Relevant Orthopraxy

Do you read Relevant Magazine? It is always interesting to say the least. As my wife often complains, it seems like a bunch of life-long Christian kids who are trying to be hipsters. Christians should create our own culture instead of poorly imitating the world's.  (It's always embarrassing how Christians who try to mimic culture are usually years behind anyway). 

In this issue there is a brief article about the meaninglessness of scriptural orthodoxy without a corresponding orthopraxy.  Fair enough. Agreed.  But, the chief example of orthopraxy given? You guessed it. Shouldn't we all like umm sell everything we own man, and give it all to the poor. (Except for your magazine subscriptions, form fitting clothing, and indie record collection.) 

Hey hipsters! Guess what? There are other important ways to live out our faith.  This obsession with social justice and tendency to constantly 'call' folks on it was shared by an infamous disciple. (I know, I know, there are caveats to this, but you get my point).

Helping the poor is awesome and is a necessity to living out a Christian life. It is not the only way to show fruits of the spirit, and it also does not require that you not enjoy life on earth or, (ahem) constantly judge others for not being ascetic enough for you. (Notice how everyone seems to set the 'rich' bar just a hair north of wherever they are?)