Easter & the Power of Christ
Maybe Christians could start with thinking about just what fighting evil entails. Perhaps they could think about how often they have given up the battle against evil, substituting a vacuous concept of peace characterized by almost total pacifism. Perhaps they could ponder the near death of righteous indignation against the sins of humanity. The wholesale killing of the unborn, The persecution and torture of fellow Christians around the world, the suppression and degradation of women and children in the sex trade, the increased corruption in all three branches of our government and much, much else demand the anger; and, yes, the judgment of Christians. It was not so long ago that the faithful railed against evil wherever, Medusalike, it reared its ugly and multifarious heads. It was not too long ago that Christians in the political arena believed such matters are judged by Christ and therefore should be judged by his followers...
Perhaps Christians should also begin to understand how the Left has used the contemporary Christian view of the ever gentle, nonjudgmental Christ against Christians themselves. The Left thinks about Christ along the lines of the Sallamn image. When and if Christians fight back, they are accused of being unchristian. They are chastised for getting riled up and shouting -- or even speaking severely. Liberals use guilt to force Christians back into the meek and mild mode of what Tim Chaddick, young pastor of Reality, LA describes as the “tie-dyed Jesus.”
There are many other consequences to accepting an image of Christ as delicate and weak. Accepting a view of Christ that does not include his judgment against evil means people will look to find strength in human leaders. It means propagandistic iconography will shape the public consciousness. False Christs will rise to take the place of Jesus.
And rise they have...
Christians throughout time immemorial believe the resurrectory power of Christ Jesus, victor over death and sin, is available in the here and now.
Maybe the faithful can begin to develop an iconography illustrating the characteristics of Christ that are presently seriously neglected: Christ the Judge; Christ the Warrior; Christ the Conqueror; Christ, the powerful foe of evil.
This Easter, may the faithful believe in the power of Christ, the resurrected Son of God.
Perhaps Christians should also begin to understand how the Left has used the contemporary Christian view of the ever gentle, nonjudgmental Christ against Christians themselves. The Left thinks about Christ along the lines of the Sallamn image. When and if Christians fight back, they are accused of being unchristian. They are chastised for getting riled up and shouting -- or even speaking severely. Liberals use guilt to force Christians back into the meek and mild mode of what Tim Chaddick, young pastor of Reality, LA describes as the “tie-dyed Jesus.”
There are many other consequences to accepting an image of Christ as delicate and weak. Accepting a view of Christ that does not include his judgment against evil means people will look to find strength in human leaders. It means propagandistic iconography will shape the public consciousness. False Christs will rise to take the place of Jesus.
And rise they have...
Christians throughout time immemorial believe the resurrectory power of Christ Jesus, victor over death and sin, is available in the here and now.
Maybe the faithful can begin to develop an iconography illustrating the characteristics of Christ that are presently seriously neglected: Christ the Judge; Christ the Warrior; Christ the Conqueror; Christ, the powerful foe of evil.
This Easter, may the faithful believe in the power of Christ, the resurrected Son of God.
- Fay Voshell, 'Jesus with a Whip.'
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