Liar, Lunatic or Lord?

Main line denomination Churches are wondering why their membership numbers are dropping. They are initiating programs to draw more people to their churches and to revitalize their existing congregations. I do not think they will be successful in this endeavor unless they get back to the basics.

I must start my argument with a foundational premise. I believe the bible is fully human and fully Divine at the same time. Just like Jesus who was fully human and fully God at the same time. The Divine element kept the human element from making any errors. If your theology doubts the inerrant nature of God's word, you open the door to doubt the divinity of Jesus Christ. After all, He is the word made flesh. Seminary professors and students are doing exactly what God warned us not to do in 1 Cor 3:18-19. "Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God". Professors in the main line denomination seminaries are teaching the the bible is full or errors and that many miracles written in the scriptures are merely stories. This type of nonsense is making it into the pews as well. I overheard one of the elders in my church say that Genesis is mythology. In my opinion they are allowing the modern world view of faith to creep into our churches. We are not to love the world or the things of the world. We are to be different and separate from the world. Yet main line denominations are trying to "fit in" with the world. Accept everyone and accept everything, do not discriminate or you are teaching hate. This leads me to my second argument.

I believe that salvation can only be received through Jesus Christ. While the invitation is for anyone, to be saved a person must receive Christ by faith. Thus we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ ALONE. It's not like Jesus didn't make this very clear. Just read the first four chapters of John. But then again, if you believe the bible is full of errors, maybe you do not believe Jesus said this. So, this is the tie in to the title. I can not claim it, I heard it in a study of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. When the children doubted Lucy the uncle asked them if they thought Lucy was a liar. Was it a normal behavior for her to lie. They said no. Then he asked them if they thought Lucy was a lunatic. Was her normal behavior crazy? They said no. The uncle then concluded that Lucy must be telling the truth. The same argument can be made for Jesus. The life He lived as written in the bible does not represent a liar or a lunatic. Therefore, if He said He was Lord, He is the Lord! If He said that He is the ONLY way, He is the ONLY way!

I believe we are to love our neighbors, I believe we are to care for the widows and the orphans. I believe that the greatest commandment is love. I believe that if we do not have love, our efforts are worthless. Allowing people to believe a lie is not loving. If we allow people of different faiths or no faith to believe that there are other ways to salvation besides faith in Jesus Christ, we are allowing them to believe a lie! Yet here again is an example of what is being taught and preached in main line domination Churches. I heard a statistic the other day on Christian radio. The Presbyterian Council, Championed by the Presbyterian Church USA, reported that 36% of the Presbyterians they surveyed, did not believe that Jesus Christ was the only way to salvation.

Do you want to know why your membership numbers are dropping off? If you don't believe in the book that you read out of every Sunday, and you don't really believe the words that you recite in your creeds, and you don't truly believe what Jesus said about himself, then why would anyone want to come to your Churches? If there are many ways to salvation, then maybe I can be saved by watching sports center on my TV Sunday morning. I can go do nice things for people in Louisiana, I can go feed people at the shelter, I can go build houses for the homeless without being a member of an organization that in all appearances is completely hypocritical.