Philip Yancey
Another provocative quote from Yancey. This is only provocative because Christians do not typically follow this kind of thinking. For some reason, Christians have since Christianity's inception, believed that compulsion was the necessary method for bringing people to Christ. The method of compulsion has differed through the years, taking such forms as violence, argument, and today, providing a sense of shame and guilt for sin. If sin is prominent in an outsider, we refuse to talk with them and instead curse them and ridicule them and try to fix them. If they are an insider, we shun them and remove them from our circle of friends and kick them out of church. We refuse to associate with them until they have proven they have quit their sin.
Yancey in his book The Jesus I Never Knew, shows us a portrait of Jesus that is unrecognizable to most churches, yet is the most accurate portrayal of Jesus since the Bible was written. Maybe it is not that people have a misperception of who Jesus was/is, but instead choose to ignore him because his method seems weak (see Ivan's story in the Brothers Karamozov). Either way, we need to follow Jesus' technique. His method for bringing people to him was weak, but that is because that is the only way genuine relationship can develop, by putting the ball in the court of the person you want a relationship with. Jesus came and showed love to people of every class and character without discrimination. Yancey tells us, "In short, Jesus honored the dignity of people, whether he agreed with them or not. He would not found a kingdom on the basis of race or class or other such divisions. Anyone, even a half-breed with five husbands (the Samaritan woman from John 3) or a thief dying on a cross, was welcome to join his kingdom. The person was more important than any category or label" (Yancey, 245). Jesus loved all people. He did not come to people by force, but came to them to provide for their needs. He came to them to love them, and if they wanted to follow him, that was their choice, not his. Yet we come at people with shouts of "you sinner," "you faggot," "you baby killer." Can you imagine these words coming out of Jesus' mouth? Jesus never once labeled a person a sinner (other than religious leaders). Yet he was ready and willing to forgive people.
In discussing Jesus' temptations in the wilderness, Yancey explained that Jesus had the opportunity to compel people to follow him by strength. He had the option to obtain power by giving everyone bread, he had the opportunity to compel people by ruling over every kingdom, and he had the opportunity to compel people by an amazing feat. Jesus could have, three years later, chosen to call forth all of the angels to destroy the Roman empire; instead he chose to die on a cross. Jesus chose the weak way, and we have chosen the strong way. Jesus chose to bring love to people, we have chosen the way of power. Jesus chose to forgive, we have chosen to hate. In the words of Yancey, "Despite Jesus' plain example, many of his followers have been unable to resist choosing the way of Herod over that of Jesus" (Yancey, 246). Herod's way was to kill everybody who did not follow him. Jesus' way was to love and forgive everyone who did not follow him. It is not our responsibility to bring people to Christ. My call to Christians is to stop bearing the heavy burden that the salvation of humanity rests on you. Christians make for poor saviors. Jesus Christ makes for a perfect Savior. Let him do the work. Do the work that you were called to do, "love your neighbor as yourself," "love your enemy," etc... This is what we were called to do.
God bless.
-Brandon
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