On What, or who's, Authority?

It has been an interesting week seeing the different responses "Christians" have been posting in regards to Osama Bin Laden's death.  I put the word in quotes because, well on the interweb it's a bit hard to tell who's being real and who's being funny.

Sadly, many of the comments I have read I truly believe to have come from "Christians."  Christians who are happy, and delighted, at the death of OBL.  Some even speculating it was God's will that he be killed.

Yet, the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't agree with them.

After all, Jesus said it bluntly:  Love your enemy.

I posted this myself.  And then came the shots.  No, not too many were mean, some had the notion I didn't have a firm grasp of Biblical teachings - which I will admit too always, until the day I die (shouldn't we all?)

What was amazing was all the "evidence" they pulled out from the Bible to show how killing your enemy was fine, if not justified.

At first glance, I would almost agree that they had a case.  Yet, that would only be true if not for one thing:  Jesus said, "Love your enemy."

There is no question there.  He does not go on to list exceptions to this rule.  He does not list certain circumstances in which killing one's enemy is okay, if not justified.

Three words, couldn't have been plainer.

He wasn't in the middle of a parable.

He was speaking the truth, he was speaking as one with authority.

Which begs two questions we each must answer: Who has the final authority.  The Bible, or Jesus?  And honestly, you can't follow both.

One MUST have more authority over the other.

Either Jesus has more over the Bible (regardless of what it might say) or does the Bible hover above Jesus and he must fit within the front and back covers?

The other question is this:  Did Jesus mean what he said?

Jesus gave NO indication that this was up for debate or that he was using hyperbole.  So he must have meant it, because if he didn't mean it, why would he say it?

He couldn't lie, he couldn't have steered us incorrectly, or he couldn't have been kidding...in fact he seem to go to some lengths to ensure that we understood "Love your enemy" was EXACTLY what he meant when he said it.

Now we may not like this little fact, this tid bit of information because as a culture (especially American) this does not fit well with our view of "justice."

THAT is another part of the problem.  Our brand of justice DOES NOT fit with God's...in fact there is more evidence of "justice" for God meaning giving and helping, than it does punishing.

For if we were truly more Christ-like, we most likely wouldn't have some of the issues now that we feel the need to "punish."

I'm not saying we chuck the Bible.  But when we read and study the Bible, we must keep in mind who has authority over what.

Jesus has the final word - hence we are Christians.

Now, if something in the Bible (seems to) contradict what Jesus taught, we MUST error on the side of Jesus and do some digging and study to find out if the contradiction truly exists.

Loving your enemy isn't easy.  Of course, Jesus never said it would be.  But it IS what he commands us to do, there is no question about that.

If we are to submit to him and his authority, we must submit to this command.  Regardless of what we FEEL should happen to our enemies.

Following Jesus isn't complicated, he does have a light yoke, but it is difficult - especially in this world.

Peace and Love,

Chris