How would it look like if Jesus would be incarnated here and now?

C.S. Lewis rightly highlights that “Putting on Christ…is not one among many jobs a Christian has to do; and it is not a sort of special exercise for the top class. It is the whole of Christianity (2009:195).” The heart of Christianity is to imitate Christ. But how can it be that Mahatma Gandhi said: “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.“ How can it be that many Christians don’t reflect Christ anymore? This article suggests that to successfully imitate Christ, we need a new vision of how it would look like if Jesus would be incarnated in the here and now. This article will suggest helpful questions we need to ponder to gain a fresh vision of what Jesus would do today in our world.

God created humans to be his image-bearers (Gen 1:27). “The image is a vocation, a calling. It is the call to be an angled mirror, reflecting God’s wise order into the world and reflecting the praises of all creation back to the Creator” (Walton, 2015:175). But through the fall, we became distorted and fractured images of God. Jesus was the perfect image of God (Heb 1:3). God’s goal is to bring his “renewed people to the point where they reflect the Son’s image, just as the Son is the true image of God (2 Cor 4:4; Col 1:15; 3:10)” (Wright, 2002:602). Therefore, imitating Christ and becoming more like him is at the center of the Christian faith.

What would Jesus do? For a great chunk of my youth, I was carrying this question around my wrist and it helped me put Jesus and his teachings at the center of my life. But the longer I live with Jesus the more often I find it difficult to answer this question. When Jesus walked on this earth he constantly disappointed the expectations of all kinds of people. He made the religious people angry, he surprised sinners with his generous love and he sided with the outsiders, poor and voiceless. The Messiah didn’t behave like he was expected to behave.

Why do I assume to know what Jesus would do today? The world of Jesus was radically different from our world now! He lived in a different culture, in an oppressed nation, more than 2000 years ago! Just imagine a second how different the world will look like 2000 years from now. Think about how different life in a remote village in Africa is compared to living in a big Western modern city. This gives just a glimpse of the time and culture gap between us and Jesus.

Why does this all matter? I’m convinced that Jesus’ followers are called to grow in Christ-likeness. Jesus gave us a role model to follow. He showed us how to live the kingdom way. He was the perfect image of God. If our call is to follow Jesus and to model his way of life, then we need to ponder what he would do in this world and in our time. We need to contemplate this question:

How would it look like if Jesus would be incarnated today in the city where I live?

I think this question is of foremost importance! Jesus did everything he saw the father doing. We need to learn to see with our spiritual eyes what Jesus would do. Only if we can (spiritually) “see” Jesus acting in our world and time we’ll be able to imitate him. (Greg Boyd wrote a great book “Seeing is believing” about the importance of using our imagination) We need to have a fresh vision of how it would look like if Jesus would live in the here and now. We need to experience Jesus as a contemporary.

Answering this question is more difficult than I first expected. Ultimately, we need the help of the Spirit to find answers to this question. This article is not written to provide answers. The purpose of this article is to provide questions that will help on the quest to find answers.

Here are some helpful questions we need to ask ourselves as followers of Jesus:

If Jesus incarnated today in my city…

…with what people would he spend his time?

…what would be his message?

…who would he pick as his disciples?

…what places would he visit frequently?

…where would he not be seen?

…how would he teach?

…how would he disciple?

…how would he use social media?

…what would he do for a living?

…what issues of society would he address?

…would he go to church? What would he do at church?

…in what way would he use the Bible in his teachings?

…would he say “The Bible tells you…but I tell you…”?

…would he perform miracles?

…would he cast out demons?

…who would he make upset?

…what parables would he use to describe his kingdom?

…what images would he use to describe how God is like?

Answering all these questions is not easy! But I think all of them are important questions. Pondering them will help us learn to see how it would look like if Jesus would be incarnated in the here and now. And searching for answers hopefully will help us become Christians who actually reflect the beauty of Christ into this world.

Bibliography:

Lewis C.S. (2009). Mere Christianity. HarperCollins.

Walton, J. H. (2015). The Lost World of Adam and Eve: Genesis 2–3 and the Human Origins Debate (p. 175). Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press.

Wright, N. T. (2002). The Letter of the Romans. In L. E. Keck (Ed.), New Interpreter’s Bible (Vol. 10, p. 602). Nashville: Abingdon Press.

Steve Sarowitz

July 17, 2021 at 8:04 pm

Great questions. I have thought about a few of them. If Christ were to return in the modern age…
He would spend time with the poor, as Jesus did 2,000 years ago. He would spend so much time with the poor that He would be nicknamed ‘the Father of the Poor’.
His message would be an expanded version of ‘Love God’ and ‘Love thy Neighbor’. He would tell us that “the Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens” and that humanity can be compared to many-colored ‘flowers of a garden,’ in all of its brilliant colors, shapes and sizes.
He would pick for His disciples those who would ‘seek a martyr’s death in My path, content with My pleasure and thankful for that which I ordain’ for He would know that the world would be hard on His disciples, just as the world was tough on the Disciples of Jesus.
He would visit not just churches, but all places of worship, saying “Blessed is the spot…where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified.” He would also spend time in solitude in the wilderness as Jesus did.
He would not be seen by ‘blind’ religious leaders and their followers who are focused on the Lamp (Jesus) and not on the light (the Spirit and Word of God). In response, He might lament “Say, O followers of the Son! Have ye shut out yourselves from Me by reason of My Name?”
Like Jesus, He would teach by example, reflecting all the Divine perfections of God like love, kindness, mercy, compassion, justice, truth and peace. He would also teach God’s word, revealing that ‘which we could not bear’ 2,000 years ago in the time of Jesus.
He would come back before the technological revolution that would arise in the wake of His coming, eventually giving birth to social media. His followers would use social media to lovingly spread the ‘good news’ of His words, with the hope that others could bathe in His light.
His life’s work would be revealing God’s word and guiding humanity, Even if He were born into great wealth, He would walk away from that wealth and suffer through poverty and adversity. He would consent ‘to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage…to be made a prisoner…that the whole world may attain unto true liberty…drain to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness.”
He would address the biggest issues facing humanity today, all the false divisions that plague humanity, such as racism, sexism, nationalism and religious prejudice. He would tell us that “Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship…So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
While He might pray in a church, He would also inspire the building of new Houses of Worship in His name. These new houses of worship would not require clergy in this modern age of literacy and would be open to people of all Faiths. They would be called “Dawning Places for the Recognition of God” and would be built on every continent and eventually, in every country, state and city.
Like Jesus before Him, He would update the social laws of a bygone era with social laws that are perfectly adapted to the modern era. For example, He could teach that women must now be given full and equal rights because “Women and men have been and will always be equal in the sight of God.” He might also explain that science and religion must be in harmony, teaching us that “When religion, shorn of its superstitions, traditions, and unintelligent dogmas, shows its conformity with science, then will there be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords and struggles–and then will mankind be united in the power of the Love of God.”
He would do miracles but caution us against speaking of them, for they are no proof of His station. Rather, He would teach that His greatness, as was the greatness of Jesus, may be recognized in the splendor of His person and HIs teachings.
He would upset members of the clergy who opposed Him and His teachings by writing: “Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people. By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory.”
He would tell us, as Jesus did before Him, that the Kingdom of God is within our hearts, telling us “they heart is my home, sanctify it for my descent.” He would further emphasize that this change within our hearts must also transform the world around us: “And yet, is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself, both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions?”
He would explain that “To every discerning and illuminated heart it is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the Divine Being, is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute, such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress. Far be it from His glory that human tongue should adequately recount His praise, or that human heart comprehend His fathomless mystery. He is, and hath ever been, veiled in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the sight of men.”

Comments

Steve Sarowitz

July 17, 2021 at 8:04 pm

Great questions. I have thought about a few of them. If Christ were to return in the modern age…
He would spend time with the poor, as Jesus did 2,000 years ago. He would spend so much time with the poor that He would be nicknamed ‘the Father of the Poor’.
His message would be an expanded version of ‘Love God’ and ‘Love thy Neighbor’. He would tell us that “the Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens” and that humanity can be compared to many-colored ‘flowers of a garden,’ in all of its brilliant colors, shapes and sizes.
He would pick for His disciples those who would ‘seek a martyr’s death in My path, content with My pleasure and thankful for that which I ordain’ for He would know that the world would be hard on His disciples, just as the world was tough on the Disciples of Jesus.
He would visit not just churches, but all places of worship, saying “Blessed is the spot…where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified.” He would also spend time in solitude in the wilderness as Jesus did.
He would not be seen by ‘blind’ religious leaders and their followers who are focused on the Lamp (Jesus) and not on the light (the Spirit and Word of God). In response, He might lament “Say, O followers of the Son! Have ye shut out yourselves from Me by reason of My Name?”
Like Jesus, He would teach by example, reflecting all the Divine perfections of God like love, kindness, mercy, compassion, justice, truth and peace. He would also teach God’s word, revealing that ‘which we could not bear’ 2,000 years ago in the time of Jesus.
He would come back before the technological revolution that would arise in the wake of His coming, eventually giving birth to social media. His followers would use social media to lovingly spread the ‘good news’ of His words, with the hope that others could bathe in His light.
His life’s work would be revealing God’s word and guiding humanity, Even if He were born into great wealth, He would walk away from that wealth and suffer through poverty and adversity. He would consent ‘to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage…to be made a prisoner…that the whole world may attain unto true liberty…drain to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness.”
He would address the biggest issues facing humanity today, all the false divisions that plague humanity, such as racism, sexism, nationalism and religious prejudice. He would tell us that “Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship…So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
While He might pray in a church, He would also inspire the building of new Houses of Worship in His name. These new houses of worship would not require clergy in this modern age of literacy and would be open to people of all Faiths. They would be called “Dawning Places for the Recognition of God” and would be built on every continent and eventually, in every country, state and city.
Like Jesus before Him, He would update the social laws of a bygone era with social laws that are perfectly adapted to the modern era. For example, He could teach that women must now be given full and equal rights because “Women and men have been and will always be equal in the sight of God.” He might also explain that science and religion must be in harmony, teaching us that “When religion, shorn of its superstitions, traditions, and unintelligent dogmas, shows its conformity with science, then will there be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords and struggles–and then will mankind be united in the power of the Love of God.”
He would do miracles but caution us against speaking of them, for they are no proof of His station. Rather, He would teach that His greatness, as was the greatness of Jesus, may be recognized in the splendor of His person and HIs teachings.
He would upset members of the clergy who opposed Him and His teachings by writing: “Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people. By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory.”
He would tell us, as Jesus did before Him, that the Kingdom of God is within our hearts, telling us “they heart is my home, sanctify it for my descent.” He would further emphasize that this change within our hearts must also transform the world around us: “And yet, is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself, both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions?”
He would explain that “To every discerning and illuminated heart it is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the Divine Being, is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute, such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress. Far be it from His glory that human tongue should adequately recount His praise, or that human heart comprehend His fathomless mystery. He is, and hath ever been, veiled in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the sight of men.”

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