Christianity, for most of us, is like an identity. We say 99% of Nagas are Christians but what form of Christianity do we really practice? Do we understand what Christianity is? What does it means to be a Christian? Who was Jesus Christ was, or what does the gospel preach?
I have, after careful observance, needed to comment on what we think of Christianity. What do we interpret from Christianity? Or what double standards do we tend to practice in Christianity, even? Christian means ‘Christ-like’, or following the examples that has been already set by Jesus Christ during his lifetime who is also considered as God who lived on earth. So Christian, in other words also means, ‘to be like Christ’. That is different from the preachings of Judaism or Islam although these three religions are very similar in many ways. In Judaism Jesus Christ is not considered as the Messiah and they are still waiting for the Messiah. But for Christians Christ has saved humanity, and he also set the example of the life ‘Christians’ should live while they are on earth. So where can we find those teachings or examples? You may find that in the bible. It is because of that that I’d like to quote from the bible a few verses to recap and contemplate how exactly we practice our Christianity in our day-to-day lives. Do we live a ‘Christ-like’ life, do we live with the teachings of the bible? Or, is our Christianity something different from all that?
I believe one of my favorite verses in the bible is the chapter on Love. If you are familiar with the bible I’m sure you have come across 1 Corinthians chapter 13. The whole chapter talks about love and how love should be. Love is long suffering, kind, not envious, selfish, easily provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in evil, bears, believes and hopes all things, endures all things. Is that the meaning of being ‘Christ-like’, I have often wondered? Do those qualities, attributes exemplify a Christian life? The chapter further goes on to say, “1.Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.”
Another chapter which reminds me of humility or long suffering (and being blessed as a result) is Matthew chapter 5 verse 3-11, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are they that mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are those who thirst for righteousness, those who are merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, those persecuted for righteous’ sake.” Even from just these two chapters I have often wondered is this what Christianity could be about. Are we expected to exemplify these qualities?
What do we understand by Christianity?
I guess this is a very important question for every believer because if you cannot follow by the ways of Christianity, then how can you call yourself ‘Christian’? In the bible it says in 1 Corinthians 3:16- “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
1 Corinthians 10:31, have said: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
What could that mean? Do they include Love, charity, perseverance or meekness, humility of the follower?
Everyone has a right to their own interpretation of the bible or the gospel and they may do so accordingly. But what the bible says about humility, love, charity etc. is also talking about human relationships, or fairness with one another in a way that you think of the other (as Christianity have said) more than you would think of yourself. So whichever way one may interpret the teachings of the bible Christianity is inclusive in that way (or thinking of the wellbeing of the other). Is that Christ-like? Is that doing things for ‘the glory of God’? You may decide yourself, however, Amos 5:11 says “For as much therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat; ye have built house of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.” Could this mean that although you obtain all ‘riches’ you may never really enjoy them because it was not gotten in a right way; or you have exploited the ‘other’ person for your pleasure and thus pleasure is only ephemeral?
Ecclesiastes 2:11 says “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor which I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”
Psalms 123:2 talks about accountability (perhaps for what you do): “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our god, until that he have mercy upon us.”
Christianity as an identity?
Anthropologists, and otherwise, have identified this among the Nagas early on their conversion: that Nagas take to Christianity as an identity. As a result, nominal Christianity came about and this was something very difficult to purge because as Christianity became an identity, nominal Christianity was also accepted within its folds.
Yet, what do we find in nominal Christianity or Christianity just as an identity? 1 Corinthians 6.6 again forewarns, “But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.” For in 1 Peter 4.8, has not the teaching of the bible asked us to be charitable? “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” But these are some certain shortcomings that we face in our society (or belief) because we have not, perhaps, assessed the meaning or message of Christianity well enough. 2 Corinthians 12:20 thus profess, “For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as you would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults.”
Before I finish this piece today I’d like to ask from the well known verse of John 3:16 where it is said “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son” to die on the cross for us and the following verse 17 speaks as much, if not more, of God’s intention for letting his son die. It says “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
So let me ask again: What Christianity do you follow?
