Posted on 09/27/2022 10:53:30 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Every two years, Ligonier Ministries works with LifeWay Research to evaluate the theological temperature of the American church. This year’s State of Theology study’s results show that not just Americans but Evangelicals, in particular, are increasingly muddy on core truths such as the nature and character of God, the reality of human sin, the role of the Church in the world, and the exclusivity and divinity of Jesus Christ.
For context, the survey defines “Evangelical” as a Christian believer who meets four criteria: that the Bible is the highest authority for what someone believes, that it is important for non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their savior, that Jesus’ death on the cross is the only sacrifice that removes the penalty of humanity’s sin, and that only those who trust in Him alone receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.
Though that definition is a promising theological start, the results go quickly downhill from there.
For example, nearly half of Evangelicals agreed that God “learns and adapts” to different circumstances, in stark contrast to the biblical doctrine of unchanging nature, or immutability. 65% of Evangelicals agreed that everyone is “born innocent in the eyes of God,” denying the doctrine of original sin, and with it, the very reason that people need salvation in the first place.
Some 56% of Evangelicals agreed with the idea that “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam,” in contrast to Jesus’ words in Matthew that without Him, “no one knows the Father.”
The most stunning result had to do with the topic of Jesus Christ’s divinity. When asked whether they agreed that “Jesus was a great teacher …but not God,” 43% of American Evangelicals answered yes. That number is up 13% from just two years ago.
Even if we generously allow for some confusion in the phrasing of the questions and what they implied, The State of Theology paints a bleak picture. People who claim the title of “Evangelical,” a title that long was defined, at least in part, by adherence to historic Christian belief, stand a good chance of believing humanity is basically good at birth, that God is not concerned with worship or doctrine being particularly “Christian,” and that Jesus was a good teacher, but not God incarnate.
It’s worth noting that these failures are not because Evangelicals have a low view of Scripture. After all, some 95% still agree with the statement that “the Bible is 100% accurate in all that it teaches.” The implication, then, is that they simply don’t know what it teaches, either because they haven’t been taught or they haven’t cared enough to learn.
In fact, in many corners of evangelicalism, it is assumed that doctrine doesn’t matter. This can take at least two forms: hyper-emotionalism, the idea that God will settle for our sincerity and our affection, even over and above whether or not our beliefs are true; or a hyper-politicization, one that assumes it really matters whom you vote for and what group you belong to, not what you believe about the essential truth of the Gospel or the claims of Christ.
In reply to all this, Jesus was really clear. Here’s what He said, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the spirit and in truth.” It was for this reason that the divine Logos came into the world “to testify to the truth,” and it’s only the truth that sets us free. And it’s interesting to me that in the Old Testament, idolatry is portrayed not only as worshipping a false God but worshipping a false idea of who God is, such as was the case with the Golden Calf incident.
A bright spot in this survey is what it revealed about hot topics and moral issues: 91% of Evangelicals agreed that abortion is a sin, and 94% agreed that sex outside of traditional marriage is a sin, although that conclusion is muddied by another 28% who agreed that Scripture’s condemnation of homosexual behavior “doesn’t apply today.”
We will never have a clear sense of who God is, His omnipotence and immutability, His character and work in the world, how He sees us and what He requires of us, without a biblical understanding of who Jesus is and the absolute authority He wields over all creation. If our thinking is rooted instead in only our political allegiances or some vague notion of God’s “niceness,” we will have simply obtained a “form of godliness, while denying its power.”
Once in a meeting I attended, a Christian leader quipped, “If we could just get all the Christians saved, we’d be in good shape.” The results of this study show it’s time for many so-called Christians to repent, for many churches to renew their commitments to catechism, and for all of us who claim Christ to commit our hearts and minds to know who He is, who He has revealed Himself to be.
Originally published at Breakpoint.
John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He’s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education and apologetics.
Kasey Leander is a Fellow with the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA). Prior to his time at OCCA, Kasey earned an undergraduate degree in history and PPE (Politics, Philosophy, and Economics) from Taylor University. While at Taylor, Kasey served in various ministry roles on campus and was active in student government. He has also worked briefly in politics, serving as an intern in the US Senate in Washington, DC.
Since around 1900, we entered the Laodicean Church Age in the which Jesus is seen OUTSIDE the church knocking on the door for them to let him in.
Do not despair. From the previous glorious Church Age, we have enough Philadelphia churches to impact the world in these last days.
Makes me think of John 5:43 which is basically: “I come in My Father’s name and me you do not accept; if another comes in his own name, him you will accept.”
Nowadays, anyone can be called an “evangelical” for polling purposes.
Can’t help but wonder how they decide who is an “evangelical”?
If you don’t believe in the divinity of Christ can you say you’re a Christian? Can you be an evangelical if you aren’t a Christian?
the trinity is a mystery, for God is both all 3 and 1. We will have to wait to get to heaven for this to be clarified.
“Before Abraham was, I Am.”
This is nothing. The deity of Christ was the issue the Nicene counsel assembled to address.
my own personal guess.
Jesus declared that he was “the light”
I interpret that as the light in Genesis 1:3
quote “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”
So light has been with God since the beginning. And Jesus is the light. Just my personal belief.
When was the last time you would have thought someone who said he was God was a “great teacher”?
More like a looney.
He was who He said he was, or he was a liar and a psychopath. There’s no middle ground.
Choose.
It could be.
Catholic?
Protestant?
Other?
Maybe the “other” gets put into the Evangelical rank?
35 years ago our small rural Presbyterian church got a new pastor. He brought in a new associate as well. The associate preached on how the virgin birth of Jesus was just a story as obviously that kind of thing doesn’t happen. But the story is even more important than it actually happening. (No - I don’t recall how he argued that point).
I asked him after the service that probably means you don’t believe that Jesus was resurrected either? “Well of course not”. I turned to the head pastor and told him to take us off the members list as we would never be returning.
Attended for many years, sang in the choir, got married in that church - sad.
Disclaimer - we have been back twice on our visits across the country in the last 6 years. New pastor seems to preach the Bible.
If Jesus is not God, then he is either a liar or a lunatic. And if he is either of those things he certainly is not a great teacher.
People who deny his divinity, especially people who call themselves Christians, are just simply foolish.
Matthew 7:22 - On judgment day many will say to Me “didn’t we prophesied in your name...
I use a capital "S" for Sodomy because it is the name of a religion. In fact the official religion of the ruling class, even those whose sexual tastes do not run in that direction.
The late Rev. Bill Randles who used to post here on FR had a great sermon where he listed the attributes of God.
God is love
God is light
God is eternal life and then one more
Jesus Christ came down to us in the flesh and remains so.
Can’t help but wonder how they decide who is an “evangelical”?
Since there isn't a definitive definition of "Evangelical" that everyone agrees on or a recognizable, visible and official "Evangelical Church", pretty much anyone can call themselves an Evangelical-- and who's to say (aside from personal opinion) they are not?
The Catholic Church has a similar but different problem with those who call themselves Catholic but are really Catholics in name only. The difference is that the Catholic Church has a clear body of core beliefs that, if you obstinately deny them, by definition (heresy) your status as a Catholic is forfeited (latae sententiae), or is at least in doubt. And yes this goes for the Pope, the bishops, and priests.
It’s not called the “Great Apostasy” for nothing.
The “right hand” is seen as a place of honor and status throughout the biblical text. When the Bible makes statements that Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, it is affirming that he has equal status to the Father within the Godhead (Hebrews 1:3, 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22; Acts 7:55-56)
wy
I don’t agree with the concept of original sin.
We might inherit a sin nature, a tendency towards sin. But we’re not condemed until we sin. It’s just we all sin, except for kids who haven’t reached the age of accountability.
If you look at Jesus’ reply to the Rich Young Ruler who asked how to have eternal life, Mark 10:17-27. Jesus basically said, keep the commandments and named 5 of them. The Ruler said he had kept them all from youth. And Jesus replied, you lack one thing, go and sell all that you have and follow me. Jesus’ answer showed the ruler that he was putting his riches before God, so he hadn’t kept the law.
If you look at Jesus’s reply to the lawyer, Luke 10:25-37, it’s even more direct. Jesus asked what is written in the law? The lawyer replied, ““You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And Jesus replied “Do this and you shall live”.
If you keep the law, you shall live. But we know the law saved nobody. Nobody kept it. But if you did, you would live, which means you’re not condemed because of original sin. You’re condemned because of your own sin.
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