Walk the Talk
Christianity right now is seeing some startling statistics. In a book I was reading, I saw enough statistics that were terrifying but made me wonder if we were defining words the same way as we used to.
Christians don’t read the Bible. There are videos swarming around the internet about how Jesus wasn’t God in the flesh. These posts, videos, and other commentary argue that Jesus was fully human and just a guy who was really good at being good. I’ve seen arguments that we can attain the same level as Jesus because he was just like us. There are other churches and religions claiming that Jesus isn’t the only way to get to Heaven. Some would say that he is a good way or the best way, but they also believe there are other ways to get to heaven. While there are statistics that show us that Christians, those who claim Christianity, don’t read their Bibles, I can see that nobody is reading their Bible because a lot of those claiming Christianity are preaching a theology. sharing a message, that is contradictory to what the Bible says.
I would just like to point you to John 14:6, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”
In verse 5, Thomas asked Jesus how to get where He was going, how do we know the way?
Jesus makes it very clear, in simple terms, exactly how to get to heaven. This isn’t something that needs context or deeper explaination. I looked at some commentaries though, just in case. I found that that is literally what He meant. Jesus is the way to get to heaven. Jesus is the truth. Jesus is the life.
This is a very uncomfortable truth for many. In a world, in a culture, that screams for inclusion, acceptance of different beliefs, and open-mindedness—this truth comes as the opposite of everything “good” in the world. This truth challenges the progressive, “everything we’ve worked for.” The problem with this is that we, the finite humans that we are, cannot declare what is good. How can we declare what is good when we cannot see the full picture? Can we see inside each other to see the hearts of man? No, because even when we know someone intimately and personally, we never know what could be at the deepest, darkest parts of their hearts. What is fascinating is that we will believe the people around us because we can “see the change” or because “we know them and their heart” yet, when we have an entire book of the character of God, a character that is unchanging, we don’t believe it. Some of those who don’t believe use the “we can’t physically see him” argument as justification for their unbelief.
If John 14:6 is wrong, if Jesus isn’t the only way to God, what was the point of Jesus? If Jesus isn’t the way and if he was just a good guy who did cool things, why did we need him? If we reject this truth, that Jesus is the way, then we are rejecting the entire Bible. Our faith is useless. Our faith is pointless. Might as well melt down some jewelry to have a priest make a golden calf.
That is exactly what modern or even progressive Christianity is doing. They are rejecting the Bible (in an effort to avoid uncomfortable truths, in order to be more inclusive, I suppose) and putting their faith in something they created. Then they slap the word Christian on it and preach it and teach it as if it came from the Bible. As the statistics show that barely anybody reads their Bible, nobody knows they are being lied to or deceived.
In the movie American Gospel: Christ Crucified, Bart Campolo says “If you can imagine a better god, trade up!” That is exactly what is happening to Christianity. The problem is, those who are twisting and manipulating the Bible—changing what the Bible says through what they teach—are still claiming Christianity. They are clearly imagining a better god to themselves. They are allowing themselves to decide truth. Why not just make your own religion? Why not just leave Christianity behind? If God’s truth makes you so uncomfortable, why not leave?
Jesus already told us why. Matthew 7:15, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn buses nor figs from thistles, are they? So every tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. (15-17)
I’ve already talked about how we need to read our Bible so that we can catch false prophets. This is why Christians walking boldly in their faith, and speaking truth is more important now than ever. This is why we need to walk the talk. If we are claiming Christianity, what fruit are we displaying? Are we salt and light? Are we opposing sin? Are we allowing Jesus to work in us to transform us? Are we turning away from our own sin?
When Christians don’t read their Bible, the world suffers. When Christians decide their pastor is their sole source of information of what the Bible says, the world suffers. When Christians allow themselves to be deceived, the world suffers. Christian, when you don’t read your Bible, you are opening the door to be deceived. That is a choice you are making. You are making the decision to put yourself in a place to be deceived. When Satan came to Jesus and tried to deceive him, Jesus fought back with the Word of God. Christian, if we can’t fight back with God’s word, what are you fighting with?
I know it isn’t easy to pick up the Bible and just read it. I know that it is hard to figure out where to start reading. I used to feel the same way. I’ve been there. I have though the Bible was intimidating. I have thought I wasn’t smart enough to read and understand the Bible. I thought that going to church every Sunday was enough. I have thought that reading extra books on what the Bible says was enough. I can tell you though that those are all lies. The Bible isn’t intimidating. If we are capable of reading any of the popular books out there today, we are capable of reading the Bible. Just take in a little bit at a time. Start small and start somewhere. You aren’t racing to finish the book in a week.
“When Christians don’t read their Bible, the world suffers.”
My best tip for reading your Bible is to get on a reading plan. Randomly opening up the Bible each day won’t get you very far. If you follow me on Instagram, I post a lot of different resources on reading plans and how to start reading your Bible. If you want to get on one and want to start, I am doing a reading plan in August through the book of Matthew.
If you want a good place for Bible study, some basics, check out my Walk the Talk Bible study. It’s on the Sermon on the Mount. I’ve called it Christianity 101 because in those two chapters of Matthew, Jesus really lays out what the Christian should be doing and how we should be doing life.
Photo by Neal E. Johnson on Unsplash