What is Christianity? What does Christianity look like? What should Christianity look like?
If you asked 10 people (Christian and non-Christian) to define Christianity, you would undoubtedly receive 10 different responses ranging on spectrums from skepticism to belief; from simple to profound; from questioning to confident: from doctrinal to ethical; from faith to works.
Have you ever encountered the phrases “ruined for the ordinary” or “radical obedience” used to describe Christianity or following Jesus? We have and honestly probably echoed these sentiments earlier in our ministry. Now, our view of the Christian faith, or maybe specifically the outworking of what we believe, has evolved into what we would call an ordinary Christianity. While the ideals of extraordinary and radical Christianity are attractive, how realistic are they? Is the call to follow Christ a call to the spotlight or to humble, quiet service behind the scenes?
In the coming weeks, we will flesh out this concept of an ordinary Christianity a bit more. But suffice it to say for this week, our understanding of the outworking of our faith, in part, echoes the words of Jesus and James.
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me… 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
- Matthew 25:34-36, 40
27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
- James 1:27