Many scholars provide different understandings of the term ‘Christocentric’. It is used in the description of a theological standpoint that places attention on Jesus Christ the fundamental theme (Peppler 120). Christocentrism is used in connection to the application of life and teachings of Jesus Christ as the foundation on which such doctrines and teachings are based.
The Christocentric principle is the belief that the interpretation of scripture and Christianity should be founded on what Jesus said and did. The goal of this paper looks at the use of a Christocentric approach in the interpretation and teaching of Christianity and the scripture.
From biblical records, it is evident that Jesus Christ is the subject of focus, especially in the New Testament. For instance, Jesus himself tells the Pharisees that the scripture testifies about him (John 5:39–40). During the trip to Emmaus Jesus also talks about himself as the subject of the scriptures. These are examples of cases where Jesus demonstrates that the whole scripture is inspired and written with the goal of depicting him as the fulfillment of the promise for a messiah.
As Jesus tells the Pharisees, it is fruitless to have a mere understanding of the bible without relating to his life, teaching, and work. Understanding the scriptures as they do not guarantee eternal life. However, they are meant to reveal and direct people to Jesus, who offers salvation and the promise of eternal life.
Using a Christocentric approach to interpret the Bible and preaching may unintentionally result in failure to honor God the Father in a proper way. The Apostles’ Creed, for instance, begins with the phrase “I believe in God the Father almighty.” To say that this phrase, alongside instances of God’s interactions with Abraham, Noah, Moses, David, and the Israelites is just a preface is unthinkable. Care must be taken so that we do not take Jesus Christ as more important than the Father he came to exalt.
I am sure that advocates for a Christ-centered approach to Christianity have no intention of undermining reverence to God the father. Christ himself emphasizes the worship of God the father, and most of his teachings were on how to worship God and obey His will. Consequently, we should neither marginalize Christ nor push God the father to the side-line. When applied to preach, Christocentrism may unconsciously result in distortion of the gospel.
Ministers of the gospel preach about much more than life and teachings of Jesus Christ. They teach about problems faced today, marriage, friendship, and family, among other things. Such teachings should not be focused merely on the life of Jesus, but also on the will of God as portrayed by the rest of the scripture. There are several directions and commands given by God directly to man. Dismissing these commands on the basis that they are not Christocentric is wrong.
Taking the gospel from a strictly Christocentric standpoint forces some people to adopt alternative beliefs such as Gnosticism in the church. Though they see themselves as Christians, Gnostics only view Jesus as a messenger sent from heaven and consider the view of God becoming man and dying as non-spiritual. Gnostics believe that a spirit entered Jesus at baptism and left just before death. They denounce the idea that matter could mix with spirit.
In conclusion, I can say that the application of the Christocentric approach should be tackled carefully to avoid misleading Christians. The church today and ministers of the gospel should use various approaches to tackle every aspect of the lives of believers.
Asceticism
The origin of the word ‘asceticism’ can be traced back to the Greek word ‘askesis,’ which means to exercise, practice, or train. An ascetic is he who renounces worldly desires with the reasoning that these pleasures are a distraction to his path of spiritual development. He devotes himself to a life of abstinence, and sternness. Though commonly confused with Stoics who advance the belief that all physical matter is evil, ascetics do not necessarily believe that the flesh is wicked.
They, however, practice self-denial in order to transform the mind. The concept of asceticism originated from the efforts of man to attain different goals. One was supposed to endure pain and strenuous exercises and abstain from bodily pleasures to prepare the mind and body for the task set. In ancient Israel for instance, warriors had to abstain from sexual intercourse when preparing for battle. This essay looks at the factors that motivate Christians to practice asceticism and the value they attach to the practice.
Ascetic practices are designed by human beings for spiritual advancement. They include the self-denial and voluntary suffering in an attempt to address the causes of sin. Christian asceticism is concerned with the hindrances to living a life of grace and holiness. An example of ascetic practice in the early church is when believers pooled their earnings and stuck to a modest lifestyle to spread the gospel.
A more extreme form of this practice could be seen in the dedication of the desert fathers, who lived in seclusion in the desert in the northern part of Africa. They lived like John the Baptist who resided in the wilds and depended on natural honey and locusts for survival. Their practice of self-deprivation got support from the mainstream church when the bishop of Hippo, father Augustine, devised a set of rules to be followed by nuns and monks under him.
The idea of asceticism was created to eliminate worldly barriers between Christians and God by removing desires of the flesh such as self-indulgence, ambition, arrogance, sex, and delightful food. Nevertheless, many early Christians drew the conclusion that the body was evil and had to be controlled using violent means.
They used Romans 7:18-25 and 1 Peter 2:11 as justifications for violently suppressing the demands of the flesh. On the contrary, Jesus Christ in his teachings did not advocate for mistreatment of the body. Moreover, if it were true that the human body was evil, then God would not have allowed his only son to be incarnated in such a body. Paul also set out to dispute the notion of a sinful body when he spoke of the body as the temple of the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Ascetic practice included acts of martyrdom, voluntary deprivation, and celibacy. In addition to the normal Christian virtues, those acts of devotion were meant to increase the spirituality of a believer and devotion to God. Consequently, early Christians were ready to die for their faith as they saw it as a higher calling to serve God.
The rationale for giving up these worldly pleasures is understandable. Owning a lot of property is linked to selfishness while sexual intercourse is related to defilement of the self. Some Christians even hold that celibacy in service of the Lord should be upheld in emulation of the celibate life that Jesus lived. To be considered holy in the Roman Catholic Church, for example, one needs to observe celibacy.
Over many centuries, the practice of asceticism has been adopted in monasteries where devotees isolate themselves from the rest of the world and focus on serving God. This practice continues even today as many monks and nuns from the Roman Catholic Church devote themselves to a life of celibacy. Some take a vow of silence, eat simple food, and wear simple robes. Priests also have to take the oath of celibacy.
In my view, though believers in Christ are commanded to observe self-denial (Luke 9:23), asceticism is an extreme observation of this decree. There is no place in the Bible where Christians are told to pursue discomfort or pain. Quite the opposite, 1 Timothy 6:17 tells us that the Lord has given us blessings for our enjoyment. The Bible also explicitly warns anyone who may forbid another to marry (1Timothy 4:3).
It is, therefore, not right to say that those who observe celibacy and refrain from certain types of foods are holier than others. Romans 6:14 advises Christians not to live according to a set of rules, but seek to be guided by the Holy Spirit. That asceticism practices self-deprivation to earn God’s favor shows a lack of understanding of grace. Hardship, even at extreme levels cannot make a person deserve God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Works Cited
Peppler, Christopher. “The Christocentric Principle: A Jesus-Centred Hermeneutic.” Conspectus 13.2012 (2012):117–135. Print.