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Christ Looks at
MODERN
CHRISTIANITY
by
Roderick C. Meredith
Few grasp the spectacular difference between the original teachings
of Christ and today's Christianity.
~~s
INCE COMING
here,"
an African stude nt
told a white friend,
" l 've discovered the white
man has two gods- o ne
that he taught us about,
and another whom h e
serves.
"A mission school taught
me that the tribal doctrines of
my ancestors, who worshiped
images and believed in witch–
craft, were wrong and almost
ludicrous. But here you wor–
ship larger images- cars and
electrical appliances. 1 honest–
ly can't see the difference."
T his disillusioned young man
had discerned that modero
"Christianity" has strayed a long
way from the original teachings
of Christ. The realization hit him
like a thunderbolt.
But why have modern Chris–
tians forsaken the simple teach–
ings of J esus Christ?
Where Does Christ Come In?
Take a case in point. Jesus Christ
declared: "You have heard the
saying, 'You must !ove your
neighbour and hate your enemy.'
But 1 tell you, !ove your enemies
and pray for those who persecute
you ... " (Matthew 5:43-44,
Moffatt translation).
August,1981
Have professing Christ ians in
Western culture followed Christ
by loving thei r enemies and turn–
ing the other cheek (Matthew
5:39) as He commanded?
The truth is that most of the
greatest and bloodiest wars in his–
tory have been waged primarily in
Europe-the very heart of West–
ern, Christian civilization.
Were the men, women and
even children involved in these
wars true followers of the humble
carpenter of Nazareth who said:
" Love your enemies" ? Yet these
people called themselves by the
name of Christ- "Christian. "
It seems that nearly all Western
religions, philosophies and sects
persist in applying the name of
Christ to thei r ideas, teachings and
practices, however far removed
from the teachings of Christ they
may be. In ancient times, the pagans
at least openly acknowledged the
idols they worshiped.
He Would See His Name
Misused
Since the life, death and resur–
rection of the Son of God,
Christ's name has been placed on
every type of pagan, perverted
philosophy of man that has come
along! The fact that many doc–
trines, ideas and practices of men
are called "Chri stian" proves
absolutely nothing!
Did Christ start these ideas and
institutions? Do they follow His
teaching and His example? How
would He look at today's divided,
competitive "Christianity" ?
The only authoritative answer
is found in the inspired Fecord of
what J esus did teach and in the
example He set for us to follow.
Your own Bible contains this
inspired record .
His Teaching Rejected
At the beginning of His ministry,
" J esus carne into Galilee, preach–
ing t he gospel of the kingdom of
God, and saying, The time is ful–
filled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand: repent ye, and believe
the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15).
The word
kingdom
refers to
"government." Jesus was talking
about the coming government of
God over this earth. He com–
manded: "Repent ye, and believe
the gqspel!"
To "repent" means to be so
sorry that you are not only willing
to quit living in what theologians
call "sin"- but that you are also
will ing to turn around and go the
other way. But what is sin? God
answers, "Sin is the transgression
of the law" (1 J ohn 3:4).
So we must repent of disobey–
ing God's government--of break–
ing His law!
Again, notice Jesus' own
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