Questions on Christianity

WORLD recently published an article on faith and politics.  In the article they quoted a political scientist at a university as saying:  “. . .the label ‘Christianity’ doesn’t mean much anymore, at least when it comes to politics: while a majority [of candidates] claim to be Christian, defining what that means is complicated.” [1]

Why is it so difficult to define what it means to be a Christian?  What is complicated about being a Christian?  If God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9), he would not make it complicated.  Instead, we have a multitude of different Christian denominations, and each denomination has pages of doctrinal statements each of which they claim is God’s truth.

True, Jesus does say the way to destruction is easy and wide and the way to life is difficult and narrow.  He did not say the narrow way was complicated (Matthew 7:13-14).

God is not the one who makes being a Christian complicated; we do.  One reason is that everyone wants to use Christianity to their material advantage.  Our Christianity is defined by what provides us with the most advantage in our material existence.  Instead, we should be striving to remake our soul so it becomes more like God.

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[1]   Elizabeth Russell and Christina Grube.   “Faith and politics”.  WORLD, September 2024, p.19.

John 3:16 might be the most famous verse in the Bible. We see it displayed at sporting events and Christian organizations are named after it, but have you read John 3:36?

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36 ESV)

However, other translations give a different interpretation.  For example:

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36 KJV)

Why is there such a difference in how this verse is translated?  Why does one translation say “believe” and another says “obey”?

In the original Greek, we are dealing with two different words.  In the first half of John 3:36, the word translated as “belief“ is correctly translated in both of the above translations.  However, the word translated “belief” or “obey” in the second half of the verse implies obedience that can be observed and is produced by belief. [1]  This is what the whole book of James teaches.  “. . .Faith apart from works is dead.” (James 2:26 ESV)  If we truly believe something, there will be consequences of that belief in terms of our conduct.  As Christians has our beliefs changed our conduct?

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[1]   Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, copyright 1985.

At the church I attend, we are studying the book of James on Wednesday night.  We are using a study guide by David Jeremiah and he asks:  “Why is it so important that our actions align with our words?”. [1]  He lists James 2:12 as a hint.  “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.” (James 2:12 ESV).  He also lists Matthew 7:15-23 where Jesus states that not everyone who calls him Lord will enter heaven but only those who do the will of God.

What Jesus and James are telling us is that it takes more than a verbal statement of belief in Jesus to go to heaven; it takes a change in our lives to match what Jesus taught.  Since we will be judged as to whether our actions match our words or not, it behooves us to make this change.  Is this what mainstream Christianity teaches?

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[1]   Dr. David Jeremiah.  James.  Grand Rapids, MI:  HarperChrisitian Resources, 2021, p.55.

I have been reading in Proverbs lately.  One does not expect lessons in theology from Proverbs but two verses highlight what we have been saying in this blog.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.  (Proverbs 21:2-3 ESV)

On what basis does God judge us?  Verse 2 says God weighs our heart, and our heart is more than our belief system.  Our heart is what we are at our core, what our soul is like.

Sacrifices in the Old Testament were the God ordained requirement from the beginning of time for the remembrance and atonement of sins committed yet this passage (and many others) state that to do right and justice are more important.  Evidently our actions are more important than following some ritual.  Why?  Because God wants our entire soul changed and we change our soul when we take actions that at times will require a sacrifice of us, that will cost us financially, socially, politically.

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”  (Hebrews 13:16 ESV).

A few blogs ago (July 9, 2023, The Best Teacher) we discussed how we know what to believe about Christianity given all the different denominational beliefs and the interpretations of the Bible.  The Holy Spirit, as we discussed, is the best guide but the Bible also tells us we have another guide.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  (Romans 12:2 ESV).  Also see 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and 1 John 4:1.

To test is “the means by which the presence, quality, or genuineness of anything is determined”.  Paul tells us that by testing we can discern the will of God and know what is good, acceptable, and perfect. “The word [testing] used here dokimazoo is commonly applied to metals, to the operation of testing, or trying them by the severity of fire, etc. Hence, it also means to explore investigate, ascertain.” [1]

Our relationship with God is a cooperative venture.  While the Holy Spirit will guide us, it is up to us to test what we have been taught and what we learn about God’s will.  And that is what we have been doing in this blog.  Asking questions about our faith is one means of testing.

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[1]    Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.  All rights reserved.