The Church’s message is not only to be proclaimed, but also lived out. It has been said, “There are five gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and you – and most people never read the first four.”

One of the challenges the Church faces in each generation is to speak and live in a way that makes sense to the surrounding culture. Jesus was able to relate to the rich, the poor, young, old, religious, and heathen alike – and He did so without ever compromising the truth. 

While striving toward cultural relevance the Church must guard against religious pluralism. Sadly, significant numbers of “Christians” have merely added Jesus to their growing list of religious or spiritual beliefs and practices. 

Instead of fully repenting (literally “turning away”) from their old life, they just drag Jesus along with them on their same journey. Instead of allowing Jesus to bring radical change to our mindsets and practices, they only allow Him to make minor modifications. 

This, my friends, is not Christianity at all. No one can claim Jesus as “Lord,” while still ruling his or her own life. As long as you are in charge, you are god. 

Paul warned against this kind of deception, and the false prophets who indoctrinate others to believe such lies. Paul boldly contended that Satan Himself is behind both the lies and the liars. 

“For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:4, 14-15‬ ‭ESV

Our humanistic predispositions lead us to self idolatry – living our daily lives in worship of ourselves, and even expecting the God of the Universe to do what we ask Him to do. 

What we call “prayer” is often an order from a master to his Servant. What we call “worship” is, in reality, an expectation for God to make us feel better about our sinful state. If we read God’s Word, we ignore ultimate truths in order to find phrases that agree with what we already believe and are unwilling to concede. 

This, my friends, is not Christianity at all. It is idolatry dressed in church clothes. 

No other god will be in heaven, even if you are that god. 

There is only one way to eternal life in God’s Heaven – you must lay down your scepter, your crown, your right to the throne. You must bow. You must cry out in repentance for your sin and selfishness, acknowledging that you are NOT God, and that you NEED God, and that Jesus, the Son of God is the only way to God, and that you will forever, wholeheartedly serve HIM and build HIS kingdom at the expense of your own. 

That, my friends, is Christianity. And you will find, like I have, that to be a child of God is so much better than being god.