John 3:16–17 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

HAVE YOU EVER been misrepresented? Strictly speaking, have your words ever been taken out of context, your activities misunderstood, or your associations judged? If so, you will probably concur that it can be a very frustrating experience. Although we are aware we cannot control other people’s perceptions of us, we would like for their opinions to be based on who we really are and what we really say. Most of us are not expecting to be represented perfectly, but we do desire to be represented properly. When we aren’t, it can be extremely upsetting. If being misrepresented is upsetting for us, I can only imagine what it feels like to God. Unfortunately God has to deal with it much more than we do. As a matter of fact, those who claim to know Him best often misrepresent Him most.

RE-PRESENT JESUS

to be represented perfectly, but we do desire to be represented properly. When we aren’t, it can be extremely upsetting. If being misrepresented is upsetting for us, I can only imagine what it feels like to God. Unfortunately God has to deal with it much more than we do. As a matter of fact, those who claim to know Him best often misrepresent Him most.

HAVE YOU EVER been misrepresented?

Strictly speaking, have your words ever been taken out of context, your activities misunderstood, or your associations judged? If so, you will probably concur that it can be a very frustrating experience. Although we are aware we cannot control other people’s perceptions of us, we would like for their opinions to be based on who we really are and what we really say.

Most of us are not expecting to be represented perfectly, but we do desire to be represented properly. When we aren’t, it can be extremely upsetting. If being misrepresented is upsetting for us, I can only imagine what it feels like to God.

If being misrepresented is upsetting for us, I can only imagine what it feels like to God. Unfortunately God has to deal with it much more than we do. As a matter of fact, those who claim to know Him best often misrepresent Him most.

Unfortunately God has to deal with it much more than we do.

As a matter of fact, those who claim to know Him best often misrepresent Him most.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ . Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

ARE WE LIKE JESUS?

I came across a recent survey commissioned by the Fermi Project and conducted by the Barna Group that corroborates this claim. One aspect of the survey researched the top words non-Christians use to describe Christians. The most used descriptors were such words as judgmental, insensitive, homophobic, and hypocritical.

The most used descriptors were such words as judgmental, insensitive, homophobic, and hypocritical.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ . Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

My concern with this data is not that Christians are unpopular; I am aware surveys can be highly skewed and that the goal of our faith is not to win a popularity contest. Rather, my issue with this data is that many of the words used to describe Christians do not describe Jesus. It suggests that in many instances, Christians are not like Christ. It’s like the quote Gandhi is credited with saying:

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ . Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

“I like your Christ but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ . Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ . Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

This is a huge problem and a mirror that reveals a much larger issue: Christians have greatly misunderstood what it means to be one. The governing assumption seems to be that a Christian is one who has received Jesus instead of one who follows Him. In other words, the word Christian is understood to mean a person who likes Jesus as opposed to one who is like Jesus. And if this is our understanding of Christianity, then it will inevitably affect our understanding of spiritual growth.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ . Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

I pray that you will understand the words of Jesus, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Ask yourself “How has He loved me? Do I really love others in the same way?” Unless this love is among us, we can kill ourselves with work and it will only be work, not love. Work without love is slavery.

—MOTHER TERESA

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ . Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

A REFUSAL TO CONDEMN

has been dubbed the most famous Bible verse ever, and for good reason. In it are the central themes of Christianity—God’s gift of salvation, eternal life, and faith—all wrapped around one major ribbon in verb form: love. The verse begins telling the story about salvation, and most of us know it by memory. The problem is, we don’t often think about what comes after it. It is that sets the parameters for .

John 3:16–17 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

There you have it. Once again Jesus is found doing something His followers are not doing. Christ came to save—He did not come to condemn—whereas Christians tend to condemn but use condemnation as bait toward salvation. Jesus came to give, but Christians often take. His was a ministry of reconciliation; ours is often a ministry of judgment. It’s the craziest marketing strategy in the world—the idea that guilting people into salvation will cause them to love God more.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (pp. 5-6). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 6). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Jesus says in , “I didn’t come for that.” He didn’t come to drown people in the pool of sin—He came to save people from their sins! He didn’t come so His followers could build a glass house and throw rocks at unbelievers; rather, He came as a lifeguard for humanity with one goal: to rescue, redeem, and restore us back to Himself.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 6). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 6). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 7). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 1). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 1). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 5). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

This divine love act in the form of death on the cross was an undeniable demonstration of God’s love. But even more significant than the fact that He died is when He died. The “when” matters here just as much as the “how” mattered in the beginning of this chapter.

Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners. Before our conduct deserved it, He died. Before our actions could appreciate it, He died. In the same way that God’s love for us was not based on conduct, our love for others must not be based on conduct. This was the love Jesus displayed for a people who did not even accept Him. His love was unflinching. His love was unconditional. His love was not predicated on reciprocity. His love was rooted in obedience to the Father. This is agape love.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FRUIT

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 7). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

From time to time we may wonder how this works in our everyday lives, and Paul paints a practical picture for us in . Paul’s audience in Corinth was a well-meaning, sincere, yet misguided group of Christians. The congregation was extremely blessed, but at the same time, they were relationally dysfunctional. I mean, really. They found every reason to argue—who was baptizing whom, who should speak when, and who should not speak at all—and their worship gatherings were full of charismatic competitions. Yes, they loved God, but they couldn’t get along with one another. Sound familiar?

For this reason, Paul writes them a letter to bring guidance on how they ought to relate to one another. He ends by saying, “Let me show you a more excellent way,” and begins with this commentary on agape love:

1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:31 KJV 1900

But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 11). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

If we remember Paul’s audience, we can see how every verse here speaks to relational dysfunction. Paul draws on Jesus’s example and spells out how love should look, behave, think, and respond. By the end of his letter, he tells the church to put away childish behaviors and love the way Jesus Christ has empowered us to love. Throughout each line of this passage, Paul exalts fruit over gift.

Paul is challenging Corinth to live out what Jesus has already lived out. Our deeds are only a consequence of our obedience. To love God with your whole heart requires that you focus on the fruit rather than obsessing about the gift. We must focus more on God than on man and concentrate more on our faith than we do our feelings. Christlikeness—not the flaunting of one’s talents—is the goal.

How will our witness be strengthened by our interactions with one another?” The quick answer: by our commitment to love out loud! The long answer: by our steadfast resolve to look to Jesus for instruction and by our willingness to fellowship with one another.

When we demonstrate the heart of God, we exemplify agape. When our love language matches Christ’s unconditional sacrifice, we exemplify agape. As Christ has loved us, so must we also love one another. Love is where we must start. Love is where we must end.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 12). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (pp. 12-13). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 14). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (pp. 7-8). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 8). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Daniels, Dharius. RePresent Jesus: Rethink Your Version of Christianity and Become More like Christ (p. 11). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.