Mistakes People Make
Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2011
by John Waddey
firstcenturychristian
In this 21st century, it is amazing how many people, who consider themselves educated, are abysmally ignorant about Christianity. Their ignorance causes them to make serious mistakes when discussing the religion of Christ. Following are some of those mistaken assumptions.
• Perhaps the most notable mistake is to blame Christ and his church for the corruptions and abuses of the apostate Church of Rome that grew out of original Christianity. The rise of the papacy and the see of Rome, the union of church and state, the papal wars, the intrigue and corruption of medieval Catholicism bear no resemblance to the simple faith and practice of the primitive church. It was like a genetic flaw that produced a twisted and abnormal variety of Christianity which in time came to dominate Western Europe. Christ has nothing to do with the Inquisition, the Crusades and other corruptions of that church.
• It is a mistake to blame faithful Christians and congregations for the failures and abuses of the few. In any movement there will be found some who, for various reasons, behave in ways that discredit themselves. One rotten apple does not mean 99 others are rotten.
• It is wrong to blame Christianity for the foolishness and folly of some ignorant believers. Christ, his church and his Word can not be truthfully blamed for some backwoods person who handles snakes and drinks poison while trying to worship God.
• It is wrong to seek to embarrass the church by pointing to the commands and actions of the Old Testament record. The Old Testament was given the Hebrew nation, serving both as their civil and religious code. Christians follow Christ and are subject to his law which is set forth in the New Testament (Matt. 28:20). The Hebrew nation had to fight to take and keep the land God gave them. Christianity is not a national civil code. It is a spiritual code for all of humanity.
• It is unreasonable to blame Christianity for the social problems of the past. This is a favorite ploy of her enemies. They point to such things as slavery, anti-Semitism, denial of the voting franchise to women, etc. Christ’s church has no political office or power. She exists as a minority in the midst of a wicked world. Her power is in her message (Rom. 1:16), her code of faith and conduct. Her people spoke out against social evils, but those things could not change until the majority of the citizens of a particular country were willing to do so. Today when Christians strive to convince governments and courts to protect unborn children from the abortionist’s curet and the aged from the mercy killers, they are told they should "stay out of politics." Those who forbid her people from acting to change social practices are the same ones who berate her for not ending slavery, etc. It is interesting to look back and see the role that Christians and their preachers played in ending some of the inequities of the past. Much of the social progress can be attributed to her.
• It is foolish to blame the church for not acting as though she as a world-wide organization with a strong centralized government. Christ is head over all things to his church (Eph.1:22). He made no provisions for a blanket government for his church. Each congregation is autonomous under his kingship.
• It is unfair to blame the church for the foolish or evil conduct of those who are mentally ill. People with emotional problems gravitate to the church, hoping to find acceptance, understanding and help. The miraculous powers of healing of Jesus and his Apostles were not passed on to us. Sometimes these poor sufferers behave in ways that shock the sensibilities of normal people. Sometimes they behave bizarrely or even cruelly. But their bad behavior cannot be blamed on Christ nor his church.
Those who blame the church for these things are of two kind. One does so out of ignorance. He can be helped by providing him facts and reliable information. The other does so from malicious motives. He hates Christ, his church and his teaching. Even if he knows better, he will still say such things to defame Christ and Christianity, hoping to somehow justify his wickedness.
As disciples of the Master, may we never stand in silence when such insults are hurled at the church for which our Savior died (Acts 20:28). Contrary to these hateful critics, Christianity it the greatest blessing that has been given to humanity. As her founder intended it, it can only bless all who fall under its benevolent influence. JHW
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