Let's become FUNDAMENTALISTS!

Really, let's get down to the fundamentals of Christianity. Some might have you think that being a Christian is quite rigourous, but really it isn't. Jesus himself attests to the TWO commandments that sum up all of the rest in the Old Testament. Let's see what he says:

Matthew 22:36-40
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Luke 6:27-31
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you."

Mark 12:29-31
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

John 13:34-35
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

This is what Jesus taught. He didn't teach pre-emptive war or tick-for-tack revenge. He taught that first you must love God and second you must love your neighbor as yourself. Your neighbor isn't always going to be Christian, your neighbor isn't always going to be someone you would normally like, but Jesus tells you to love them anyways. Love your enemies. The fundamentals of Christianity is simple: it all hinges on LOVE.

James, the brother of Jesus, notes this:
James 2:8 "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. "

This means, don't worry about every little law or even commandments. Just remember to love your neighbor as yourself and the rest of the law is fulfilled.

Christ came to free us of the yoke of slavery of law-keeping. The term fundamentalist has a bad connotation in a religious sense and many "fundamentalist Christians" give Christianity a false image. Many people I have spoken to actually think Christ promoted war and war was just if Christians were the ones starting it. This is the image we get from political leaders evoking the name of Christ to stir up religious support. This is dangerous to Christianity so I thought it would be good to get back to the basics, the fundamentals. The fundamentals are these: Love God and love your neighbor.