Conservative and Liberal Christians accuse each other of being un-Christ-like. Both are right.
Just as secular America has become more and more polarized over politics, the fracture among the Christian community, between liberal Christians and the movement they refer to as “Christian Nationalists,” which describes many evangelicals, has also grown.
On one side, liberal Christians have moved to the extreme left. Their desire to highlight the importance of social justice and the compassion of Christ appears at times to sacrifice core Christian values and standards. On the other side are the conservative Christians, who have moved further away from grace and compassion by supporting a president that many believe doesn’t represent Christian values. Each side has accused the other of being un-Christ-like.
On that note, they are both right. Each side has lost touch with what it truly means to be Christian, which is to live by Christ’s example. By choosing one or the other - grace over truth, or vice versa - they have betrayed the life and example of Christ upon which the Christian faith rest.
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During his life, Jesus had numerous encounters with difficult people and issues, not unlike the ones we face today. In every one of these encounters, He embodied the balance of grace and truth. In one of these encounters (Matthew 22), Jesus was confronted about whether people should pay taxes to the government. His response was, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." In short: we must respect the laws and government while, at the same time, understand that there is a bigger truth that transcends. The answer is not either-or; the answer is to exhibit both grace and truth. Anyone who calls themselves a “Christian” must understand this obligation to be “Christ-like.”
At its core, this battle of extremes is the classic issue of legalism (conservatives) vs license (liberals). Choosing one over the other results in a faith that looks nothing like Jesus. Grace without truth is compromise, and truth without grace is condemnation.
However, Jesus stood at the intersection of both extremes. He offered a different path forward by embodying balance.
This balanced approach is what is needed to tackle the big issues today, such as immigration and gun control. We have to be compassionate while, at the same time, standing for truth and putting legal systems in place that protect us. Finding the middle ground represents the best of Christianity.
To be a Christian is not to merely say you love Christ; you must follow his example. It’s not enough to simply do what He did; you also have to do things the way He did them.
If we are going to continue to use the title of Christianity, both sides have to stop ignoring the
Christ of Christianity. In order to foster unity, we have to collectively get back to Jesus as the standard. Christian leaders and believers must have courage to stand up for what is right and represent the real Jesus, even if it is not popular. We must also return to His example of sacrificial leadership for the greater good.
Sadly, right now no one is standing in the middle, talking about what will help us move forward.
Van Moody is the founding pastor of The Worship Center Christian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and author of the recent book, Desired by God: Discover a Strong, Soul-Satisfying Relationship with God by Understanding Who He Is and How Much He Loves You.
