MWR : The real treasure

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March 2, 2009 issue

The real treasure

By Karen Rath State College, Pa.

The Feb. 16 editorial states that the treasure of Anabaptist churches is a commitment to imitating Jesus, including a life of nonviolence, and that this treasure must be protected and not lost by becoming mainstream American Christians.

While trying to live as Jesus did, including treating others with love, justice and nonviolence, is an important aspect of being a Christian, it is not the starting point. It is first necessary to have a relationship with Jesus Christ after being born again through repentance and acceptance of the atonement of Jesus for our sins. Once we are born again and begin to know Jesus, we then have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us to follow the commandments of Jesus, including the commandment to treat others with love and justice.

Anabaptist churches that focus too much on imitating Jesus by practicing a “social gospel” are in danger of becoming much like most mainline Protestant churches. Those churches are declining in membership, as Mennonite Church USA is declining.

Anabaptists could provide a better peace witness to evangelical Christians who are not of the nonresistant tradition if we could show them that we too are born again and know Jesus as well as follow him. We would also have more credibility as Christians of peace and justice if we spoke about the need to stop the slaughter of the unborn as often as we spoke against the violence of warfare. Focusing on a relationship with the living Christ is to return to the real treasure of Anabaptists and all Christians.

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