What it means to be guided by Judeo-Christian values

Pastor, Valley Forge Presbyterian Church

On June 24, 2020, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale posted on his “Vote Joe Gale” Facebook page: “Don’t be fooled! The left isn’t fighting socalled systemic racism and police brutality, the left is waging a full-scale war on Western civilization and our Judeo-Christian values.” In response, I wrote and posted the following in the comments section of his post, but my comments were deleted, and I was blocked from commenting again. I do not offer these words in spite, but with the hope that they are helpful to anyone considering what it truly means to live with Judeo-Christian values as a guide.

Joe (and your supporters):

As a local Presbyterian pastor who has spent decades studying and seeking to faithfully implement the teachings of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, I humbly make this invitation for you to consider.

True Judeo-Christian values are based on who

Jesus claimed to be, not on what we want Jesus to be because it is convenient for us. According to Luke (as he writes in Chapter 4), Jesus claimed to be the One with the true Spirit of God upon him, who was sent into this world to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom to the oppressed, and recovery of sight to those who are blind (physically and spiritually). True Judeo-Christian values lead us into relationships with the poor and oppressed, and compel us to be their loving neighbor, not their enemy. True Judeo-Christian values compel us to defend the poor and oppressed from the powers and principalities, rather than seeking to defend the powers and principalities (“Western Civilization”) from the poor.

St. Paul is such a powerful voice for the JudeoChristian tradition because he was both a Jew and a Christian during the genesis of Christianity, and served in such proximity to the disciples and apostles. He is an expert on true Judeo-Christian values in ways that we could never be. I invite us all to consider what he wrote to the Ephesians about how these true Judeo-Christian values ought to shape our life together:

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace… Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

If what you are saying isn’t humble, gentle and patient; if it doesn’t reveal your efforts to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace; if it isn’t helpful for building up and benefiting those about whom you are speaking; if it isn’t free of bitterness, anger, and false-truths that slander; if it isn’t kind, compassionate, and forgiving – then you are not speaking with true JudeoChristian values in your heart and voice. You cannot claim to be defending something that you, yourselves, are not keeping.

Instead of using your voice to further your own cause to the detriment of unity and peace, I pray that you would live a life worthy of your calling – and use your voice instead to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, and to build up ALL the county citizens you are called and commissioned to serve according to their needs. Remember that the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and we are sent in the world with his command to “Go, and do likewise.”

May God guide you for God’s sake.