December/Vision

Whoever loves Christ, follows the steps of Christ; for as to the brief and feeble glory of flesh that shall die, whatever it has, the swift flight of speedy time bears away.

  - Columbanus, To Sethus (Irish, 7th century)

By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

  - 1 John 2.5, 6

Columbanus echoed a sentiment common among many Celtic Christians, that one could only be described as a true follower of Christ who loved Him and walked in the same steps as He.

Focusing on Jesus Christ - crucified, resurrected, and exalted - Celtic Christians like Columbanus found the North Star of their entire existence. They followed Him in lives of self-denying discipline, both spiritual and physical. They followed Him in the pursuit of holiness through God's Law. They followed Him in serving others. They followed Him in building strong communities of like-minded believers. They followed Him in witness and martyrdom.

What does it mean to us to follow Jesus? This? Or is our faith just a profession of belief that He died for our sins and a sense of relief that we will be going to heaven when we die? But what about here and now? What about how we follow the Lord Jesus day by day? If we know Jesus surely we must love Him. And if we love Him, surely His way of life will be ours?

Over a generation of "simply trusting" in Jesus has landed the Church on the margins of society, cut off from moral debate in the public square, and indifferent to our "go/tell" mission to the lost. If the lost want to get saved, they'll just have to come to where we are and fit in as best they can. Far be it from us to make talking about Jesus or serving lost neighbors in His Name our daily priority and delight.

Jesus didn't live this way. Neither did Columbanus. Nor should we. Paul called the Corinthian Christians to examine themselves, to see whether or not they really knew the Lord. Oh that pastors today might do the same, week-in and week-out, pleading with the people of God to consider, from the evidence of our lives, whether or not we are truly followers of Jesus.

If we see Him, we will love Him. If we love Him, we will follow Him. What about you?

Today at The Fellowship of Ailbe

Evidently, at least in some academic circles, even being "potentially evangelical" is like having the plague, as I explain in today's ReVision.

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T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.