The title of the message tonight is “What’s wrong with Christianity.” And if you will notice in your notes, there is not a question mark. I’m not asking a question. I am making a statement. So, tonight, I’m going to tell you what’s wrong with Christianity.
We’re going to begin with I Timothy 2:5. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Everything I’m going to talk about tonight is predicated on one thing: that you believe what this book says (I hold up my Bible). If you don’t believe what this book says then you are not going to agree with most of what I say tonight.
Now this verse says there is one God. But Bro. Barry, we all know there’s one God. The Muslim say that, so do the Buddhists, the Catholics, the Jews. Here is the difference: you have to read the entire verse – you have to read the whole thing.
Again the verse says “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” The Bible is being very specific about the “one God.” The “one God” that this Bible is talking about has a son and his name is Jesus Christ. And that son that this “one God” has is the mediator between Himself and us. And because of what this “one God” did, we are now part of His family.
The Bible says there is “one God” and that “one God” is not Muslim. That “one God” is not Jewish. That “one God” is not Buddhist. That “one God” is the Father of Jesus Christ!
Trust me, we’re going somewhere.
Turn to Ephesians 4 and we’re going to read the first six verses.
(1) I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
(2) With all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love;
(3) Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(4) There is one body, and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
(5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
(6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
This passage expands on what we just read in First Timothy. The Bible says there is only one body, and that body ladies and gentlemen, is Christian. I hope you see this.
Look in Acts 4 and we’re going to begin in verse 4.
(7) And when they (the religious leader) had set them (Peter and John) in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
(8) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
(9) If we this day be examined of the good deed done to this impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
(10) Be it known unto you all (“Let me make this perfectly clear”), and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified …
Whom ye crucified. Peter didn’t mince words ladies and gentlemen. He told the religious leaders, you crucified Jesus. How many in the body of Christ are willing to just stand up and say “I love Jesus”? And here Peter is telling the Jewish religious leaders, you crucified Jesus. He didn’t mince any words. He didn’t sugarcoat it.
… whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole,
(11) This is the stone which was set at nought of you of builders, which is become the head of the corner.
(12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Do you see this? The Bible says you can be a Muslim, you can be a Jew, you can be whatever you want to be, but if you don’t confess Jesus as your Lord and savior, you are not going to heaven.
Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. So, can we please God without faith? No. That’s what the Bible says. Pretty cut and dry.
Turn to James 1. We’re going to read verses 13 and 17.
(13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.
“Neither tempteth he any man” with evil. What does that mean? If you’re in a car accident, it’s not God trying to teach you a lesson. If you get some kind of disease, it’s not God trying to teach you a lesson.
Years ago, a very famous basketball player said God gave him aids to teach him a lesson about having unprotected sex and for cheating on his wife. He said that in a press conference. God didn’t give him aids because he cheated on his wife! He got aids BECAUSE he cheated on his wife. He said in that press conference that every city he went to, there was a woman waiting for him. Every city and he was married. So, you’re telling me that God put a woman in every city for him? God does not tempt us with evil!
(17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow turning.
Who gives the good and perfect gifts? God. Where do the good and perfect gifts come from? They come from above, from the Father of lights. Do you see this?
Many in the body of Christ would disagree with what we just read. A lot of Christians would disagree,
So, what’s wrong with Christianity is that it teaches ABSOLUTES.
The majority of the body of Christ does not live in absolutes. We don’t live in absolutes because there is too much flesh in our lives. What do I mean by too much flesh? The Bible says we must mortify the deeds of the flesh – blow them up, destroy them – so that we can live by our new nature, our born again spirits. Too many Christians are still being governed by their flesh – the desire for the things of this world – instead of by their news nature.
Christianity teaches absolutes and that’s what wrong with it FOR CHRISTIANS ladies and gentlemen. I’m not even talking about the man and woman who don’t know Him. I’m talking about Christians. Christianity is a problem for most Christians.
Notice I didn’t title the message “What’s wrong with Christians.” Really this message is about what Christians find wrong with Christianity.
Let’s look another thing Christians find wrong with Christianity.
Turn to Psalm 119:128 – “Therefore I esteem all the precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.” The Psalmist says that when God speaks – for us it would be when the Bible speaks – whatever the topic, the Bible is right. Oh let that sink in. Whatever the Bible calls sin, it’s sin. It doesn’t matter what society tells you. Whenever the Bible speaks, it always speaks truth. Oh, never forget that! Never!
Proverbs 14:12 is a verse that breaks my heart each time I read it and think about my brothers and sisters in Christ. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Let’s also read this verse from the Amplified Bible. “There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.”
When Proverbs talks about the way, it’s talking about how the person thinks – what she uses as her standard for judging and living. And obviously the verse is talking about a standard that is not God’s Word, that is not the Bible. When you profess Jesus as your Lord and saviour, how can the Bible not be your standard?
Turn with me to 2 Peter 1.
(16) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty,
(17) For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
(18) And this voice came from heaven we heard when we were with him on the holy mount.
(19) 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 notion old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
How did we get the Bible, ladies and gentlemen? Holy men of God sat at the feet of the teacher and wrote down what He gave them. That’s how we got the Bible. I know this is going to surprise you – no, it’s going to shock you! Did you know that there are Christians who don’t believe that the Bible came directly from God? These are brothers and sisters of our family who believe that men sat down and wrote the Bible. Really? I’m serious!
Go to 2 Timothy 3. We’re going to read verses 16 and 17 and what I want you to do for me is follow along in your Bible as I read these verses from the Amplified Bible.
(16) Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instructions for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),
(17) So that the man of God (man and woman) may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Go back a chapter to verse 15. It says “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
That means you have to put forth some effort. You can’t just get up and read your daily devotional and say you have study God’s Word. You have to act like you’re in school.
The second thing wrong with Christianity is that it teaches that the Bible IS THE ONLY STANDARD by which all of us are to live.
Tonight I’m talking to family. I’m not talking to the lost. You have Christians who don’t believe the Bible is the standard by which they are to live their lives. They see the Bible as a guideline. They don’t see it as coming directly from God! Why? Go back to the first point: most in Christians don’t like absolutes.
Every time you combine two parts hydrogen with one part oxygen, what do you get? Water. Is that an absolute? Does anyone have a problem with that? No. But as soon as you tell me that there is only one God who has a Son named Jesus Christ, you have a problem because you believe there are other roads to heaven than through Jesus Christ. Listen to me: there is no other way to heaven than coming to Jesus first.
We’re going to look at one more thing that Christians find wrong with Christianity.
Let’s look at I Peter 1. And again, I want you to read along with me as I read from the Amplified Bible.
(13) So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope, wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.
(14) [Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel].
(15) But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.
(16) For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.
What does the Bible says? Now that you are born again, now that you are part of God’s family, you are holy just like He is holy. If how you live does not reflect holiness, if it does not bring glory to your Heavenly Father, if it does not make Him smile – don’t do it!!
Hey, my Mom and Dad made it very clear to Barry: “Don’t you leave this house and go out and act like a fool because you represent us and we’ve trained you better.” Ladies and gentlemen, who do we represent? Do you see what I’m saying?
There are so many in the body of Christ who don’t care and that’s what’s wrong with Christianity for them. Christianity has a set of expectations that they don’t want to follow. My Mom and Dad had expectations I didn’t want to follow sometime. Can you say bring out the belt? And can you say Barry got the message and he followed?!?
Look at Hebrews 12:14 – “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” I hope you see what this is saying ladies and gentlemen. Although we’re born again and are part of God’s family, if our lifestyle is one of continual sin and disobedience – not holy – we could lose our eternal salvation. Look at it again: no holiness, no seeing Jesus.
Jesus tells us exactly what holiness looks like in Matthew 5:14-16.
(14) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
(15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
(16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Every thing we do ladies and gentlemen, is supposed to show people we are God’s child. Everything. If we are doing something that we don’t want someone to see, that’s a red flag. A big red flag. Don’t do it!
The last passage we’re going to look at tonight is found in I Thessalonians 4. We’re going to read verses 1 and 7.
(1) Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk (how you ought to live, how you ought to conduct yourself) and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
(7) For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Ladies and gentlemen, holiness is not what you do. Holiness is who you are. If you’re acting any other way that holy, you are in sin and you need to fall on your knees and repent.
Here’ the third point: For many in the body of Christ, what’s wrong with Christianity is that it demands that we LIVE A HOLY LIFESTYLE.
We’re going to stop here.
We know that Christianity is a problem for the person who is lost. That’s a no brainer. It should be! But Christianity should not be a problem for a Christian! But far too many Christians are living by the world’s standard and not by the Bible’s standard. That’s why many support, for example, same-sex unions, the homosexual lifestyle, and the “altered” grace message that’s going to take a lot of them to hell.
Christianity’s teachings must be the teachings of every single Christians. We must be in complete agreement with what Christianity teaches or we will be in disagreement with Jesus. For me, the choice is easy! Until next time.
