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of getti ng e ven or seeki ng
revenge.
Where is forgiveness stressed?
Instances of genuine merey from
one human being toward another
are remarkable and memorable
because they are so uncommon.
Jesus' teaching even applies to
simple lacks of consideration such
as a blaring radio, a loud motorcy–
cle, littering the landscape with
rubbish, damaging public facilities,
spraying graffiti on walls-factors
that make life unpleasant for
others. Yet so commonplace are
infringements of the p r incipies
Jesus gave, it makes one wonder:
Where are the Christians?
l s This a Chr isti an Wo rld?
The Bible describes what a socie.ty
is like when its religion is a mere
form, not having the power to
change people's lives.
lt
reads like
the front page of a newspaper.
"For men will be lovers of self,
lovers of money, proud, arrogant.
abusive, disobedient to their par–
ents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman,
implacable, slanderers, profligates,
fierce, haters of good, treacherous,
reckless, swollen with conceit, lov–
ers of pleasure rather than lovers of
God,
holding the form of religion
but denying the power of it"
(11 Tim. 3:2-5, RSV).
lt
all sounds so familiar!
As Jesus was speaking, he knew
there were sorne listening to him
who would call him their "Lord,"
who would profess to belong to
him, but who would not put his
teachings into practice.
These are the words of Jesus to
them: "Why call ye me, Lord,
Lord, and do not the things which T
say?'" (Luke 6:46.) A " lord " is a
ruler, a master, one who is to be
obeyed. In plain words, .Jesus said:
"If
you don't obey me, don't call
me ' Lord'!"
Too often people talk about "the
Lord," or " the Lord .Jesus," when
they don't have the faintest idea
what Jesus said his followers are to
do. Jesus exclaimed: "Not every
one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that
doeth
the will
of my Father which is in heaven"
(Matt. 7:2 1).
That, in simple terms, is what
makes a person a Christian. He or
16
she
does
what Jesus said todo. He
or she follows Christ. The ones who
are allowed to become members of
his spiritual family are ' 'these
which hear the word of God,
and
do it"
(Luke 8:21).
"Ye are my friends," Jesus
stated,
"if
ye do
whatsoever 1 com–
mand you" (John 15:14).
Again, "If ye love me,
keep
my
commandments" (John 14:15).
Clearly, only a person who does
what Jesus said to do has the right
to caJI him "Lord." That is the bib-
''
'Love your enemies, do
good to them
which bate you, bless
them that curse you,
and pray for them
which despitefully
use you.' This
instruction of Jesus
certainly is not
followed in times of war.
But then it is hardly
followed in times of
peace either.
''
lical definition of a
real
Christian.
A Way o f Li fe
True Christianity is not merely a
set of beliefs.
rt
is not joining a
church. It is not something to be
practiced one day a week or at odd
intervals.
It
is a way of life. Early Chris–
tians referred to original Christian–
ity as "the
way
of the Lord" (Acts
18:25) and "the
way
of God"
(verse 26).
"T
am the way, the
truth, and the life," Christ declared
(John 14:6).
True Christianity is the Chris–
tian way of life. No one can follow
what Jesus taught without experi–
encing a marked change in life and
life-style.
Notice how this fact is illus-
trated in the following example: A
rich young man once carne to Jesus
and asked: "Good Master, what
good thing shall
1 do,
that 1 may
have eterna! life?" (Matt. 19: 16.)
This man knew following Christ
involves
doing
something. He
asked: "What good thing shall
I
do?"
Many today would have an–
swered: "Why, there is nothing to
do. Just accept Christ and it's all
done for you. There are no works
involved in salvation."
How different was Jesus' answer!
"And he [Jesus] said unto him ... if
thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments" (verse 17).
There was no doubt that Jesus
was talking about the Ten Com–
mandments. When the young man
asked, "Which ones?" Jesus named
specifically the commandments
having to do with showing love
toward one's neighbor. To this, the
rich man responded that he had
been keeping those commandments
since childhood (verse 20). The
young man, of course, had been
reared a Jew. But he wanted to
become a follower of Christ.
Which churcb today would not
welcome with open arms such a
wealthy and moral individual into
its ranks?
But Jesus did not do so. He
required in his followers true depth
of conversion. He knew the young
man had a problem- keeping in
their true intent those command–
ments regarding love toward, giv–
ing to, one's neighbor. So Jesus
bluntly told him that his wealth
was an obstacle to him, tbat he
needed to get rid of it. Only after
that could he become a follower of
Jesus-a Christian.
Sadly, the young man departed,
unwilling to change his attitude
toward life.
Most people, it is true, do not
have excess wealth as their major
problem. The fact remains, though,
that literally keeping the Ten Com–
mandments is essential if you are to
inherit God's free gift of eterna!
life. So said Jesus!
Maybe you think you have been
keeping the Ten Commandments
fairly well-like the rich young
man. Have you really? Try some–
thing. Read them off one by one
(Continued on page 28}
The PLAIN TRUTH