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.
A good analogy of the Trinity is the triple point of water. At a particular temperature and pressure water exists simultaneously as a solid and a liquid and a gas - the triple point.
Ping
John 1
Cut to the chase. John 1:1 encapsulates it completely. If you don’t get that, then you really aren’t a Christian. All this other drivel is adiophora.
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.
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A good analogy of the Trinity is the triple point of water. At a particular temperature and pressure water exists simultaneously as a solid and a liquid and a gas - the triple point.
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The examples you both cited are excellent, each in their own way. Jesus with God in Genesis 1, at the very beginning, and the presence of the Trinity, in water, at the thermodynamic triple point. Love it.
The dark side never learns because it already knows everything already.
He was and is who he said he is, not to be conflated with what the expert consensus committees have decided.
If the Messiah believed the settled doctrines, he'd never recognize himself.
Everything will be revealed in its due time.
This year's Navy birthday theme is "On Watch - 24/7 for 247 Years"
Join the Navi, see the world.
We’re in a bad state for sure.
43% of Evangelicals call themselves ‘Christians’, but don’t believe in the Christ. Idiocy reigns in the 21st Century.
‘Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ Matthew 7:14
Many posts here are steeped in the sixty year old wisdom of CS Lewis:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [that is, Christ]: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say.
A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse…. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher.
He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
👍🤪
Probably deluded too. 🤭🤪
Maybe we need to redefine what an Evangelical Christian is.
I would agree with that even though labels make me ill.
One day we’ll just be called God’s Children.
...or unable to do so.
There have been several revival type movements in the last 100 years.
The Jesus moment was one of them.
But, yes there has been a great falling away in the last few decades.
Lukewarm feel good preachers multiplied.
It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
There will be a great awakening culminating in a Godly surge bringing us into a great change beginning at the turn of 2022 to 2023.
Not to negate most of your post, for which I thank you.
The text from your link; Matt 7:22-23 KJV:
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Yes, I believe there will be a lot of that.
And also a lot that will return to the Zeal of their First Love.
Here’s how I see the next few decades.
• Now - The Holy Spirit renewing the unmixed Gospel of the Grace of Christ among believers around the world. Joseph Prince, New Creation Church in Singapore, and Grace Revolution Church is Dallas are major players.
o Fulfils Jude 3
• Very soon – A worldwide incoming of souls to Jesus. People are tired of the judgment and condemnation of the law which is not part of the New Covenant of grace (Romans 6:14) and will embrace the compassionate free gift of salvation Jesus offers.
o Fulfils Luke 14:22-23
• Next - The world’s ship of state, so to speak, will have been righted by the wholesale return to the Lord our God. Peace and prosperity will abound. A blessing for the saved, but a trap for those who have refused Jesus.
o Fulfils Matthew 24:38; 2 Peter 3:3-4
• Next (in a few decades IMO) – the first part of the second coming of Jesus his saints (the great “catching up” AKA the “rapture” for the church). I believe it might be as many as ½ of the world hinted by Matt. 24:40-41. The projected population of the earth in 2070 is around 9 billion. That could mean that around 4.5 billion go to Heaven and about 4.5 billion are left behind. The Holy Spirt also leaves earth.
Daniel’s 70th Week AKA the seven-year tribulation follows ending with Armageddon in the second part of Christ’s second coming followed by his coronation as King of kings and Lord of lords.
I believe this, the 21st Century, will be the most amazing century ever ending with Jesus Christ sitting on the throne in Jerusalem as Ruler over the whole world.
Is that from Mere Christianity?
As pointed out by some posting on this thread not just reading it, John 1defeines Who Jesus -The Word made flesh Who dwelt among us, named God With Us by Old Testament prophets- is.
ONLY The Righteous God could make the perfect righteous sacrifice to atone for fallen man's sin nature. ONLY God can convey His Righteousness to a sinner, to cleanse his soul/spirit. If someone claims to be a Christian but does not believe The Word, they are not what they are claiming to be. We are seeing more and more of 'them' in these last days. They will soon witness the great departure of those who believe God and have been redeemed by the Perfect Righteousness stamped upon their spirit by the only One Who can do it.
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