The World is Changing the Church

From sin and disobedience, to continuous rebellion against God, the world has always been hostile toward God. Even those who claim to be good or do good deeds, their deeds are often tainted with selfish motives. As enemies of God, due to our sins, we needed to be reconciled to God. This is where Christ comes in, the Mediator between God and man.

Christ came and reconciled the world to God through His redemptive works – His death, burial, and resurrection. Those who trust in Him are washed, forgiven, and reconciled to God. A new Body is then created in Christ, called the Body of Christ, the Church, composed of all those who truly believe in Jesus Christ.

The Church is then given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-20). In other word, the Church is called to take the message of salvation to the world, that they me believe and be reconciled unto God.

Those who trust in Him are washed, forgiven, and reconciled to God.

The Light and Salt in the World

The world is dark and corrupt. The Church was to be the light and salt, changing the world and all worldly mindsets with the knowledge of God.

Matthew 5:13-14, 16  ¶ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The Church was supposed to influence the world with the truth. Unfortunately, the reverse is the case now. The world is changing the Church. The so-called Christian worldview has now become completely worldly. We understand the apostasy expected in the last days, in which we live now. But it is surprising how fast it is happening even in the Church. A new research work was recently released by the Arizona Christian University. I will be taking a quick look at the analysis today.

The Cultural Research Center (CRC) of Arizona Christian University just concluded the American Worldview Inventory 2020 research. The results are very troubling. The at-a-glance analysis is titled:  American Christians are Redefining the Faith: Adherents Creating New Worldviews Loosely Tied to Biblical Teaching.

The study, conducted by CRC Director of Research, Dr. George Barna, covers four main Christian groups – the evangelicals, Pentecostals and Charismatics, mainline Protestants, and Catholics. It finds that these groups “are creating new worldviews that are only loosely tied to the biblical teachings that have traditionally defined them.” – ACU AWVI 2020. According to the study summary, “many people from evangelical churches are adopting unbiblical beliefs.” Below are some of the snippets from the analysis:

Perhaps the most alarming of the shifts is that a majority of adults aligned with an evangelical church (52%) contend that there is no absolute moral truth; in their view, truth is uniquely determined by each individual according to their preferences and circumstances. That perspective equates to most evangelicals believing that the Bible is either not inerrant or trustworthy in its content—or that the Bible is neither completely true nor reliable. That stand is a radical and critical departure from the traditional teachings and biblical reliance of evangelicals.

The worldview of adults who attend evangelical churches also reflects a different understanding of deity and humanity. For instance, three-quarters of adults attending evangelical churches (75%) believe that people are basically good— a contradiction to the traditional evangelical teaching that because people are sinners, they are not essentially good, and therefore need a Savior, identified as Jesus Christ. However, many of these same adults have non-biblical views about the Christian Trinity, as well. While elevating the essence of man to goodness, they have also radically humanized Jesus Christ—43% believe He sinned while on earth—and demoted the Holy Spirit to symbolic status (58%).

We understand that not everyone who belongs to these groups has fallen away from the truth, but as you can see below from the results, a third to almost half of them have embraced these anti biblical ideas:

• 48% believe a person who is good enough or does enough good works can earn eternal salvation
• 44% do not believe that history is the unfolding narrative of God’s reality
• 44% claim the Bible is ambiguous in its teaching about abortion
• 43% maintain that when Jesus was on earth, He sinned
• 43% do not believe that there is a common, God-given purpose to humanity (i.e., to know, love and serve Him)
• 42% seek moral guidance primarily from sources other than the Bible
• 42% do not identify and confess their sins on a daily basis
• 40% do not believe that human life is sacred
• 40% accept lying as morally acceptable if it advances personal interests or protect one’s reputation
• 39% identify the people they always respect as being only those who have the same beliefs as they possess
• 36% prefer socialism to capitalism
• 36% fail to seek and pursue God’s will for their life each day
• 34% reject the idea of legitimate marriage as one man and one woman
• 34% argue that abortion is morally acceptable if it spares the mother from financial or emotional discomfort or hardship
• 32% do not thank or worship God each day

Source: Cultural Research Center, Arizona Christian University. Click here to download the full at-a-glance analysis of the study.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the believers need to get back into the Bible. By that I mean the desire to search the scripture daily, and the willingness to submit to its authority. We need to get back into that state of mind where we take the Word of God as the absolute truth, and live by the truth.

While I’m on this, let me also remind some Pastors of our days that enough of all those motivational speeches and powerless stories! Enough of changing the truth of Scripture to sweeten peoples’ ears. It is high time you got back into expository preaching. Get trained if you do not know how to do it.

Too many so-called believers know too little about the Bible. They know a lot about the finances, giving, courtship, marriage and relationship, and all the popular topics out there. But many of them find it very difficult to even articulate the gospel, or describe the most obvious thing about the character of Jesus Christ. All this because many Churches have closed the Bible and replaced it with messages palatable to their audience.

Some church environments discourage true Bible study. The participants don’t have any reason to do any intensive Bible study. The messages are driven by current affairs, social issues, personal interests, and whatever will keep the people coming and giving more. I have personally attend a church for well over a decade, and no Pastor, not even for once, preached through a chapter, let alone a whole Book in the Bible. Yet, every now and then, the so-called preachers come with ‘word from the Lord.’

Many will be able to quote many sayings of their Pastors, but have no idea what the Bible says. Almost every time they reference a Bible verse, the verse is taken out of context. So rather than growing in the knowledge of God, they grow in worldliness. They become so entangled with it that they are willing to put aside all biblical standards just to conform with the world. The very thing we are warned against. Listen to the Bible:

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The Role of Biblical Ignorance

It is not hard to see the effect of ignorance of the knowledge of the truth in the above results. Think about some of their positions on certain key issues and compare with what the Bible actually says about them. I have taken time to address some of them below:

1. Christ Had No Sin

For anyone to claim that Jesus sinned while on earth means that he has no knowledge of the Jesus of the Bible. The Bible is loud and clear about the fact that Christ had no sin. Even Pontius Pilate confessed that he found no faults in Him (Luke 23:14).

Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 Peter 2:22-24 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

I can go on and on, but I will stop there for now.

2. Salvation is Not by Works

Salvation cannot be earned by someone being nice or being ‘good.’ Nobody is good, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Even if some people claim to be good, they still cannot be good enough to be saved. And for anyone to claim that a person who is good enough or does enough good works can earn eternal salvation, it shows that he himself is still lost. Because no one who is trusting in Christ can hold on to the unbiblical claim. It is indeed absurd!

Salvation cannot be earned by someone being nice or being ‘good.’

Here is what the Bible says about how to be saved, it is wholly by grace through faith without any work on our part:

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Romans 3:23-28 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 5:16-19 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

3. The Bible is Inerrant, Infallible, and Sufficient

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is the absolute truth and contains no errors. The claim “that the Bible is either not inerrant or trustworthy in its content—or that the Bible is neither completely true nor reliable” can only come from foolishness. This is the peak of apostasy! If you lose confidence in the inerrancy, infallibility, reliability, and sufficiency of the Word of God, the Bible, you lose all the battles of life and will be totally sold out to the flesh, the world, and the devil. Listen to what the Bible declares about itself:

Psalm 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Psalm 19:7-10  The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Psalm 119:140  Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

2 Peter 1:19-21  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

If you lose confidence in the inerrancy, infallibility, reliability, and sufficiency of the Word of God, the Bible, you lose all the battles of life and will be totally sold out to the flesh, the world, and the devil.

Many of the believers polled in this study obviously lack the understand of the Word, or they have altogether rejected the truth in an effort to please to world rather than God. We are warned in the Scripture to not conform with this world. Rather, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2). Undoubtedly, the tool for this transformation is the Word of God, in conjunction with the Holy Spirit who uses it to change us.

The true Christians are those who have been regenerated, and are having their minds renewed daily through the Word. They seek to know God more, they search the Scripture daily. Rather than accepting popular opinions and personal ‘truths,’ they “prove” what is good and acceptable to God. These are those who can change the world, unlike many who have resolved to conforming to the world and following the broad way.

Read and Obey the Bible

The apostasy of this age will only worsen, unfortunately. But I’m thankful for those who are still holding unto the Word of truth. Let’s keep studying and digging deeper into the knowledge of God. As we do so, let’s pray that God will help us live by the truth. The Word of God is the nourishment for the believer’s soul. It is the catalyst for our growth and the only means by which our mind can be renewed. It is also the only solution to the problem of spiritual ignorance that is rampant in this Age.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The Word is also the most effective weapon of warfare against all the wiles of the devil. Those who give up their trust in the reliability of the Word will lose to the devil. Part of the results of that is what we see in the study referenced above.

Time will tell those who have only the profession of faith without genuine conversion. We are told in the Scripture that we shall know them by their fruit. Many of the participants in the above study have obviously manifested themselves to be counterfeits, or ignorant of the truth.

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

2 Timothy 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

The good news is that those who are truly Christ’s will remain standing in Him and be fully trusting in Him.

John 6:38-40 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

Thank you for reading!