I concluded my post on other centered living based on an understanding of ourselves created in the image of the tri-une God with some brief thoughs that the Christian life should be a cruciform one. You may wish to disagree with that, but in the meantime here is a quote from an article by Cherith Fee-Nordling:
"As the new creation, we to live lives of Spirit-led obedience, and the shape of this new life together is, very simply cruciform. Crucified with Christ, we also live with Christ. What is the norm for that lfe? To be for the other, "to carry each other's burdens" and so "fulfill the law of Christ," which is to say, the pattern of Christ's ownselfless life of obedience manifest in love for others (Gal 6:2).
Losing his life by living for others, Jesus broke all patterns of conformity of his day and this nonconformity is required of those who are conformed to his image: "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for me will find it" (Matt 16:24-25).
The only way to live this cruciform life for others is by constatly relying on, walking in, keeping in step with, and living in the Spiriti (Gal 2:20; 5:25), who conforms and transforms us in Christ (Romans 8:29; 12:2). This radical dependent life is, ironically, the ultimate free life. No longer bound to this fallen world as slaves to its cultural expectations, we are free to be servants of the One who took on himself "the nature of a slave" (Phil 2:7).
As female and male, rich and poor, Asian and black, catholic and Baptist children, we are Abraham's true seed and heirs of the promise who have been set free to be for and with one another; no longer treating each other as commoditites to be exploited or as competitors to be defeated but as fellow human beings, equal recipients of God's saving grace and new life."
What do you think? What is your experience of this? What does this look like in practice?
My religions class this semester has opened my eyes to just how similar all religions all really are. There are, of course, major differences in theology, but when it comes down to core beliefs, we're almost identical! So in regards to that, if we are so similar, why do we all treat each other so differently?
Traditional/conservative Christians tend to look down on others for not following their exact beliefs or their strict mold. Why can't we all love each other without a "but" attached? Or love people in the "I love you just not your sin"? Why can't we love people and not care about whatever sin or baggage they bring with them? Why does someone's sin cause them to be treated so terribly by others who have just as much if not worse (but not easily seen) sin? Loving people for who they are and forming a relationship with people, ignoring any of the preconceived notions about them or any sort of prejudice, is what we should care about.
Posted by: Katie | 20 April 2007 at 09:27 PM
Hi Katie, I think the similarity point is especially true of the plurist world where we live in - all religions are the same, or the same experience of God etc. I think that has strengths - such as the view of other religions as neighbours rather than rivals, with similar values but it can also lead to draw backs, why bother being a christian being chief amongst them.
I agree with you though - if we say "i love you, but..." are we really loving people at all? Do we understand ourselves in the image of the tri-une God? Do we seek to express ourselves in the context of being for the other, rather than the other being for me?
What does that mean to live a life that is in relationship that are a blessing rather than are absusive? And how does that reflect a differnce if we claim to follow Jesus in our approach to life?
Posted by: Paul | 23 April 2007 at 02:14 PM