The Power of a Life Well Lived
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus focuses on three broad areas of life: people, piety, and possessions. Jesus casts an inspiring vision for what life could be like when it comes to our relationships with others, our walk with God, and our approach towards money and stuff.
Jesus raises these issues ultimately because they can become ways in which we “give glory to [our] Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). We pursue a better connection with people, a greater piety, and a more appropriate stewardship of possessions because these are ways in which we love the Lord our God. We do this for the sake of God.
Yet Jesus also raises these issues because they become ways in which we act as salt to the earth and light to the world (Matt. 5:13-14). We pursue a better connection with people, a greater piety, and a more appropriate stewardship of possessions because they are ways in which we love our neighbor as ourselves. We do this for the sake of the world.
In Jesus’ mind spiritual formation is not merely done for my sake, or God’s sake, but for the sake of the world. Spiritual growth is growth for the sake of our neighbor. The more transformation we experience in the areas of people, piety, and possessions, the better we function as salt and light on the earth.
The Power of a Life Poorly Lived
Jesus makes the opposite point in the text which mirrors the Sermon on the Mount: Matt. 23. In Matt. 5-7 Jesus describes “the religion of the real.” This is the genuine and authentic spirituality pursued by those who follow Jesus. The religion of the real is one that leads other people who see it to praise God. It functions as salt and light. But in Matt. 23-25 Jesus describes the “faith of the frauds.” This is a faith characterized by hypocrisy. Seven times Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees in Matt. 23 because of their hypocrisy.
The religion of the real is the topic of Jesus’ first speech in Matthew. The faith of the frauds is the topic of Jesus’ last speech in Matthew. Jesus’ speech on the religion of the real in Matt. 5-7 starts with statements of blessing—how God blesses those who practice that religion. We call those blessings the beatitudes. Jesus’ speech on the faith of the frauds starts in Matt. 23 with statements of woe—how God curses those who practice the faith of the frauds. The seven “woes” in Matt. 23 are the exact opposite of the 8 “blessed are” in Matt. 5. If the beatitudes are the blessing on the religion of the real, these 7 woes in Matt. 23 are the condemnation of the faith of the frauds.
And one of the reasons Jesus condemns hypocritical and superficial faith is due to the negative impact is has on other people. Jesus states in Matt. 23 that the insincerity and duplicity of the scribes and Pharisees is slamming the door of the kingdom of God in the faces of people trying to get in and leading people straight to hell (Matt. 23:13-15). Jesus commends the religion of the real because of its positive impact on the world. Jesus condemns the faith of the frauds because of its negative impact on the world.
Karl Rahner writes, “The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim God with their mouths and deny Him with their lifestyles is what an unbelieving world finds simply unbelievable.”[1] That is an apt and painful description of the faith of the frauds: those who proclaim God with their mouths and deny Him with their lifestyles. And Jesus condemns such a faith because of its horrendous impact on others. It causes an unbelieving world to continue disbelieving.
Yet the authentic spirituality Jesus outlines in Matt. 5-7 is just the opposite. In February the Washington Times ran a story on Christianity in China.[2] One piece of the article read this way: “Beijing wants to limit the exposure of a religion based on charity, self-sacrifice and love of neighbor. Christians were barred from participating in relief efforts after the April 2010 earthquake in northwest China because the government feared they would set too good an example and attract converts.” That’s why Jesus blesses the religion of the real. It’s so attractive. People who live it will set such a good example that they will attract converts.
Your Sentence for Their Sake
This changes the whole tone of spiritual formation. It’s not just about my private spiritual experience and fulfillment. It’s not merely about my personal relationship with Jesus and my individual worship of God. It’s now about my contribution to the kingdom and my role in the greater story of God to renew and recreate the earth and its people. As I experience greater degrees of spiritual formation, I become better able to fulfill my purpose of blessing all people. Jesus wants me to grow in these key areas of piety, people, and possessions not just for my sake. But for the sake of the world. As my own little world gets changed in these components, the world around me is changed as well.
How then, might you rewrite the sentences of your life? Take ten minutes today to rewrite the sentences you wrote in Chapter 2 with the rest of the world in mind.
For the sake of world, God, help my connection with people to be _______________.
For the sake of the world, God, help my walk with you to be __________________.
For the sake of the world, God, help my use of possessions to be _________________.
[1] Karl Rahner, quoted in the Wittenburg Door (June/July l988) and in Christianity Today, (vol. 34, no. 8).
[2] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/9/crucifying-chinas-christians/.
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