Is Christianity Still Relevant

          If one is to believe much of what is coming out on the news these days, Christianity is on the decline and its cultural influence is waning at best. A recent poll done by the PEW Foundation shows a decline from 77% to 65% in those identifying as Chrstians, over the last 10years.(https://www.timesofisrael.com/decline-of-christianity-in-america-continuing-at-rapid-pace-poll-finds/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter) Churches are closing their doors at a fairly steady rate (for every 1 new church started, 4 close according to the most recent statistics). The moral decline continues as the competing worldviews challenge Christian morality. Marriage, gender identity, homosexuality, divorce, abortion, parental rights and a host of other issues once firmly understood and held by Christian churches, are now topics of discussion. Church splits are common as various disagreements over once held Christian doctrine now prevails. Two thousand years of Christian theology on these topics is now up for discussion and long held views which were once bedrocks and non negotiable teachings are now being questioned. So the question we must ask is…Is Christianity still relevant in the technological, scientific, secular and pluralistic culture we now find surrounding us? By relevant I mean…Do the ancient teachings found in the Bible still transcend all time, all cultures and all people or were they the writings of men which need to evolve and be updated as cultures change with all the advancements that mark society?

          With the onslaught of evolutionary thinking, a rising secular worldview, technological advances and a pluralistic culture, ancient truths handed down thousands of years no longer seem relevant to most people. The historical narrative recorded in the Bible is seen as mythology, the miraculous now takes on a scientific explanation and the Bible is one of many paths back to God. The unique nature of the Biblical text, as compared to all other religions, is swallowed up in pluralistic thinking. Some within the Christian church have adopted many of these heretical views and the Church, once anchored in absolute truth, is now adrift on the seas of moral relativism. Is it any wonder that most people and even so-called Christians, no longer look at the Biblical text as reliable and historically valid in all that it reports and speaks to?

          Christianity is a historical belief system that dates it’s beginning and it’s practices back some 2000 years. It’s historical roots go back to the very beginning of time as recorded in the Old Testament. There, God speaks into existence all that we see around us and begins to tell “his-story” so that all may know Him. This historical narrative has always been questioned because of its claim to be the “inspired word of God”. This claim means that men, directed and moved by God, wrote exactly what God wished written as a testament of Himself. These ancient truths, which we possess, provide the foundation for how we know and experience God. It is His revelation to mankind. God is not some shadowy figure hiding behind a curtain as seen in the Wizard of Oz. He is a being who desires all to know Him and He has made every effort to reveal Himself to those who desire to know their Creator.

          As we approach the Christmas season we are once again confronted with the story of the birth of Jesus and His claims to be “God in the flesh”. Every year the ancient prophecies of the Messiah come to light and the world once again hears the story of God coming to earth in the form of man. His prophetic arrival forever changed human history. His birth, His life, His death on the cross and His resurrection validated His divine nature which would change and impact lives like nothing ever seen. The writings of the Old Testament and the words of the New Testament now resonate more than ever because of Him. Jesus was not merely another religious leader, a prophet in His day but God incarnate. Jesus claimed to be “the truth” in John 14:6. This incredible claim along with His resurrection sets Christianity apart from all other religious systems and beliefs. Truth is not something we construct as individuals or cultures decide for themselves, it is something that is discovered or revealed. Truth is what corresponds to reality, is coherent in all that it speaks to and livable throughout all cultures. What was once known through words and prophets, God has made known by coming into the world and living as a man. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”….So, is Christianity and its teachings still relevant some 2000 years later?

          Christianity is not only relevant but necessary if man is to live in this world with meaning and purpose. Without a correct view of God and truth, mankind is adrift  because only Christianity correctly explains the reality we live in. Other systems of belief may contain elements of truth but only Christianity correctly teaches the truths as revealed by God Himself. You see, truth is absolute, timeless and it never decays. That which represents the truth (Jesus) continues to speak to all people, all places at all times. Christianity is not merely a western version of religion but a universal belief whose truth can speak into all cultures at anytime and any place. Cultures may change and adopt many different philosophies but truth will always trump those ideas.

          Today we see many mainline churches, in a move to remain relevant, move away from biblical morality as though certain truths need to evolve. This move away from Orthodox Christianity has lead to the vast number of churches closing. The church is relevant when it upholds the Word of God as the source of all truth and remembers that its writings are not the mere thoughts of men about God. God has chosen to speak  to His creation directly through the Biblical text. Anything less than a high view of Scripture will eventually give way to compromise and eventually heresy. The church is never more relevant than when it upholds the teachings God left us regardless of what the culture now tells us.Truth is timeless just as God is eternal.

          The decline of the church and its members will always wax and wane over time. What matters most is faithfulness to God’s Word over time because truth can always be sustained no matter how hard others try to suppress it. Our culture is awash in propaganda which muddies the minds of many. There is no better time to introduce the timeless truths of God’s Word then now. It is the light that can never be extinguished no matter how hard others try. God’s Word will always prevail against the attacks of its enemies.

         This Christmas remember that when Jesus was born truth incarnate stepped into the world. The relevance of His message will live on to every generation until His return. All the advancements in the world can ever change the need for His lasting truths! His teachings are timeless just like truth!