What did Christ do when he died for us? Your answer to this question may have more to do with the country you live in than you realize.
Freedom is important to us Americans. After all, we’re the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. We celebrate the freedoms that our constitution guarantees. Our nation was born in a struggle for independence, and it grew through pioneers and settlers seeking a free life. Given the choice, we would rather live a difficult life of freedom than an easy life where we have to do what someone else tells us to do. So it’s no surprise that, as American Christians, we would almost instinctively answer the question “What did Christ do?” by replying “He freed us from our sins.” And without a doubt, he did.
I’ve learned from my time in Ghana that unity and belonging is very important to them. In Ghana, your very identity comes from your family, community, and ethnic group. I suspect that the typical Ghanaian would gladly sacrifice freedom in order to maintain strong relationships. One of the hardest things for Ghanaian immigrants in the US is the sense of isolation that they feel here. This value shows up in a common Ghanaian political slogan: “One Ghana!” They are proud of the fact that, in spite of tribal, religious, and political differences, unity matters. I’ve frequently seen Ghanaians strongly debate an issue that they disagreed over. After a while, one or both of them would get uncomfortable with this point of conflict and declare, “But we are brothers and sisters!” Smiles, handshakes, and jokes would then reassure them that, despite their difference of opinion, they are still in relationship with each other. So, unlike us Americans, a Ghanaian is more likely to say, “Because Christ died for me, I belong to him.” The work of Christ has given us a family and a kingdom to belong to.
Christ’s atoning work on the cross means both that he has set us free from sin, and also that we now belong to him. Our freedom in Christ is not an absolute independence that allows us to do anything we want. It means that we now have a Lord who controls our lives and unites us with him and with his family. And the fact that we belong to Christ means that we are no longer bound or enslaved by the evil forces of our world or the sin deep in our hearts.
The point here is not that either Americans or Ghanaians are “right” or “wrong.” The truth of Christ’s amazing work is greater than what any of us can grasp. But when we learn about how others understand our faith, we can enrich our own in the process.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
It's Time to Step up
You’d have to live under a rock to be unaware of the budget battles in Washington, DC. One of the results is that our government is reducing its spending on social programs. Maybe you’re upset about these funding cuts, or perhaps you think they haven’t gone far enough. Either way, they’re making a change in our nation. And if you’re a Christian, you have a responsibility to act.
The testimony of Scripture is clear: we’re supposed to care for the those in need in our society. Read, for example, Psalm 82:3, Amos 5:11-13, Luke 18:18-30, and Romans 12:13. The Bible has much more to say about our responsibility to care for the poor and oppressed than it does about some of the issues which dominate many of our discussions.
Maybe you are someone who is disturbed by the government’s funding cuts because you believe that these programs fulfill the Biblical mandate. That’s fine, but there are other ways to be faithful to Scripture. What can you do, now that these programs aren’t doing it?
Or, maybe you’re someone who welcomes these cuts because you don’t think it’s not the government’s role to take care of people. Again, that’s fine. It may not be Washington’s job to help the poor, needy, and oppressed in our society, but Scripture tells us that it’s ours. Are you stepping up to the plate?
Regardless of your politics, the Christian call is clear. There are people in need. As the people of God, it is our responsibility to do something about it. What are you going to do? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Food banks across the nation are losing government funding for their work to feed the hungry. What can you do to assist our local food pantries, or the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank?
2. Volunteer fire departments are receiving smaller grants to support their work in our communities. Have you made a contribution to your local company?
3. FEMA has less money to help victims of natural disasters. The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program has a proven track record of helping with long-term disaster recovery. Would you like to support them?
4. Public libraries have to make do with less, even though people with low incomes rely on them for so many things. Have you made a donation?
5. LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) has less money this winter to help people stay warm. Many of them will turn to the Lighthouse, our deacons, or other Christian charities for help. Can you give them more to work with?
These are just a few examples, but I hope you get my point. There are many ways that we can each do our part to obey God and help “the least of these” (Matthew 25:31-46) all around us.
The testimony of Scripture is clear: we’re supposed to care for the those in need in our society. Read, for example, Psalm 82:3, Amos 5:11-13, Luke 18:18-30, and Romans 12:13. The Bible has much more to say about our responsibility to care for the poor and oppressed than it does about some of the issues which dominate many of our discussions.
Maybe you are someone who is disturbed by the government’s funding cuts because you believe that these programs fulfill the Biblical mandate. That’s fine, but there are other ways to be faithful to Scripture. What can you do, now that these programs aren’t doing it?
Or, maybe you’re someone who welcomes these cuts because you don’t think it’s not the government’s role to take care of people. Again, that’s fine. It may not be Washington’s job to help the poor, needy, and oppressed in our society, but Scripture tells us that it’s ours. Are you stepping up to the plate?
Regardless of your politics, the Christian call is clear. There are people in need. As the people of God, it is our responsibility to do something about it. What are you going to do? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Food banks across the nation are losing government funding for their work to feed the hungry. What can you do to assist our local food pantries, or the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank?
2. Volunteer fire departments are receiving smaller grants to support their work in our communities. Have you made a contribution to your local company?
3. FEMA has less money to help victims of natural disasters. The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program has a proven track record of helping with long-term disaster recovery. Would you like to support them?
4. Public libraries have to make do with less, even though people with low incomes rely on them for so many things. Have you made a donation?
5. LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) has less money this winter to help people stay warm. Many of them will turn to the Lighthouse, our deacons, or other Christian charities for help. Can you give them more to work with?
These are just a few examples, but I hope you get my point. There are many ways that we can each do our part to obey God and help “the least of these” (Matthew 25:31-46) all around us.
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