"Who's Do You Say I Am"
How many Christian denominations do you think are there in the world?
What in your opinion makes a person Christian? Do you think that non-Christians can and do follow Jesus too?
Anyone have any idea of how many Christian
denomination there are around the world, research claims somewhere between 9000
and 12000. Because many are independent
with no connections to a main stream denominations, there are considerable
disagreements about which of these independents can be recognized as Christian. Disagreements arise primarily from doctrine,
dogma and scriptural interpretation within the Christian Religion. Doctrine is a belief or a set of beliefs taught
by a church. Dogma on the other hand is
a principle or set of principles
laid down by an authority within the church as the truth. These things formulate the way denominations of the Christian
church experiences salvation, the judgement of God, how creation began, who
Jesus was or is for them and what or who is the Holy Spirit. When I reflect on the words of scripture and
offer my scriptural interpretation, it is most always of a personal nature
rather than that of the collective universal Christian Church. This is generally the practice from most pulpits unless the clergy has been brain washed by their own religious dogma or denomination. Therefore a question that seems to come up in
discussions with church attendees or the non-churched, is this: Can any religion make an exclusive claim to
know the truth, or claim that their way is the true way of salvation and a
right relationship with God. For the purpose of simplicity, we often refer to Jesus as Lord of all, Lord or all creation, light to all the world. Each denomination as a collective reflects their own understanding of
scripture through their ritual, worship, and their works of charity but you
would be hard pressed to find all their perishers accepting of the full
doctrine and dogma of their religion or denomination.
There is a deeper question that could be asked here: Knowing that
Christianity did not yet exist in Jesus time and that Jesus himself was a Jew, can
Christianity as a religion claim exclusive
rights to Jesus and his way? This
question can lead us into some deep discussion around the reading from Mark
today. I believe Jesus is always trying
to take us deeper in our understandings of the Gospel.
The
reading from the Gospel of Mark today can possibly offer us a deeper insight
here. Let us refresh our memory of verses 38 - 41 and I
quote: 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man who
was driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he
doesn't belong to our group.” 39 “Do not try to stop
him,” Jesus told them, “because no one who performs a miracle in my name will
be able soon afterwards to say evil things about me.40 For
whoever is not against us is for us. 41 I assure
you that anyone who gives you a drink of water because you belong to me will
certainly receive a reward.
My
interpretation seems to suggest to me in these verses that you do not need to
belong to a certain group or religion to have access to Jesus, his power or the
authority from where his power comes. That his way and power are available to all who believe and call upon his name. This must have been shocking to the disciples
and the Jewish people who were following Jesus. Here he is telling his disciples that you do
not have to be Jewish, that you can be of no religious affiliation and still
have access to the healing power of God found in Christ. This
must not only have been heretical to the Jews in Jesus' time but think of the
implication it has for the Christian Church today. How might this interpretation sound to those
of us in Christian communities who have tried to maintain exclusive ownership
of Jesus and His way? So then it seems to me that we might interrupt
this scripture to say that Jesus is telling his disciples that religion on its
own doesn't guarantee you access to God, but coupled with your belief in Jesus who is also the universal Christ, it does. In other words I am suggesting no religious
group can claim exclusive rights to Jesus, his power, or His way. Jesus as the word made flesh was a free spirit
who walked among us and left us the spirit of the risen Christ who is with us
today and is also a free spirit available to all who call upon and believe in
him. Religion then can be seen as a
teaching ground that points us towards the ways of God. The writer of this passage quotes Jesus as
saying that if anyone were to cause one of God’s children to fall into sin, leading
him or her away from Jesus, it would be better for that person to have a heavy
weight tied around his or her neck and throw themselves into the sea. Harsh words for those who do not conform to the ways of God.
This perspective or interpretation may sound
heretical to the religious of our world but it seems to me that Jesus’ way,
which is the call to respond to the GREAT commandment. This truly is the only way to live,
otherwise we can end up living a religious life, which is still being taught from many a pulpit today and is misunderstood as “the way.” Religion
on its own, cannot be the way, but can point towards the ways of God and ultimately to the way of the Christ. Jesus’
way will never take us into war or justify the killing of others to maintain order or bring about peace. Unfortunately the religions
of our world often create conflict, poverty and discrimination which lead us into war. Their are those who will always find was to justify violence through scripture and they
have been doing so for centuries, but it is not the way of the Christ. On the contrary, to follow Jesus, we are
told we must become one with the other, we must work for peace through non-violence, serve one
another, to love your enemies and do good to those who hate, hurt and persecute
you. To love as we are loved. This is radical thinking for a modern world
that thrives on control, fear, security, wealth and power.
Jesus pleads on our behalf as we truly do not
understand the things we do. No one has
a full understanding of what their behaviour will bring upon those around them,
the next generation or their way of life.
YET no one is beyond forgiveness in the eyes of Jesus. Now Isn’t that incredible! His way is still foreign to many religions
and religious people in our world today.
In the final verses of Mark, Jesus repeats his formula for right living,
which by the way fulfills all of the 10 commandments, the Laws of Moses. Love the Lord you God with all your heart,
mind and strength and love you neighbour as yourself.
"Come Lord Jesus"
may I suggest you listen to this interview at by Father Richard Rohr : just copy the link, paste and listen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LYQQO5uFtA
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