Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. -- John 14: 6 (NLT)
I understand the desire to "fit in." Even though the Bible says we are but pilgrims in this world we still must live in it and navigate it daily. We still must deal with those around us who do not share our beliefs. Those who may tend to look at us as strange, or even worse, as intellectually inferior. The world embraces conformity beloved, so it is no wonder that sometimes we see Christianity willing to compromise who we are supposed to be. Sure, we hide behind the nonsensical excuse of trying to "reach as many for Christ" as we can but deep down we know that is not the truth because reaching people with a compromised Christ results in a compromised salvation. That results in a very hot eternity. No, we water down the Gospel because deep down we don't like feeling different, even if the Bible says we are:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; - 1Peter 2: 9 (KJV)
The truth is that we do not like feeling all that peculiar do we? So we avoid the more divisive issues in Christianity. We shy away from conflict, even in the face of false teaching. We just let it slide. Roll off our backs. Claim we are just "serving God"; even if it is in the middle of blatant compromise or even heresy. We watch the false teachers take to the airwaves and fumble all over themselves when asked, by the world, if Jesus is the only way to heaven and then we reward their incompetence. What does it say when the Larry Kings, Piers Morgans, and Martin Bashirs of the world understand the basic foundations of our faith better than Joel Osteen? It says it is time to take the political correctness out of the Gospel while we still can. One of the greatest misconceptions arising out of the candy coated seeker friendly movement is that people now think that everything about Christianity is fluffy clouds and puppy dogs. That we just need to bask in the grace of God, love everyone like it's the 1960's again, and sing kumbya until Jesus comes. Hallelujah, pass the offering plate! Jesus however was a bit more controversial than that:
"I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against--or two in favor and three against. -- Luke 12: 49-52 (NLT)
Does that sound like the Gospel is seeker friendly? Only if it is forgiveness you are seeking and repentance you are offering. Anything short of that is nothing more than empty words and human logic which will not stand the test of the final day. I never understood why the Osteens of the world flub the most basic question of our faith, even if it means not everyone will be happy. We believe in the Bible; we didn't write it! We believe God wrote it through divine inspiration. So if God says something, who is the clay to question the Potter? The key verse today is perhaps the most divisive in the Bible and it bears some discussion today so that we might remember who it is that we have believed in and serve.
Jesus Christ is the way. The way to what? Well according to the context of the conversation He is having with Thomas, Jesus is speaking about the way to heaven. There is no other way beloved. As if to reiterate, Jesus closes the verse by clearly stating that no one can come to the Father except through Him. Period. End of story. I understand the world wants desperately to believe that all ways lead to heaven. That all you have to do is pass some morality test here on earth and you earn an all access pass to paradise. I understand why they want to believe that. It is because they desperately want to continue living in their sin and not have to face the fact that God may have something to say in how they live their lives. In short, they want to continue being their own God. The problem is in determining the cut off. On this sliding scale of morality where is the heaven and hell cutoff and who determines it? The reality is that all have fallen short of the standard of God and therefore all would be cut off except for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. That is why He is the way.
Jesus Christ is the truth. The Gospel of John teaches us that He is His Word. That the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To the world, the truth is a malleable property we can bend and shape to fit any sin we might like. To the world life exists merely in shades of grey. It is within these shades that we can justify ourselves and feel better about our sins. Of course we are using other humans as our morality benchmarks and when we do that we can always say, "Well at least I'm not Jeffery Dahmer." The truth in this life is black and white beloved. The Bible does not obfuscate, deceive, or leave things unanswered. Sure you can have poor interpretation but the reality is that the truth of Scripture is right there for all who are truly seeking it to find. The world fancies itself as enlightened. As such, things that were socially and morally taboo just 50 years ago are now the popular ballot initiative of the day. Divorce for example was never a possibility just 60 years ago. Now it is the socially acceptable norm. Yet the Bible says that God hates divorce. It is black and white beloved. Same goes for same sex marriage, disciplining children, or any other topic you can possibly imagine. God has answered all the questions. There are no shades of grey. The truth is the truth; no matter how uncomfortable it might make us.
Jesus Christ is the life. There is no other life. The world pursues so many idols to fill there lives and Christians do as well. We pursue the god of mammon and greed thinking that will fill our life. We pursue the idol of fame and notoriety thinking that will give our existence meaning. We pursue the path of good works to feel like we have positively contributed to society. The Bible does believe in social justice but only as an outcome of our relationship with God. What is no longer being taught because of the feel good gospels is that salvation in many ways is an exchange.
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. -- Galatians 2: 20 (NLT)
Jesus Christ saved my life so now my life is His. His purposes now are our purposes. The sad truth is that too many people who think they are saved are still living their lives for themselves and try to fit Jesus into their schedule. It doesn't work that way. Our life is supposed to become about Christ. That doesn't mean we move to a monastery but that as we go through this life we recognize that everything must be done for the glory of God because the salvation we enjoy is still out of the reach of so many we deal with every single day. When you have that life, you will truly find the significance that fame, fortune or anything this world has to offer could never bring you.
That is the Gospel. Jesus died to reconcile us to God. To take the penalty we deserved for our sins. He is the only way in a world that is constantly pushing us towards the broad path to destruction. He is the only truth in a world that has blurred the lines of morality so badly that merely standing up for Godly principles now brands you are intolerant. He is the only life in a world that has so many cheap substitutes and will never deliver on their promises. But realize today that not everyone will embrace this message. As Jesus said, there will be divisions even within families. That is what the two edged sword that is the Word of God does -- it divides. But that sword has become woefully dulled in the modern church because leadership has bought into the lies that the unsaved are actually the unchurched. Sitting in a church doesn't make you saved anymore than sitting in a garage makes you a car. I know plenty of people who are plenty churched and still have no relationship with Jesus Christ. People who sit week after week in a pew that God is trying to get them out of but they have confused their Christianity with Churchianty. It is time to take the political correctness out of the Gospel and wield it again, so that souls may be saved. Not churched -- saved.
Rev. Anthony.
