Many things are done in the name of Christianity, but many of those things are not Christian. I would no more reject Christianity on the failures of those who distort the faith than I would reject legal tender because there are counterfeits, another form of hypocrisy. Christianity is enfolded in its Scripture, and ought to be defined from there. Christianity through history has been both personal and social in its interests, in a context of what is right, fair and just for all – no matter the spiritual orientation. Those interests are not only guided by the teachings of Scripture, but by logical fairness shown in such sweeping principles as: Love your neighbor as yourself, or, Do unto others as you would do to yourself. After a long life of living in a world of humanity that in some factors has lost its way, I would like to believe that I would have lived according to the applicable human principles from the Bible – even if I were pagan to Christianity. This belief is part of my conviction that Christians hold out for righteousness even in a natural and neutral world.
The Bible teaches that mankind is free with responsibility to the degree any person may be free in respect for others, in daily life. This is at its highest when God made mankind in a context in which persons may reject him, God himself, and live through this mortal sojourn on their own. Men and women are to be mentally free to believe whatever they want to believe therefore slaves to no one. There were many believers in the one true God, believers who also owned slaves. They diminished themselves in the eyes of God and history by arrogance that made the crowning of God’s creation owned by a fellow human being. God is the only one qualified to own creation. He made us, but gave options. He owns us, but releases us to ourselves if that is our preference. The release is to no one other than the person – so to carry his or her own gift of life – a burden.
Christians are called to a life of a special kind of activism, to stand for the truth that all persons are created equal. Jefferson, an author of America’s founding documents, rang out that phrase, but held slaves until he died. He felt his ideas were superior to the Christians’, but he often resorted to Christian ideals without crediting his source. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of spiritual redemption that spells the meaning of immortality and acceptance by God for continuance in his kingdom. But there is more, even if temporal, that informs us about life equality for all on earth. No one in a humanistic context can improve on the Biblical pattern for justice, rights, privileges, duties, peace, health, values, love, and the like. (Proverbs 31:8-9 encapsulates it all.) Some fight for it, some argue for it, some fast and pray for it, but it is the Christian duty to do what may be done for those who can neither speak for themselves nor negotiate their rights. There are various kinds of shackles that enslave persons of any race. In peace, we seek to break shackles – for all.
There is the perception not to be missed, and that is to live in the peace of God, no matter what status others assign to us. We are to stand for the right but forgive the tormentor, to sense one’s dignity when someone else seems to have taken it away. Much of dismal history needs to be managed by forgiveness. In the assurance of the dignity of man as God meant him to be, we argue for elevation and currency. We have God’s reflection in us of what we ought to be. We mean to defend that ideal. No one can right past history, but accent right by forgiving the wrong. The principle applies whether it is accented in kings or parents. When the forgiveness process is applied we take on our own responsibility that forms us and a legacy. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020