Viral Faith
By R. Cody Smith   

From Footsteps January 13, 2004

There once was a group of men who thought they had all the right answers. Zealous conservatives by today’s standards, they had all their doctrine soundly based in scripture. Then using their self-righteousness like a club, they proceeded to beat people over the head with the zeal and distorted intentions of an abortion clinic bomber. They had all the answers when it came to scripture and value issues, but had somehow missed the core message completely.  

     It’s almost funny, how we can read the Bible today, and miss the fact that Jesus hated the spirit of religion that was in the Pharisees. Apparently in our human nature there is still an attraction to legalism. After all, information is power and having correct information is always easier than becoming changed by what we know. 

      As John Ortberg says, “It is possible to be so caught up in the joy of being right, in the thrilling sense of being morally superior to those who are “not right,” that you become more wrong than your most degraded opponent.” 

It’s not about being right,
it’s about being right hearted.

 It’s not about what we know,
it’s about who we are becoming.

 It’s not about information,
it’s about transformation. 

There was another group of guys, not scholars, but wise men who recognized the light when it came. They embraced not just the words of Christ, but his spirit as well. In turn, they started to become like him, so much so, that others began to call them Christians (little Christs).

      They carried the message in their hearts, and others who longed for it heard, and were transformed as well. They in turn infected others, until within a few short years; the entire known world had been turned upside down by the Gospel. 

      Genuine Christianity is by nature contagious.

      Perhaps this is what’s missing today. We have been affected by the Gospel but are not truly infected. Jesus purposely came as a man so that we could know him, but religion has glorified knowledge about Jesus, and then enshrined him until we can no longer feel his touch. It’s not the myth, but the historical Jesus incarnate in the lives of ordinary people that will actually change the world once again.

      Re-igniting the fire begins with my own flame.

 It’s not about what I believe to be true,
it’s about what God says is true.

 It’s not about where I’ve been,
it’s about where I’m going.

It’s not about me,
it’s about Jesus.

      Our World awaits transformation once again.

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