For God’s Sake, Be An Individualist Anarchist!

To paraphrase, a well-known radical Christian, “if you aren’t being accused of being
an individualist anarchist, you’re not living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
So – uh – what’s an “individualist anarchist”? Especially one that’s a “Christian”?
An “anarchist” is a person who values the absence of government and defends the abso
lute freedom of the individual. An “individualist” is similar, referring to a “habit”! T
hat is, the habit of favoring freedom for individuals over any form of group or
collective control.
A “Christian individualist anarchist” is someone who, having trusted Jesus Christ in
His effectual work of salvation on the Cross, has become spiritually united wit
h Jesus and from that point on, recognizes and allows the Person of Jesus to liv
e in and through his flesh. The apostle Paul put it this way: “It is no longer I w
ho live, but Christi in me.” [Gal 2]
But what typically takes place in the lives of church-goers everywhere is that p
eople agree to and declare their agreement to their church’s teachings and moral c
ode, and live a daily life-style determined by those beliefs. As best they can.
Living a life-style handed to you by others -- in order for that group (congrega
tion) to accept you – is simply NOT living a life as led by the Person of Jesus Ch
rist within you. If (for example), in order to belong to a congregation or house
church or even to be received as a “friend” to some people, you must not smoke or g
o to the local bar or look at porn or attend religious services regularly or vot
e Republican (or Democrat!), then you are living a life-style determined by othe
rs.
This extends to the requirements for “going to Heaven”. If, in order to go to Heaven
when you die and not Hell, you must believe a package of doctrines handed to yo
u by spiritual Authorities and live a life-style as determined by Them – you are s
imply NOT living a life as led by the Person of Jesus Christ within you.
There is only one “life-style” that is natural to and authentic for a follower of Je
sus Christ. That is to let Jesus lead you, to allow Him to live through you and
through your flesh – 24/7. If you regularly attend a congregation, in a sense you
live as if you’re in a “bubble” – the group’s moral code, their expectations, their doctri
nes, their social or political biases – all these surround you but do not direct o
r influence you, because you are a person led by the Spirit of Christ and not by
men.
You are a Christian, individualist anarchist – no longer governed by mere human or
ganization and who seeks to help other Believers to live in that same freedom.
But, if you are in Christ, aren’t you the very opposite of an individualist anarch
ist? After all, aren’t you governed by the Person of Jesus Christ within you?
But the truth is – Jesus leads us but He never controls us. We are not “governed” by t
he Spirit of Christ within us. God never controls the lives of human beings, to
whom He has given the will to make their own choices. If you are in Christ, and
Jesus Christ is living through you – you are STILL governing yourself. Jesus does
not “take over” your will and command you. God respects you as an individual and as
fundamentally controlling yourself.
Which leaves every Believer free. Free from the control of religious leaders or
church systems. Free, in fact, from any control. Jesus Christ has made us free,
and in our freedom we are all, individually, empowered to live as Christ within
this world system.