As I make my way through the middle-aged years of my life, I am becoming more and more convinced of the need for Christians to engage in what is referred to as orthopraxy. Perhaps you are not familiar with the word. Its meaning is simple. “Right practice.” The word orthodoxy means “right belief.” I have always considered myself to be orthodox in my beliefs. For instance, I believe that salvation is received by grace through faith alone, that the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God, and that Jesus is the only way to receive salvation. Orthodoxy is important, especially in a postmodern world which attempts to declare that all belief systems are really the same. It’s important to “contend for the faith,” as Jude says, and make sure that what we believe is based on revealed truth. It’s important to believe what is right.
However, in recent years, I have become equally convinced of the need for orthopraxy, which is right practice. And what I mean by this is clear. Our lives as Christians must reflect the life of Jesus in us. We must allow his Spirit to produce that precious fruit that is mentioned in the 5th chapter of Galatians, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness . . .” Wait. Let me stop. “Kindness.” That word got my attention this morning as I was having my quiet time. I read in Romans 2 of how it is the “kindness” of God that produces repentance. His “kindness.” Hmm. This begs a question. What if we believe all the right things, but are not kind in our efforts to reach out to others in the name of Jesus Christ? What if in our efforts to persuade others to believe the right things, we omit kindness? I think the answer is simple. There will be no repentance.
If you think about the most amazing stories of life change in the ministry of Jesus, the vast majority were produced by Jesus’ kindness. Zacchaeus. The woman at the well. The woman caught in adultery. The woman who wiped the feet of Jesus with her tears. Jesus was kind to the wayward, to the sinner, to the person who knew they did not measure up. Look at the gospels and you will notice that Jesus’ harshest words were reserved for the religious leaders of the day, for those who believed all the right things, yet failed to put that belief into proper practice, to those who failed to love their neighbor. The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke chapter 18 is a prime example of this.
To the struggling sinner who was beat up by life and the consequences of their wrong choices, Jesus offered forgiveness, new life, and hope through him. He certainly called for repentance, for the individual to “sin no more,” yet the person heeded these words because of the love and kindness Jesus had demonstrated to them. The formula rang true. Kindness produced repentance. I believe this is the reason Paul includes the beautiful chapter in 1 Corinthians we call the “love chapter.” In that thirteenth chapter, he reminds Christians that anything we do in the name of Jesus that is devoid of love profits nothing. Again, orthopraxy must accompany orthodoxy.
I came across a video on Facebook this past week of Billy Graham preaching at a crusade near the end of his ministry. He was unable at this stage of his life to preach with the charisma and passion he once possessed. Yet, his message was just as strong and powerful. In a tone filled with kindness, he uttered the following words: “No matter how bad you’ve been, no matter how many sins you’ve committed, God loves you. I could talk all evening just on that. And God is not only a God of judgment, but he is a God of love. But he is also a God of mercy and forgiveness. He wants to forgive you. He offers his hand of mercy to any one of you that are willing to open your heart and receive him into your heart.” The kind tone of Billy Graham is what caught my attention. He conveyed the kindness of Christ. And that kindness led thousands to repentance and faith in Jesus that evening. Orthopraxy. How are you doing in this area of your faith? How am I doing? My spiritual mentor once said, “Be kind to everyone, son, because everyone is having a hard time.”