Classic Christianity
Classic Christianity
Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to day, and for ever.”
We live in remarkable times. The e-communications era has not only made it much easier to find things easily which once were very time consuming, but it has also provided a means for the cornucopia of variant and culture driven religious upstarts to ply their philosophies. To these people, the plain dressed truths of classic Christianity are dated, stuffy, overly cautious, too preachy, judgmental and boring. Unaware that they are comprised of just the same crowd of people Paul encountered so long ago in Athens, they spend “their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.” (Acts 17:21) Religious radio man, Harold Camping is now telling his diminishing band of adherents that the rapture of the saints will definitely occur on the May 11, 2011. He said that if he’s still around on May 12, then it means that he is unsaved! Though it is possible that the Lord may return on that day, it is just as possible that he will come before that, or after. One would think that after the many embarrassments of all those many religious prognosticators who’ve stumbled before him, that Camping would have learned. Classic Christianity has always preached the possibility of the imminent return of Jesus Christ, while at the same time recognizing that the date of his return would not be revealed beforetime. Why even Paul himself wrote of his hope of the return of his Saviour during his lifetime. The Pagan Mayan culture is all the rage now, the message being that the end of the world is not May 11, 2011, but 2012. Why? Because, we’re told, the Mayan’s calendar ends at 2012! Maybe they just got tired of chiseling by then. Maybe the calendar man died. Classic Christianity stays with the always relevant Word of God which states, “but of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Mt. 24:36)
The advertisement goes out for “Contemporary Worship styles,” and the Mars hill people Paul spoke to 2000 years ago show up again now. They sit and stand and sway and hum as a pretty average “worship” team bang their drums and pick some pretty average licks on their electric guitars. Then a young urban-cool looking fellow, with maybe a discrete tattoo or two showing just at the neckline of his fashion tee-shirt strolls up, sits on a stool, …and “shares.” Some, maybe a lot of what he says is not objectionable, but what is not said, what is never mentioned, what is avoided is where the greater damage is done. The word “contemporary” was carefully chosen. It suggests the desire of the promoters to keep up with the current trends and fashions of present culture. The real time effect and impact of “Contemporary Christianity” is found in a root of its own descriptive word. It is temporary. “Contemporary Christianity” in its fever to keep in step with corresponding culture, has two unchanging problems: 1. It’s always about a ½ step behind, and 2. It’s continually having to change. No wonder its temporary! Classic Christianity, by contrast does not attempt to mimic the surrounding culture. Classic Christianity frames its choices regarding, direction, walk, conduct, associations, music, dress, amusements, etc. by application of Biblical principles which are plainly defined. The “Relevant Religion” movements that come and go are by nature confined to the confusion engendered by their insistence that nothing is absolute.
Good article. Glad you are doing some writing. We need more of these pertinent thoughts in a day where spiritual deception and confusion are rampant. Keep it up, my brother!
The Carnival Church must always come up with a new, more exciting ride!