My Christianity

I see so much hate spewed on social media from people who claim to live by a higher, more enlightened standard – a standard that supposedly embraces all-accepting love and unlimited tolerance. Yet, in the very same breath they condemn and bash Christians and Christianity as being the ones who promote and practice hate and intolerance. Every single religion (and every anti-religion) will have its “bad seeds”, will have its members/participants/believers whose motives are evil, and their actions will prove this. A person who propounds to be a Christian and yet practices acts of hatred, violence and so forth, does not speak for Christianity as a whole (or even remotely as a majority!!), just as a self-proclaimed atheist who performs the same acts does not speak for atheists as a whole. A person can claim to be anything they want, but their actions will ultimately define the truth. To classify an entire group as something, due to the actions of a few, is ridiculous. That’s hate. That’s intolerance.

So, let me clarify my Christianity to those with such an unenlightened, narrow-minded view of what it actually is. My Christianity is founded on the most perfect Love that has ever existed on this earth, a Love that transcends all man-made definitions of the word. This Love walked the earth and gave us an example to live by, the highest standard to reach for. This Love sacrificed and willingly laid its life down for every person who would ever walk the face of this earth, saint and sinner, good and evil alike. My Christianity believes with no uncertainty that this is the same love we are to practice in our own lives. My Christianity forbids hatred of any man, and instead demands love and forgiveness toward everyone… even those who would hate me… it demands that we show this love to them, whether they accept it or not, whether they want it or shun it, disagree or agree with it.

The problems in this messed up, fallen world, do not stem from this Christianity. This Christianity – this knowledge, faith and personal belief in a Love bigger than any man or woman can outdo or even hope to emulate to its fullest extent – this Love would end all the suffering and evil in the world if everyone embraced it and practiced it. Real, pure love doesn’t exist without the Love that created it. And although I whole-heartedly and (most importantly) unashamedly disagree with anyone who doesn’t practice this Love, and with those who mock and hate this Love, my Christianity will never return hatred with hatred and will never stoop to the levels of those who don’t share it.

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:17

In His Unfailing Love,

Jess