Author: Chris Hohnholz (Page 4 of 5)

The unbelieving world has repeatedly demonstrated that it has the mistaken belief that Christians are the “good people.”  The world often describes Christians (often sarcastically so) as those who follow the rules, do things right, always be moral and so forth.  That’s why they are so very quick to point out professing Christians who sin publicly.  There is a perverse pleasure in putting on display, for the world to see, a Christian who did something wrong, who failed to measure up.  In the eyes of the world, the Christian is someone who lives their lives always obeying God, earning favor with Him by doing what is right.  Because of this belief, they feel justified when we fall, because it means that, since we can’t toe the line, why should they bother?  But this belief is rooted in a complete misunderstanding of what it means to be a Christian.  Christianity is not a “do” religion; it is a “done” religion.  Our standing before God is not based on what we do for Him, but what He has already done for us.

I have previously written on how Christianity can be the only way when there are a myriad of other world religions.  The truth is that there are really only two religions, the religion of God and the religion of man.  The religion of man is the broad path of human achievement which leads to Hell.  Man seeks to atone for his own sins through various works to appease whatever false god he has set up in his mind.  His works cannot ever bring salvation because his nature is sinful; therefore, all that he does is sinful by consequence.  A sinful work can never atone for a sinful heart.  Every religion outside of Jesus Christ is part of the religion of man.  The true religion of God is that which is accomplished in the completed work of Jesus Christ.  His bloody sacrifice on the cross is the only possible atonement for sin because it is the perfect, sinless blood of the God-Man, Jesus Christ.  His propitiatory death paid the debt sinners owe to the perfect Judge in Heaven.  His resurrection, the resounding defeat of sin and death, promises eternal life to all who submit themselves to Him in repentance and faith.  This is religion of the narrow path that few find because it requires that man humble himself, acknowledging his own inability to save himself, and trust in the work of God to redeem him.

When the world looks at Christians and assumes that we are a people who are part of a “do” religion, it errs on a monumental level.  True, biblical Christianity takes someone who is depraved by nature and, through a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, changes his nature completely.  The Christian is freed from the bonds of sin and is made righteous in the eyes of God.  Rather than having to follow a bunch of spiritual do’s and dont’s to appease God, the Christian is made perfect in God’s eyes by being given the perfect righteousness of Christ.  In other words, all of Christ’s perfect work is already credited at the times of salvation to the Christian.  There is nothing more the Christian can do to add to the completed work of Jesus.  Nor can the Christian take anything away by his failure to obey God.  He is at one time justified.  Additionally, as stated above, the Christian’s nature is changed.  Prior to salvation, all people are slaves to their sinful nature.  Nothing we do is without the taint of selfish, self-pleasing, sin.  We are bound to it like a slave to his master.  Yet, in Christ, the Christian is freed from the bonds of sin.  He is now able to choose to not sin because he has been given a new heart with godly desires.  The Christian obeys God, not out of an attempt to earn God’s favor, but out of a genuine love for the One who changed him.

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“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written

 ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

And the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’

“Where is the one who is wise?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.  For the Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

 “For consider your calling brothers:  not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is week in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even the things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” (1 Cor. 1: 18-31)

It always causes me to stop in wonder when I hear a professing Christian tell a street preacher, “You’re doing it wrong.”  Not because I believe they have presented to me information that I have never considered before, rather, that they are blindly holding to a mindset that identifies with the wisdom of the world instead of the wisdom of God.  That is not to say that everyone who says this is a false believer who worships the world  (though that is possible), but that they are blind to what God’s Word has said regarding the preaching of the cross.  Sadly, such mindsets are not reserved for judgments on street evangelists.  It is far too often the case in American Evangelicalism that pastors and churches embrace this thinking.  There are a great many churches who, in an effort to increase numbers of professing believers, endorse pragmatic, worldly minded techniques to achieve their goal.  The result are churches who look, sound and taste like the world and have little to no resemblance to the God they claim to worship.

The Compromise of Corinth

In the above passage, the apostle Paul is writing to the church in Corinth.  History tells us that Corinth was well known for its hedonistic debauchery.  For a modern corollary, we may think of Las Vegas, New Orleans or even San Francisco.  While my readers might be from any of these locations, and may object to the characterization, it cannot be denied that these cities have a reputation tied directly to the industries they support.  As such, when people speak of these cities, those who live there are seen in light of those reputations.  Such was the case with Corinth.  In Paul’s day, to be one who lived in Corinth was to be one who had a reputation of being part of a very perverse culture.

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I did not read Scripture today,

But I made sure to read the latest blogs
I devoured quotes from the the old dead guys,
And I listened to the best Christian podcasts,

That’s what I did today.

I did not pray today,

But I read the prayer requests from my friends,
I gave hearty assent to those who complain we need more prayers,
And I joined an online prayer group,

That’s what I did today.

I did not teach my children the Word today,

But I debated theology online,
I refuted my fellow brethren on their doctrinal beliefs,
And I proved I am the best debater in cyberspace,

That’s what I did today.

I did not share the gospel today,

But I complained about the lack of growth in my church,
I shared all those articles about the loss of Christian liberty,
And I signed a petition to let prayer back in school,

That’s what I did today.

I did not sing praises to God today,

But I complained about the lack of theology in worship,
I sent off a fiery letter to my worship leader about supporting that questionable band,
And I blocked that “Christian” station on my radio from playing,

That’s what I did today.

I did not edify my wife today,

But I posted an article on failing Christian marriages,
I rebuked an elder at church for what he let his wife say,
And I pointed out some “good marriages” to my wife saying we need to be like them,

That’s what I did today.

I looked at the state of my life today,

My children are in rebellion,
My wife is in pain,
My church is in shambles,
My walk with Christ is stagnate,
And I have no one to blame but me,

That is what I realized today.

Christian, what are you doing today?

When it comes to evangelism, there is a big divide between those who believe the law of God must be used and those who claim such use is judgmental and thus state it should never be addressed. For the purposes of this article, I want to address some of the objections that are given by those who oppose the use of the law in evangelism.

Thou Shalt not Judge

Most objections center on Matthew 7: 1-5 in which Jesus Christ states, “Judge not that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but you do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

The primary reason that this passage is used is the very clear statement in verse 1, “Judge not that you be not judged.” It would seem that Jesus made a very unambiguous command that Christians are not to judge other people. Therefore, many Christians see that telling a person they are sinning by pointing to God’s law is making a judgment of that person. Since Christians are not to judge others, to point out another person’s sin is a clear violation of this command. Were this verse to be the only statement on the matter, perhaps they would be correct. However, the context of the following verses actually defines what Christ meant in this command.

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“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So also you, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17: 7-10 ESV)

Those of us who are born again Christians, wretched sinners made clean and redeemed by the blood of Christ, are called to be servants of our great and glorious King. Knowing we have no right to be in His presence, we willing[ly] bow the knee and submit to the authority of the One who purchased us by His sacrifice. We were once slaves to sin, to our most base desires and passions. But now the chains of bondage have been removed and we have been made willing servants of Christ. Therefore, it makes all the sense in the word that we would desire to obey the commands of our Lord and seek to please Him in all that we do. Yet, it often seems that those of us whom desire most earnestly to contend for the faith, who intensely strive to preach the truth of God’s word, can be prone to taking pride in what should be humble obedience to God.

It would seem unlikely that those who call themselves biblical Christians, those who decidedly proclaim that we should submit to all that God’s word teaches, would be those who would struggle with the tempestuous beast known as pride. Those who declare that God’s word is inspired, inerrant, and sufficient are those who would admit that they are wretched, foul, and deserving of the pits of Hell. They would declare that they were conceived in sin, that their entire life has been marked by the stain of lawlessness, and that they deserve the righteous wrath of God’s judgment. Those persons are the ones who confess that God, in His mercy, sent His Son to take the punishment they deserve on the cross, so that they might receive the righteousness of Christ through repentance and faith. Such professions are made through hearts humbled by the power of the gospel. No one who has been made a new creation in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit can arrogantly attest that they deserved to be saved by God. Therefore, it would seem that those who have been humbled by the cross would be the least likely to fall prey to pride.

Today, there is no end to the assaults on the Christian faith, whether from without or within. As our culture falls further prey to secular humanistic, post-modern thinking, the absolute, exclusivist claims of Christ are considered anathema to the “modern” world. We see ongoing attacks against the faith in our schools, workplaces, and the public square. The media openly mocks Christians, calling them hateful and intolerant, declaring biblical teachings to be regressive and dangerous. The government seeks to marginalize all Christians, giving token acknowledgement to the freedom to practice our faith and speak freely, but claiming that our beliefs are narrow-minded and that they exclude those with whom we disagree. Every which way Christians turn, there is an assault upon the faith, seeking to cause us to surrender to the onslaught of cultural progressivism.

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“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14: 25-33 ESV)

While the numbers have been in decline in recent years, statistically speaking, Christianity is still professed by greater numbers of Americans than any other world religion. Despite this profession, our culture has become much more pluralistic in the last decade than in previous generations, accepting a wider view of religious beliefs, and even blending the beliefs of various religions into a personal hodge podge of religiosity. Yet, when questioned, many Americans will still state that they call themselves Christians and follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Interestingly, despite so many people professing a Christian faith, America has seen an alarming departure from the morality of its previous generations. Immorality in many forms, including fornication, adultery, homosexuality, drug use, and abortion, has drastically increased in recent years. And as the acceptance of sinful immorality has sky rocketed, conversely we have seen a greater denial of the authority of God’s word in the lives of professing Christians. That is not to say that professing Christians have rejected the Bible altogether; however, many are coming to say that either we have misunderstood the scriptures for the last 2,000 years by teaching things it does not say, or that many of the teachings in the Bible simply are not relevant in our more modern and progressive culture. God’s word is seen as valuable, but not necessarily authoritative in the lives of these Christians. Personal experience and communal tolerance hold a much higher value in their estimation.

It is with this understanding that we look at the passage of Scripture listed above. When Christ was teaching the multitudes, He was exposing their false understanding of what it meant to follow Him. Frequently, Christ confronted the expectations of His professed followers which would often result in many turning away from Him. Some sought to make Him an earthly King, yet He preached a spiritual kingdom. Others sought miracles to feed their bellies, yet He called them to forsake all and follow Him. When Christ preached this passage, He was exposing yet another false belief, one which has great application today. Jesus taught that there was great personal cost in professing to be His follower, one that called people to lay down their lives and surrender all to Him. A person could not seek the things of the world, to be at peace with the world, and be a follower of Christ. A person had to give it all up, to lose all claim to the things of this life, so that they might be a slave to the King. Such was the cost of being a disciple of Christ.

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It is a very common belief these days that people of different faiths are really just taking alternate routes to the same destination. Often, those who propose this concept cite similarities in the teachings of these faiths in the areas of love, charity, good works and forgiveness as proof for their argument. After all, the argument is made, the different religions really just point out the fact that we need to cease from selfish acts and work to love and accept one another. That being the case, people need to understand that, no matter how different the doctrines appear to be between these religions, these differences can just be explained as cultural idiosyncrasies. If it is nothing more than our cultural understandings that influence our religious beliefs, then there is no reason to support the notion that one religion is superior to another. And if people stopped trying to one up each other in the area of faith, then we can start working together to solve the problems our world faces. Sounds simple enough, right?

The stark truth of the matter is that this line of reasoning, no matter how pleasant it sounds, crumbles under the weight of honest examination. The only way that this concept works is if one of two things are true: first, that religion is an entirely personalized experience with no actual eternal consequences; or two, that universalism is true and everyone goes to Heaven, despite what they have done in this life. Unless either of these points are true, the hypothesis above cannot be accurate. If there is an ultimate end to our faith, an afterlife that results in heaven or hell, then the competing dogmas of the various religious belief systems are contradictory and cannot be equally true. Someone is right and someone is wrong. Alternately, if universalism is the ultimate end, then doctrine and dogma are pointless because we all will enjoy eternal life despite what good or evil we do. No forgiveness or atonement is necessary. Therefore, by necessity, the thesis is wrong, but what is the true answer?

Jesus Christ taught His disciples saying, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6). This is a very dogmatic and exclusivist statement. There is no means by which the Christian faith can be opened up to include competing faith systems. It is often for this reason that Christianity is so hated in our culture today. Post-modern tolerance teaches that all competing views must be given equal weight and acceptance. Any worldview which is exclusive cannot be tolerated because it wars against this core belief and must be, by consequence, excluded (which is in itself exclusivist, but that discussion is for another time). Christianity, because of its exclusivist claims, is in direct conflict with post-modern tolerance. Therefore, it is often seen as the perfect example of conflict in our world and is attacked virulently by those promoting tolerance.

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Today, around the world, millions of Christians are recognizing this day as “Good Friday.” It is the date on which we remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as He willing allowed Himself to be placed on the cross, to suffer a torturous and humiliating death, reserved for only the worst of criminals. This is an important day in the life of every Christian, but the question but be asked: what is the significance of the death of a humble carpenter from small town in Israel nearly 2,000 years ago?

The death of Jesus is only significant if He was more than a humble carpenter. The scriptures teach the Jesus is God in flesh, the Son of God, second Person of the Trinity. Jesus has existed from eternity past and there was never a time in which He did not exist. He is the Creator of all things, and all things are in submission to Him. His death is significant because the God of the universe willingly died at the hands of His own creation.

His death is only significant if Jesus was both God and Man. Jesus Christ took on humanity at His incarnation. He took on the frailty of human life, with all its weaknesses and temptations. In doing so, He became our perfect representative, so that His life and death could represent us before the Father. If He were only God, He could not identify with our humanity and He could not be tempted in all ways that we were. His perfect obedience could not be accredited to us because it would be the obedience of the perfect God alone.

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Evangelism is the proclaiming of the gospel to the unsaved world. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the perfect God-Man, came to the world to redeem sinners through His propitiatory death and resurrection. People who recognize their sinful state before God, repent of their sins and trust in the completed work of Jesus Christ are made new creations in the Lord. They become born again Christians who are commanded to share this glorious gospel message with other sinners so that they might find salvation in Christ as well.

When it comes to obeying the Great Commission, not all Christians are in agreement on how one should proceed. Some believe that you should ease your way into the issue, being careful not to offend unbelievers. Others make the case that the message in itself is offensive, so the direct approach is necessary to confront sin hardened hearts. In truth, while the latter argument may rub us the wrong way culturally, it is the most biblical approach.

Romans 10: 14-17 tells us, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Paul makes it clear that the gospel message is one that is spoken so that it may be heard.

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“And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, ‘Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?’ But he remained silent and made no answer…”  (Mark 14: 60 – 61a)

As Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin in a mock trial, many false witnesses testified against Him, seeking to convict the Savior with lies.  However, no witnesses could be found whose stories agreed.  Finally, two witnesses testified that Jesus said He would destroy the temple, the center of Jewish religious worship, and rebuild it Himself in three days.  Yet, even this perversion of Jesus’ statements – He had actually stated that the temple of His body would be destroyed and He would raise it in three days – did not find full agreement among the witnesses.  Jewish law required that no man could be convicted unless there was agreement among two or three witnesses.  The trumped up charges of the Jews were rapidly failing under the weight of the false testimony of these revilers.

Seeking to ensure something could be salvaged in this mockery of justice, the High Priest sought to compel Jesus to answer the charges brought by the witnesses.  “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” demanded the priest.  Yet Jesus was silent.  At this point, Jesus would have had more than ample opportunity to defend His innocence.  He could have clearly stated His own true statements, contradicting that of the witnesses.  He could have sought to have witnesses of His own confirm His own actions and words.  He could have challenged the illegality of the trial as it was being held at night.  He could have pointed out that, as the defendant, He was not required to testify in the trial.  All of these things Jesus could have done, yet, “he remained silent and made no answer.”

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