Motives Matter: It's time to remember why we do what we do.

I read a post recently . . . Okay, I read the title of a post recently that asked the question, "Are we witnessing the death of American Christianity?" Since I've just read the title, I'll just offer my answer to the question. No. American Christianity died quite a while ago. We're just now beginning to smell the stench of its rotting corpse.

I want to say quickly that this is not an altogether bad, and certainly not an unexpected situation. All forms of Christianity that are defined in terms of their entanglements with a nation-state are destined to die. And, for many, the sooner the better.

The current toxic political climate has certainly turned up the heat on the American church, and on many within that church who have always been more concerned about  being American than they ever were about being Christian. The irony here is that what has resulted from this "blending" of faith and politics is a "spirit" that is neither truly "American" or in any way "Christian." We've come to live in a nation populated by a new kind of "believer" I'm going to call this new "critter" an "Ameristian." 

I've been sickened by some of what is finding its way into the "wind" from "Ameristian" communities and leaders. Calls to "arms" and not-so-subtle cries of "Do unto them before they do unto us," are not expressions of misguided disciples of Jesus. These folks are simply not disciples of Jesus at all.

I've already said what sickens me, now I want to talk about what really concerns me. A lot of good folks, genuine disciples of Jesus, are struggling in the current social and political climate to stand firm and move forward as followers of Christ. Too often what I read from these folks are attempts to support a Christian response to the things that threaten our lives and our life-style by building arguments that have nothing whatsoever to do with the central message of the Gospel. (And by the way, many of these arguments make really good sense.)

• We argue against closing our borders to refugees by citing statistics that show how hard it would be for terrorists to enter our country "that way." (And it would)
• We argue against a spirit of fear and discrimination on the basis of some sort of optimistic pragmatism, believing that if we treat folks who are "different" with dignity they'll be less inclined to wish us, or do us harm. (And they probably would)

But these arguments, despite their value, simply miss the point for the disciple.

Jesus words to his disciples could not be more clear. And in my lifetime I can't recall a time when they've been more of a challenge. Jesus said, "You have enemies. Love them.. Pray for them." (Not "AT" them, or "about" them, and certainly not "AGAINST" them.) And then he "raised the stakes" when he said, "In this way you will show yourselves to be sons and daughters of your heavenly father."

We are not commanded to  love our enemies because it will make us safer in the long run. It might, but it might not. We are not commanded to  love our enemies because it might lead them to salvation. It might, but it might not..

We are commanded to love our enemies for one reason and one reason only. God loves our enemies. And the best way to look like the Father is to love what the Father loves.

Okay, I hear it. I've been hearing it over and over for the past several weeks. "But Gene, some of those people really want to kill us. Someone  needs to do whatever they need to do to keep that from happening."

And I suppose that's right. Someone needs to do something to protect our lives, property, and the piles of stuff we think we need to keep living like we've come to believe we deserve to live. But that "someone" is NOT the church. The Church, the TRUE CHURCH has a different mission and a higher calling. We need to listen more closely to Jesus telling us NOT to fear the one who can ONLY kill our bodies (Luke 12:4-5). We need to listen more closely to Jesus reminding us that HIS kingdom has NEVER been of this world. We need to rethink our motives in these difficult times.

Do we do what we do because it makes sense? Do we do what we do because it is more likely to have a desired outcome? Do we do what we do because someone who has become fluent in the hybridized language of "Ameristianity" tells us that's what we should do?

Friends, it's simpler than that. We need to come back to the place where we only need one reason to do what we do. We do it because Jesus did it. We forgive because Jesus did, We love our neighbor because Jesus did. Welcome the stranger because Jesus did. We love our enemies because Jesus did. We lay down our lives because Jesus did.

And in the end if the Church in America rises once again it will be for the same simple reason; because Jesus did.