The Übermensch vs the Christ-man

Both Nietzsche and Dostoevsky lived around the same time in the late nineteenth century--a time of the fall of Christian values and the rise of rationalism and nihilism. While Nietzsche lamented the 'death of God,' Dostoevsky concluded that 'everything is permitted.' The two existentialists' thoughts ran almost parallel to each other until Nietzsche proclaimed that men must now rise above the herd and transcend beyond good and evil. Nietzsche was foreshadowing the emergence of the 'Übermensch'--the man who would forge his own values free of God. Meanwhile, Dostoevsky was formulating in advance his answer to Nietzsche's Übermensch, and this answer was modeled on none other than Jesus Christ.

In each of Dostoevsky's last novels we see the figure of Christ presented through the unlikeliest of characters. Alyosha--the troubled novice monk who must travel outside of his monastery to spread the gospel. Sonya--the self-sacrificing prostitute who brings salvation to a murderer. Both these characters are Nietschean in a certain sense. All three survive betrayal and tragedies. They survive that which 'does not kill them,' and emerge stronger. But the one who truly makes them stronger is Christ.

Dostoevsky's Übermensch is Christ. His Übermensch, in stark contrast to Nietszche, does not transcend beyond good and evil, but, rather, becomes a bridge between heaven and hell. Dostoevsky's heroes, Alyosha and Sonya, live inside the hellish realm that is the reality of the world in which we live in, yet they embody and spread all that is good and become Christ-figures to their societies. Though they cannot escape hell, they nevertheless bring light to all those who are trapped alongside them, often at the cost of themselves. Their hearts, despite enduring much pain, are entrenched in that which cannot be seen. They redeem the world through their supposed weakness--their weakness being the imitation of Christ.

Unlike Nietszche's Übermensch, Dostoevsky's Christ-man moves gracefully under the structures of authority. Whereas the Übermensch imposes his will on the structures themselves, the Christ-man transcends the structures and deals with the battle at the very root--the heart of man. The Christ-man seeks to transform the human soul, not subdue or coerce it through sheer dominance. Redemption lies in mimicking Christ, not in building up a brand new human from scratch, for the brand new human was already revealed in the form of a Jewish rabbi two thousand years ago. Jesus was and always will be the solution to the countless diseases that plague the human heart. He is the greatest example of positive mimesis--the ultimate role model.

The Gospel in 'Crime and Punishment'

In Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment,' the protagonist, Rodion Raskolnikov, believes he is special and can, quite literally, get away with murder. He brutally murders two women with an axe, just to prove his point. But soon, he is torn apart by the constant battle between his conscience and rationale. This causes him great physical and mental anguish. He howls and rages in agony. He is endlessly tormented, and, as a result, lashes out against those who try to help him. One day, he meets a woman by the name of Sonya. Rodion falls in love with this overwhelmingly humble and shunned lady. He is strangely attracted to Sonya and even confesses his sins to her, albeit in pride. Sonya, upon hearing Rodion's confession, urges him to turn himself over to the authorities. But, she also says that she will follow Rodion into captivity, promising to never leave him.

Dostoevsky presents to us how mere mortals must imitate Christ in this fallen world. Rodion is the person we are before and in the state of conversion. After all, his name literally means 'schism.' Sonya, on the other hand, is how a Christ-follower is supposed to act. Astonishingly, Dostoevsky portrays the only Christian in his novel as a harlot. How ironic! Aren't we all harlots in our own unique ways? Sonya is basically us, broken and ashamed, but always striving like a child to be like Christ. When Sonya hears Raskolnikov's confession, she does not cast judgement upon him, despite the fact that one of Raskolnikov's victims was her friend. Sonya instead weeps and embraces Raskolnikov, choosing to speak to the murderer's suffering soul. She could have quite easily exposed Raskolnikov to society and thus exacted 'justice.' But she refuses to do this. Why? There is no why! It's because she truly loves Raskolnikov. She urges Raskolnikov to turn himself in so that his conversion might be complete.

When Raskolnikov is in prison, Sonya, true to her promise, keeps visiting him. However, Raskolnikov is still proud and unrepentant. He tries to justify his crime, stating that he killed only worthless human beings. But nevertheless, Sonya continues to offer compassion. One day, she falls sick and is unable to visit, and Raskolnikov becomes restless because of her absence. When Sonya resumes her visit, Raskolnikov cannot control himself. He falls to her feet in repentance. They embrace each other through tears and recognize that many years of suffering still lie ahead, but they have each other.

True repentance and reconciliation can never occur unless we are ready to travel to the deepest depths of hell with the tormented. In order to do that, we must forego all ideas of retributive justice. It isn't easy; no one said it was.

'A Clockwork Orange' and victim-based politics

In the movie 'A Clockwork Orange, ' the central character is a hooligan, murderer, and rapist. His name is Alex and he enjoys what he describes as 'a bit of the old ultraviolence.' He beats up homeless men, rivals, and even his own gangmembers. He rapes women on a regular basis. And when he goes back home at night, he listens to his favorite composer--Beethoven. Believe it or not, Alex is us; he is you and me. Given the right circumstances, we are liable to become ultraviolent just like Alex. We can become the murderer or the victim, depending on one's ideological perspective.

The movie is also an interesting commentary on the political spectrum of our society. When Alex is apprehended, he is put forward as the recipient of a mind-altering treatment. He is forced into endless sessions of watching violent films, and, as a result, he develops a physical sickness whenever he is confronted with a violent situation. Unfortunately, he also, rather inadvertently, develops a sickness towards Beethoven's music. The reigning government--a liberal one--hails Alex's cure to the press, proclaiming it as a fulfillment of their promises to rid the streets of crime, all but ensuring their reelection in the coming election.

When he is released, Alex's physical ailments start to get the best of him. Violence is unavoidable, and so are violent circumstances. Whenever he is attacked, whether by hooligans or homeless drunkards, Alex cannot fight back, and, as a result, he is beaten up by almost everyone. Worse, he becomes a pawn for political fanatics. The conservative opposition manages to get a hold of him, seeing in him an opportunity to strike at the liberal ruling party. They manage to get Alex to attempt suicide by forcing him to listen to Beethoven's music in a locked room. The story is put through the press. The ruling party are cornered because of the devastating affects of the supposed cure for violent behavior. True to the realistic narrative, the liberals treat Alex again, this time reversing the cure. Now, Alex is once again able to listen to Beethoven, once again he is a murderer and a rapist. It doesn't matter though, as the government has reclaimed its image in the public eye.

"The most powerful anti-Christian movement is the one that takes over and "radicalizes" the concern for victims in order to paganize it." - Rene Girard

The left and right sides of political power are really two sides of the same coin. Both thrive on victim-based politics. Both seek out victims, and both use victims to further their power and cement their authoritarian place in society. Alex is first a victim of society when he is selected for the mind-altering treatment. When he is cured, he has outlived his uses and dismissed by the ruling party. The party has already used the victim Alex as propaganda and succeeded in winning the praises of the media; why should they keep him now?

Alex, however, has now become a different kind of victim. He is now the victim of state-sponsored mind alteration. And what kind of uses does this victim have? He is used against the government, of course.

This is the sad state of modern western society. Political parties and governments are entirely victim-based. Victims are utilized for party agendas and then easily dismissed. For example, in America, the far-right says that the victims are people of the white race who are marginalized by the establishment. On the other hand, the far-left say (and this will seem somewhat strange) that the blacks, Hispanics, women, homosexuals, transgenders, etc. are all victims of the white patriarchy.

The problem with this kind of victim-based politics is that it always seeks out an external oppressor. The kind of concern for victims that require you to hate another man, that's playing straight into the satanic hands of deception. In the post-Christian society of the western world, where people seek a return to the paganism of old, the radicalization of the concern for victims is the quickest way to achieve that goal.

The non-violent message of the Gospels, the crucifixion of Christ, once and for all deconstructed the violent scapegoat system hidden under pagan religions. The stories of Oedipus, Romulus and Remus, Antigone, all reveal how mankind solve violent conflicts by sacrificing a single victim upon whom all blame is placed. This sacrificing of a single victim successfully brings the conflict to halt, albeit temporarily. This scapegoat phenomenon was deconstructed and laid bare before all thanks to the crucifixion of Christ. Much of western society, and the values that sprung forth from it, has been built on this revelation from the cross. The idea that each and every person is of immense value, deserving life and dignity, is a result of the deconstruction of violence by Jesus. However, Satan is a master of adaptation, and the devil knows just how mankind can come back to the pagan days of old, when human sacrifices occurred without outrage and guilt.

The best way Satan can eclipse the Christian revelation is through a radical method of social justice. The communist revolutions in Russia and China were testament to that. The self-proclaimed army of victims rose up and annihilated the oppressors and left not a single trace of their murder. They wiped out even the families of the oppressors. This is Alex's dark side. The new rule of the victim must continue to find oppressors, hence they find it within their own ranks. Men and women are turned in as 'traitors of the revolution.' Millions more perish in labor camps, never to be seen again.

When Alex is 'cured' for the final time in the movie, he is back to being a murderer and he is already planning another violent assault. This is where victim-based politics--the modern social justice movement--eventually leads us. It makes us no better than we were before, instead it makes us worse; it gives us an axe to wield and an oppressor to kill.

But there is a way through which humanity can continue the revelation of the cross. This way calls for us to renounce violence altogether. Rene Girard explains this boldly in his book 'Things Hidden since the Foundation of the World.'

To leave violence behind, it is necessary to give up the idea of retribution; it is therefore necessary to give up forms of conduct that have always seemed to be natural and legitimate. For example, we think it quite fair to respond to good dealings with good dealings, and to evil dealings with evil, but this is precisely what all communities on the planet have always done, with familiar results. People imagine that to escape from violence it is sufficient to give up any kind of violent ‘initiative’, but since no one in fact thinks of himself as taking this initiative—since all violence has a mimetic character, and derives or can be thought to derive from a first violence that is always perceived as originating with the opponent—this act of renunciation is no more than a sham, and cannot bring about any kind of change at all. Violence is always perceived as being a legitimate reprisal or even self-defence. So what must be given up is the right to reprisals and even the right to what passes, in a number of cases, for legitimate defence. Since the violence is mimetic, and no one ever feels responsible for triggering it initially, only by an unconditional renunciation can we arrive at the desired result.

A total and final renunciation of violence would not allow us to get sucked into the perpetual, bloodthirsty game of victim and oppressor. The refusal to participate in mimetic violence will save us from what Nietzsche called 'the slave morality.' An adherence to non-violence will spark an outbreak of love for one another--a contagion of positive mimesis. Jesus said that the world will know his disciples by their love for one another. This love for one another is designed by Christ to be first mimicked among his disciples and then work its way out into the world. Love is such a force that it cannot be enforced through legistation or any other means of coercion. Love must come forth by imitation, not from violent forces of evil, but from the crucified life of Christ.

'Silence': A brief review of Scorcese’s film

The movie Silence is directed by Martin Scorcese and based on the Japanese novel written by Shūsaku Endō; it deals with the state persecution of the ‘Kakure Kirishitan’ (hidden Christians) in 17th century Japan after the Shimabara rebellion. The story is told from the perspective of Father Rodrigues–a Portuguese Jesuit priest who travels to Japan in search of Father Ferreira. Ferreira is said to have renounced his faith under extreme torture from the inquisitor; he steps on a fumi-e—a stone slab containing Christian images—and symbolically 'tramples' on Jesus. Unable to believe the news of Ferreira’s apostasy, the young priest Rodrigues decides to find out for himself if Ferreira has indeed turned his back on Christ.

I must say Silence is probably the best film of 2016 along with Hacksaw Ridge; it is also one of Scorcese’s masterpieces. It is a difficult film to watch, yet it is also beautiful and sublime. The moments of persecution and trial of Christians left me deeply moved. Christians are beheaded, burnt alive, left bleeding in pits, and crucified. There is a scene where a Japanese Christian is crucified and left to drown. He is singing in his last moment a serene hymn, which sounds bittersweet, while everyone else, including the persecutors, looks on in silence. By watching and absorbing these scenes, you can feel how everyone involved with the movie are giving their all. Andrew Garfield who plays Rodrigues is especially powerful in his performance and deserves an Oscar. Speaking of Oscars, it is a complete travesty that Silence did not get any nominations this year other than for best cinematography.

Those who have seen the movie may have noticed the film’s complex themes interwoven throughout the plot. In this blog entry, I will attempt to touch on some of these themes and take time to briefly reflect upon them. In doing so, I hope that the reader may appreciate the movie, and admire the author, Mr. Endō, even more for his incredible insights into human culture and various theological issues, many of which are still relevant today. For those who might not have seen the movie, please be informed as there are spoilers that follow.

Cultural Barriers

It is not long before Rodrigues discovers that the land of Japan is a uniquely different country. Here, the people are simplistic, without deceit, and extremely humble—even childlike. The Christians welcome Rodrigues with an affectionate sadness and treat him with overwhelming admiration and warmth. Even the Inquisitor, Inoue Masashige, invites Rodrigues to his home for meals and discussion. The Japanese rulers abhor the ‘arrogance’ of the European missionaries, yet they are strangely moved by the Christians’ willingness to suffer. At the same time, they are unable to understand why these European missionaries would allow their flock to suffer such extreme agonies for the simplest of faith-denial acts such as stepping on mere images.

I can say that this is true for many Asian cultures when faced with foreign, particularly western, interaction in any form. It is true that many western ideas have been beneficial with regards to fighting superstition and social discrimination, but at the same time western concepts such as individuality and hyper-capitalism are often seen as threats to the cultural solidarity of Asian peoples. So it is not surprising that the Japanese persecutors in this story think of western Christianity as a danger to their land.

When Rodrigues finally comes face to face with Ferreira, he is told that Japan is a vast ‘swamp’ and ‘our religion does not take root here.’ Ferreira tells Rodrigues that the Japanese simply cannot conceive of a God that exists beyond the realm of nature. Rodrigues shakes his head at Ferreira and says that he saw countless Christians dying for God. ‘But they’re dying for you, Rodrigues,’ Ferreira says to Rodrigues, much to the young priest’s shock.

The author, Mr. Endō, had long believed that for Christianity to thrive in Japan it must abandon certain western concepts such as the patriarchal father image of God. The Japanese do not take kindly to a father image, which exudes stubborn authority and allows no weakness. Endō said that the Japanese are more drawn to the maternal nature of God as revealed in the tender, nurturing nature of Jesus. The maternal aspect of Christ is indeed the most heartwarming and comforting place in the Gospels, and it is true that we Christians have not emphasized on this as much as we should have in our day-to-day lives. Julian of Norwich writes in her ‘Revelations of Divine Love,’

Jesus Christ therefore, who himself overcame evil with good, is our true Mother. We received our ‘Being’ from Him, and this is where His Maternity starts, And with it comes the gentle Protection and Guard of Love which will never cease to surround us.

Towards the end of the film, the Inquisitor says to Rodrigues that Christianity in Japan has become a ‘strange thing.’

God’s voice in suffering

In his trials and tribulations, Rodrigues often asks God for comfort and deliverance. He also questions God as to why must the Christians’ suffering be so terrible. ‘Where are you?’ he shouts at God repeatedly in a prison cell while awaiting execution.

The author had said that Japanese culture identifies with the 'one who suffers with us.' Is it true that God suffers with us in silence while we undergo painful and agonizing trials? I am reminded of an account of the Holocaust told by Elie Wiesel in his book ‘Night.’ Wiesel recounts an episode where he and others witness the hanging of a small boy in a concentration camp.

“Then came the march past the victims. The two men were no longer alive. Their tongues were hanging out, swollen and bluish. But the third rope was still moving: the child, too light, was still breathing...

And so he remained for more than half an hour, lingering between life and death, writhing before our eyes. And we were forced to look at him at close range. He was still alive when I passed him. His tongue was still red, his eyes not yet extinguished.

Behind me, I heard the same man asking:

"For God's sake, where is God?"

And from within me, I heard a voice answer:

"Where He is? This is where--hanging here from this gallows..."

Rodrigues is disheartened by God’s silence amidst the screams of his children. There comes a time when Rodrigues must commit apostasy in order to save members of his flock from the agony of bleeding to their deaths. He gazes at the fumi-e upon which he must trample, and it is exactly in this moment when Christ breaks his silence. The Lord says to Rodrigues in a gentle voice,

"You may trample. I more than anyone know of the pain in your foot. You may trample. It was to be trampled on by men that I was born into this world. It was to share men's pain that I carried my cross."

‘Father, I want to make confession.’

When Rodrigues travels to Japan, he meets a drunken Japanese named Kichijiro who later acts as his guide. Rodrigues suspects Kichijiro is a Christian, and it turns out that he is right. Kichijiro is revealed to be one of the Christians who has apostatized and stepped on the fumi-e to save himself, but his family is wiped out in brutal fashion because of their refusal to do the same. Does Kichijiro’s inability to save his own family haunt him? Kichijiro tells Rodrigues that he sees the fire of his family’s death burning less brightly due to the priest’s presence. On top of that, Kichijiro seems to follow Rodrigues everywhere so that he can make his confessions to the priest. Many times, Rodrigues gets annoyed of Kichijiro because of his stubborn insistent need to confess each and every time after stepping on the fumi-e or betraying fellow Christians. How can Christ love such a wretch? Rodrigues often contemplates.

After Rodrigues commits apostasy, Kichijiro still sticks with him as his servant. One day, Kichijiro again asks Rodrigues to hear his confession, but this time Rodrigues is not annoyed; this is because he is aware of the Japanese inability to see God beyond creation. Rodrigues may have realized that Kichijiro is asking for forgiveness much as the same way we Christians ask for forgiveness because of our multiple sins. Rodrigues’ journey comes full circle here. In the Gospel of John, Christ says,

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. (John 15:4, NASB)

The apostle Paul says,

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32, NIV)

Can it be that Kichijiro showed Rodrigues, in his utter weakness, what it means to have Christ living inside of you? Kichijiro begs Rodrigues for forgiveness because, for Kichijiro, Rodrigues is Jesus; the young Portuguese Jesuit priest is to this broken Japanese man the very embodiment of Christ living among his disciples. To Kichijiro, God has already spoken through Father Rodrigues and he has spoken with unconditional forgiveness. Therefore, Rodrigues somehow understands and he finally embraces Kichijiro and thanks him.

Book review: 'A.D. 33' by Ted Dekker

A.D. 33 is a novel written by bestselling author Ted Dekker. This novel is the sequel to A.D. 30 which was one of the best novels I had ever read, except that I didn't like the Mortal Kombat style ending where Shao Kahn shouts “Finish him!” and Maviah says “Naaah!”...... But let’s move on. The story of A.D. 30 is of an Arabian woman named Maviah. Despite being a member of a royal Bedouin household, Maviah is looked down upon because she is a woman, and also because she has a child out of wedlock, and when bloodthirsty invaders destroy whatever little she has, she seeks out a certain carpenter from Palestine. She learns from this carpenter the power of faith, and with this faith she not only restores her dignity and wins loyal friends, but also becomes the ‘Queen of outcasts.’

A.D. 33 continues Maviah’s tale. Maviah is now the leader of her people, but she still has to deal with the invaders who had ravaged her homeland and left her people homeless. Her enemies, furious at her victory over them, strike again and deceive her people, leaving them scattered in the brutal desert of Arabia. Hence, Maviah is once again faced with overwhelming odds, and once again she has no choice but to return to Palestine in search of the famous carpenter prophet of the Jews.

As usual, Ted Dekker fills his pages with suspense and action. He throws us deep headfirst into the savage and cruel world of first century Arabia. His minimal descriptive style works perfectly. But it is the heroine who keeps the reader invested in the story. Maviah is a brilliantly written character. She is not a cardboard cut-out female lead that so often emerges from Hollywood movies; she is thoroughly human. We care for her because she is vulnerable despite being courageous. When Maviah is forced to lose everything she holds dear, she has a crisis of faith. She breaks down during times of utter defeat and humiliation. This makes her a very relatable character. The problems she faces, the uphill battle against principalities and darkness, can so often be our own. Her companion, the feared warrior Saba, is also evolving wonderfully as the story progresses. He becomes a great admirer of Yeshua and ponders a lot on this enigmatic prophet’s teachings. Judah, another returning character, is, as usual, the heroic Jewish zealot who wants to free his homeland from the clutches of Caesar. He and Saba are Maviah’s closest friends and faithful allies. A welcome addition to the cast is Talya, Maviah’s adopted son. All of the major characters, except the antagonists, are handled beautifully and with care. There are some questionable decisions that were taken with some of characters, but I won't spell them out here and spoil the plot. You’ll probably know it when you see them.

The antagonists could have benefited from a little more depth. They are shown to be somewhat one dimensional, but I guess Dekker will work on that in the planned third follow up. Another odd decision made by the author is the repeated switching between first person and third person narratives, but then again this doesn’t obstruct the storytelling in any way. The only serious complaint I have about A.D. 33 is how similar the story is to A.D. 30.

Dekker shows great respect for scripture. The biblical characters are handled very well; nothing overambitious is attempted through them. I admire that. Too many creative nonsense can often leave the reader amused or scratching their heads (cough... The last temptation of Christ...cough). Thankfully, A.D. 33 is refreshing and it does not have any of the self-indulging passages common with most authors who set out to tackle a biblical story.

Maviah’s battle of faith and outright doubt is very relevant. Like Maviah, many young people face spiritual crisis in their lives. And so often, these young people leave the church simply because of the church's inability to guide them. Also, we learn how rash and reckless decisions, often made on the basis of hyper self-reliance, can lead to disastrous consequences. During critical times, Maviah is left without any options; she has only God to rely upon, and in these moments she performs extraordinary feats and finds her true self. By showing this, Dekker illustrates beautifully how we are strong when we are weak.

Despite a few nitpicks, A.D. 33 is another Ted Dekker novel that I fairly enjoyed. The pages just begged to be kept turning every time I opened this book. It was a thrill-ride all the way. I can't wait for the third installment.

Agape

The following is a transcript of a sermon I gave in Mumbai Church of Christ:

What is Agape?

Agape means love. But it is not the kind of ‘love’ that you generally see in movies, songs, media, etc. The ‘love’ that is portrayed in the world is selfish, self-preserving and self-assuring among other things. Agape is not that kind of love.

What is Agape love like?

Agape is a Greek word which is used in the New Testament. It stands for Godly love. What is this ‘Godly love’? Whatever it is, Ephesians 3:19 says it surpasses knowledge. For us to understand this, let us read a very familiar passage for the Gospel of John.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting love. – John 3:16

The love that is described here is Agape love. Notice that God did not hold back anything, even his own Son, when he showed his love for mankind.

The ‘love’ that we find in this world is like me saying, “Listen, I’ll care for you and do anything you may need. But, you’ll have to do the same for me.” No, that’s not what God is doing. God, instead of looking out for his own interest, looks out for our interest. And in doing so he gives his only son to be butchered by our hands… so that we may have everlasting life.

Want to know what worldly ‘love’ is like? Listen to me…

‘Love’ is impatient, ‘love’ is rude and always jealous, ‘love’ always keeps on bragging and is arrogant, and it is always self-preserving, it is easily provoked, it does not care if anyone is suffering, in fact, it rejoices when there is something bad going on, it does not bear anything at all.

Want to know what Agape love is like? Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

So you see, Agape love and worldly love are two things which are completely opposite to each other. Agape love, for one thing, does not recognize man-made distinctions. That is why, even though we are worthless, God considers are worthy. 

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. – Galatians 5:6

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

Worldly love says, ‘I can do whatever I want… whenever I want.’ Agape love, on the other hand, does not abuse freedom.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. – Galatians 5:13

So how can we experience this self-sacrificing, self-denying kind of love? It’s very simple. Look to Jesus.

Jesus is the perfect example of Agape. Everything that he did, in his earthly life, was an act of love. 

When he was born to a poor earthly family and gave Mary the honor of being his mother, it was an act of love. 

When he turned water into wine at Cana, it was an act of love. 

When he commanded us to love our enemies, it was an act of love. 

When he blessed the little children, it was an act of love. 

When he cleansed the leper, it was an act of love. 

When he made the blind see, it was an act of love. 

When he rebuked the Pharisees, it was an act of love. 

When he spoke to the Samaritan women, it was an act of love. 

When he raised Lazarus from the dead, it was an act of love. 

When he raised the widow’s son, it was an act of love. 

When he fed the multitude, it was an act of love. 

When he showed forgiveness to Peter for Peter’s denial, it was an act of love. 

When he died on the cross, it was the act of love.

Even before the beginning of time, Jesus, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, has always loved. Listen to what Jesus is praying to the Father.

“O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” – John 17:26

C.S. Lewis says that this kind of love in the divine Trinity is like an eternal dance that goes on and on and on. In short, the love between Father, Son and Holy Spirit is never-ending. Now, listen to what Jesus is saying to his disciples.

"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. – John 15:9-10

Paul is astonished at seeing this divine love extended to us worthless human beings. He is so astonished that he wishes never to be separated from this love of Christ. Listen to what he says,

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? – Romans 8:35

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

How can we comprehend this kind of love? I’ll try to explain by telling you a story. There were two men, both of them were friends. The name of the first was ‘Winner’ and the name of the second was ‘Loser’. Both of them were sitting at a cafeteria drinking tea. The Winner kept on boasting about how he never lost. The Loser always remained humble. The Winner noticed that the Loser had an envelope in his hand.

“What is that in your hand?” The Winner asked.

“This?” The Loser raised his envelope. “I’ll show you but first you’ll have to answer my riddle.”

The Winner was eager for the challenge. “All right, tell me the riddle and I will see what is in that envelope.”

“Oh, but you will have to lose this riddle to get the prize,” said the Loser.

“What do you mean?”

“You can’t win this riddle.” The Loser said just like that.

“Ha! You can keep your ‘prize’ because I will answer the riddle.” The Winner said confidently.

“All right here’s the riddle:

“I became poor so that you can be rich

Hungry so that you can be filled

Lowly so that you can be elevated

Filthy so that you can be clean

Sin so that you can be pure

Dead so that you can be alive.”

“That’s nonsense!” The Winner cried.

“Here’s the envelope” The Loser said.

The Winner was disturbed, but he wasn't going to give up. He took that envelope and went home, but he didn't open it. For days, he tried to solve the riddle. He calculated and reasoned night and day. Sometimes, he even went without food, trying to make sense of the riddle. Finally he broke down. He was devastated. He was heartbroken. He realized that he could not solve the riddle. Hence, he was no longer ‘the Winner’. He became, like his friend, a ‘Loser’. He started to cry. He picked up a piece of paper and wrote on it.

I am nothing.

Finally he took the envelope, and he opened it. Inside was a piece of paper, a very small piece. There were some words on it. Want to know what was written on the paper?

“Love one another, just as I have loved you.” – John 13:34

First, the man was shocked at reading this. Was this another riddle? But soon something opened up his mind. It was like a bolt of lightning. The riddle, he realized, was about Agape. The answer to the riddle was none other than Jesus Christ! He was astonished.

Then something wonderful started to happen. Finally, everything made sense. By losing, this man had actually solved the riddle! He was now a ‘Winner’ again. The love of Jesus Christ has made him whole. The Winner was filled with joy.

Far away, the Loser was reading the newspaper and enjoying his cup of his tea. Then suddenly his phone began to ring. The Loser had a big smile on his face. He knew who was calling.

"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." – John 13:35

The influence of Jesus Christ on mankind (Part III)

Before reading this blog post it is highly recommended that you read the previous two posts.
Part I
Part II

It is clear that Jesus Christ has changed the world ever since his earthly life, death and resurrection. Every sphere of human life has been influenced by this man who treaded the sands of Israel thousands of years ago. Thanks to this Galilean there is a new morality in human minds.

Now that Christ has been established as the single most influential personality in the world, should he be dismissed as being just that? Isn't he so much more than just that?

When we read the words of Christ found in the New Testament, we read Christ's demand for us to follow him.

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24 NASB)

Deny himself? Even Jesus' brothers thought he was out of his mind to make demands like these (Mark 3:21).James and Jude were both brothers of Jesus, they thought he was crazy and utterly delusional (John 7:5). But something happened later on in their lives. Both James and Jude had written letters to churches, and in both their letters look at how they were describing themselves.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (James 1:1 NIV)

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James... (Jude 1:1 NIV)

Servants of Jesus! What happened? What could have caused these two brothers, brothers of the Lord, from being utterly in denial to being bond-servants of the Lord Jesus?

Christ taught a new morality, yes. He was also himself the new morality, the new Adam, the firstborn from the dead. He fed the hungry (Matt. 14), he healed the sick (Luke 17), he preached the gospel to the poor (Luke 4:18), he gave sight to the blind (John 9), he raised the dead (John 11), and finally, he died for our sins - bridging the great gulf between man and God - and he rose from the dead. He is now alive and still in control.

Christ beckons us to him so that our lives may be transformed, our perceptions may be altered, and we become a new creation altogether. His transforming nature is itself evident in the story of mankind, and his influence on mankind is nothing but a sample to the greater influence that is in him.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)

Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11 NIV)