Romans 5:6-11

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.(Romans 5:6-11)

What does your worldview tell you about your enemies? How about what you are to do to your enemies? And I mean all enemies from the jerk at work who incessantly mocks you to the terrorist who blows up your husband. None of us likes violence, arguments, or war. Some of us are even anti any war. In case you are wondering, this isn’t a defense or an attack of any war. I’m intentionally leaving out any political overtones. My point, though, is that it is easy to stay out of such things as war and violence, slander and malice, from a distance. But what happens when the attack is up close and in your face. What does your view of the world tell you that you should do?

Here is my observation. Many religions say that they are about peace. But at the heart of the faith is a certain sense of superiority. They’ve got the answers, and those who oppose their answers are opposing the work of God. Their enemies are God’s enemies, and what do you do with God’s enemies? On this point the secularists are all saying, “Amen! (or a secular version of amen)” And they are eager to point out that much of the unjust violence perpetuated throughout history has been in the name of religion. I hear them saying, with Lennon’s Imagine playing in the background, “As soon as you bring in God and ultimate truth you undermine the mission of peace and love.” But I have another observation. Secularists want their to be no universal truth, that is except for the truth that there is no universal truth. Those who believe in universal truth, they affirm, are dangerous. Which sounds a bit like saying they are enemies. And then my mind recalls that much of the violence over the past century have come at the hands of secularists (Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, etc.). It seems that all worldviews tend to create a class of superiors and a class of enemies.

This all leads to a third observation. What happens when I move my gaze from nations to me? What happens when I’m cheated, ripped off, criticized, hated, rejected, beaten, raped, abused, manipulated, treaded upon, oppressed, etc. What happens when real life happens? What does my worldview tell me then? Because if the mission of peace and love doesn’t happen on that level, there seems no chance that it is going to happen on an international level.

Enter Romans 5:6-11. Universal truth creates a class of superiors and enemies, right? Well, what if the universal truth is that the Author of truth dies for his enemies? What if the ultimate truth is that the King of kings sacrifices himself for the opposition party? What will that tell me on a personal level and on an international level? Maybe Christianity does draw a line between those whom God has rescued and those still in rebellion against him, but God dies for his enemies. If Christianity singles you out as an enemy of God, then my role as a Christian is not to hate you or stand in pride over you. My role is to die for you as my God died for me. I know of no other worldview, religious or secular, that calls for a such a radical mission of peace and love.