Paradoxical Orthodox

Our faith is full of paradoxes. Ideas that seem to contradict yet are true. Opposites woven together in a way almost beyond comprehension. They seem to go in different directions, yet they intersect at one point, holding everything together, making it all true. After all, this is the symbol of our faith — a cross. Line stretching out eternally in all directions, yet also eternally united. There, at the center of our beliefs, is the One holding all things together. He is Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the King of our paradoxical orthodoxy.

Christ the incarnate deity and the story of His life is the ultimate paradox. He is the Maker of all men who himself became man. He is fully Creator God and fully created man. He is the spring of life who died to save us from death. All of these things are paradoxes and all of them are truths, deeper than the foundations of the earth. Our lives, our world, and everything in it, depend on these beliefs. Without them there would be no purpose to life, no peace through hardship, no joy in our days, and no hope beyond this dark and broken world.

As believers of this paradoxical faith, it comes as no surprise that many of the attacks we receive contradict each other as well. Christians are labeled as too aggressive and warlike with their beliefs yet also called out as pacifists. We’re called hardhearted, yet known as the kindest and most generous of souls. We’re known for a fiery passion and the quietest serenity. We are too harsh with judgement. We give too much mercy. For the past two thousand years, these accusations have been laid against Christians. Our opposers contradict themselves about our virtues and vices.

To some degree, their accusations hold a grain of truth. Christianity is a religion of paradox. One of them is this; we are peacemakers, but we are also warriors. We fight to bring peace to the world — again, this is a paradox, but a true one.

In Matthew 5, we’re given the Beatitudes — the highest qualities and attributes valued by God. The final three are as follows: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” (Matthew 5:9-11 ESV)

We are called to be peacemakers, but also to hold up against persecution. Oftentimes when the martyrs of old were threatened for their faith, it would have been more ‘peaceful’ to have caved in or kept quiet. But this is not the right answer. We’re called to stand strong in our faith, to witness to others, and to refuse to be shut down. This often results in anger, arguments, and in some cases, death and heavy torture.

It’s hard to see this as being peacemakers, but there is a line we cannot cross. We can be gentle in our corrections of others. We can respect them as people and act with love for them, but we cannot turn from our faith. True peace comes from a deep assurance in our beliefs and from our Lord Jesus Christ. We can strive for peace, but sometimes others will refuse to let peace rule while they disagree with you. It can lead to strife and breaking of relationships. This should not cause us to give way. We are peacemakers, but we fight for the truth.

These paradoxes all come together, forming our orthodoxy. We are a people, strong and courageous, meek and gentle. At the center of our beliefs is Jesus Christ. He is the paradox. Everything comes together in Him, the God-man, the Creator of life who died.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV)