The Questioning Christian

Preaching Christ’s Precepts = Preaching Christ

Written by

D. C. Toedt III

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I’m increasingly impressed by Steve Jones’s blog Freethinking Faith.  His latest post is Preaching Moses, preaching Christ.  He points out that, just as preaching Moses means preaching the precepts of Moses (citing James’s words in Acts 15:21), so too does “preaching Christ” including preaching the precepts of Christ. 

Money quote (paragraphing edited): 

By the same standard, then, anyone who preaches the precepts of Christ preaches Christ.

A sermon about loving one’s neighbors, or following the Good Samaritan’s example or forgiving seventy times seven is a preaching of Jesus Christ.

A message need not focus on going to heaven, the need for a new birth or substitutionary atonement in order to be legitimate gospel preaching.

Sounds exactly right to me.

Comments

2 responses to “Preaching Christ’s Precepts = Preaching Christ”

  1. Martha Avatar
    Martha

    I’ve always thought this — it’s the only way I could reconcile a loving God with what I was taught as a child, that Jesus is the only way.
    If I think of Jesus being the way in terms of an equation, the people who never heard of Jesus (say the aboriginals who were discovered on an island in the South Pacific in the 1970s) could still get to heaven. I can’t believe that all those people for 2000 years are consigned to hell just because we Christians didn’t “save” them. This was exactly what a friend who was a Baptist told me back then. Really sad, she said, but that’s the way it is. With what I have experienced with God, that can’t be right.
    I know some theologians will disagree and say that I don’t understand, and I’m sure that’s right. Past a certain point, though, people need to get a life.
    So much of this is unknowable, and regular, non-theologian, non-erudite folks like me need to find something that rings true with their experience of life and of God, and get on with things. All this angels-on-the-head-of-a-pin discussion is about to keep me home on Sunday mornings, despite my loving to sing traditional Anglican music.
    I accept that people understand things differently, and I like to hear why they do, because it might help me understand things better. But more and more in my church, people who share my perspective are demonized and “prayed for” and I hate having to bite my tongue to maintain civility. I hate having certain priests glare at me when they give me communion. I’m about to vote with my feet. No loss, many would say. I guess that’s right for them, but not for me.

    Reply
  2. Cathie Avatar
    Cathie

    Martha, please don’t vote with your feet and leave your church. I’m sure your understanding of God is shared by more people than you’re aware of. I believe that whenever we decide whom God loves and accepts, we necessarily limit that which is limitless. Personally, I want no part of a god who would condemn that aboriginal tribe to hell. I also believe that any god who relies on threats or coercion to garner obedience, praise, thanksgiving and worship is no better than a petty mobster wise-guy and thus no god at all.
    Keep the faith, sister, and by all means keep singing that Anglican music.

    Reply

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