Confusing Christianity
What does it mean to be a Christian? For one who claims Jesus as Lord and Savior, what does that mean for how he views the world and lives his life? What teachings of Jesus must be followed for one who professes Jesus as the Son of God?
One concern I have read and witnessed over the past few years, is a watering down or a distortion of Christianity. Some people try to twist and distort the teachings of Jesus Christ for their own agenda. For example, some may say there is room in Christianity to support mass murder or to interpret Scripture in clever ways to say that the Bible supports unnatural lifestyles. These twistings of Christianity are a slippery slope and can cause much confusion in the mind and heart of a believer. And so, questions come to the surface like, how do we know the Truth of Jesus? Does God desire there to be unity and clarity among His followers? How do we know what Jesus taught 2,000 years ago? Is it all in the Bible? Some say abortion is not directly quoted in the Bible and therefore it must not be wrong. One could propose a rebuttal that the word “Holy Trinity” is also not directly stated in the Bible and yet the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christianity. So it seems, whether something is or is not directly stated in the Bible doesn’t seem to bring about enough clarity.
We must ask the hard questions: can followers of Jesus support things contrary to the Gospel like abortion, same-sex marriage, and transgender surgeries? If they truly proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior then no, they cannot, because it is contrary to the Truth of Jesus’ teachings. Our conscience must be formed in the light of Truth. There is, however, always space in the Church for people who are hurting or who have had an abortion or have same-sex attraction or who are sinners, the Church, including her leaders, is full of sinful people. But a gradual conforming of one’s life to the truths of Jesus, is different from a Christian publicly promoting teachings contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And yes, let it be known, the teachings of Jesus also include caring for the poor, the marginalized, and a number of other humanitarian issues of today.
In all of these questions, I am reminded of the need for the authority of the Church that Jesus gave to His apostles before He ascended into Heaven. When Jesus walked this earth, He had a desired interpretation of His teachings. Jesus did have an intention of how His followers were supposed to live their lives, and He also knew that humanity would sometimes have a hard time understanding His teachings. We even see this lack of understanding with the first century disciples, who sometimes did not understand the parables or the teachings of Jesus when He taught in their synagogues and towns. So if Jesus knew that His Church and the human race would continue for thousands of years after He ascended into Heaven, then what would ensure that the new covenant of Christianity would not be distorted or twisted? We have God’s revelation through the Bible, but those exact words are being misconstrued, manipulated, and interpreted according to personal agendas.
In the Gospel of John 16:13 we are told “When the Holy Spirit comes, he will guide you into all truth.” And then St. Paul says in 1 Timothy 3:15 that “the Church is the pillar and foundation of all truth.” Therefore, the Holy Spirit works through the Church to help make sure that the faith Jesus preached on this earth continues to be the faith that we as believers follow today. The word “artificial intelligence” or “plan b abortion pills” are not listed in the Bible and that is why we need a moral authority guided by the power of the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the modern world and remain in the Truth of the Christ and His bride the Church. Without the guidance of the authority of the Church, Christianity can be twisted and steered into false teachings. As St. Paul reminds us, “Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the religious teaching is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes” (1 Timothy 6:3-4). And as Saint Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 2:1-2, “There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who ransomed them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their licentious ways, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled.” Now, more than ever, we must hold fast to the person of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. For those who proclaim Jesus as Lord, who is not on an equal level to Buddha or Mohammad or any other vibes of the world, but truly as the Son of God, then the Truth of His teachings must be followed and proclaimed as Jesus intended them. We are created in God’s image, God is not created in our image. We need the Church, we need guidance in order to live the Truth of Jesus Christ. Whoever has ears, let them hear.