. Almost immediately, there have been tweets and facebook comments coming out against the Christian faith and religion in general. Who can blame them?

Anyone who does not know Christianity, or only knows about it from a distance, can be excused for thinking Christians are no better or different from Muslims when it comes to terrorism. How does this square with these words of Jesus from the sermon on the mount?...

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth: Matt 5:9-13 (KJV)

Like you, I am still coming to terms with the horror of this event in Norway, carried out by a strange and possibly deranged young man, but please let's not get confused in our minds about what Christianity is, and who a real Christian tries to be like. Jesus is not a terrorist, or extreme, or a right wing fundamentalist. He is the “Prince of Peace” (Isa 9v6), so cannot be blamed for the atrocities. Unfortunately, I can easily see the media latching on to an easy target, and tarring us all with the same broad brush. Suddenly, we have earned the same description as extreme Islamists, and one which will last for a long time. This man has made more than two horrific attacks, and will be judged for them all. Some on this earth, but all in his final judgement, unless of course he repents!