Applying The Bible to Our Culture and World

These are the opinions of Jeff Phillips, pastor of an inner city Southern Baptist church in the heart of the bible belt. These views do not represent Woodfield Park Baptist Church, Ashley my wife, our 3 dogs or 3 cats.







Thursday, April 22, 2010

Who is This Jesus?

Their is a debate that is happening in church circles that has stirred up much interest. It is called "Big Tent" Christianity. This philosophy espouses a belief that even if we have fundamental biblical differences on doctrine, even regarding who Jesus was and is, we can still come together and be united by our common beliefs. While this philosophy may sound tolerant and inclusive, is it biblical? This is the question we'll attempt to answer today.

What this debate comes down to is the authority of scripture in our lives. Do we accept the bible as the inspired, immutable, inerrant word of God, or don't we? As someone who does this leaves us with what the bible says. The bible gives to us a very clear presentation of who Jesus Christ is. The bible clearly states that Jesus was born of a virgin. The Jesus of the bible was both fully God and fully man and was without sin. He died as our substitute taking our sins upon Himself, and through saving faith in Him our sin is forgiven. He died, was buried and on the third day God raised Him from the dead. Through His resurrection He is the first fruits of the future resurrection all who believe in Him will share in. The bible gives us a Jesus who ascended to heaven and currently sits at the right hand of the Father. One day, according to the bible, He will physically return to judge the earth and establish His kingdom. This is the Jesus clearly presented throughout the bible. He is the Jesus of historical and spiritual record.

The philosophy of "Big Tent" Christianity does not believe we need to be in complete agreement regarding Jesus. My question for those who do espouse this philosophy is this: if someone does not believe in the biblical Jesus, where is the record of the Jesus they profess? There is only one Jesus, and that's the Jesus of the bible. In the bible we are warned that people will profess "another Jesus" and "another gospel." Jesus Himself warned us of "false christs." Friends, any Jesus that is not the Jesus of the bible, is "another Jesus." Any gospel that is not the gospel clearly given in the bible is "another gospel." We must understand, their are, and always have been, "false christs."

Ecumenism, the belief that all faiths are equal and valid, is a "doctrine of demons." I'm not speaking of different denominations who profess and believe in the Jesus of the bible, but religions and pseudo Christians who profess a Jesus or god not of the bible. God is a God of order, not disorder. He has revealed to us one revelation, and that is the Holy Bible. And the Jesus of the bible is the only Jesus.

So how should we react? Well, the bible is clear. We cannot have Christian fellowship with them. This does not mean we don't love them, it simply means we cannot come together as brothers in Christ as they follow "another Jesus." Ephesians 5: 8-11 tells us, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Anyone who professes or follows a Jesus not of the bible, is in darkness.

This is why the philosophy of "Big Tent" Christianity is flawed. It is not biblical. It sounds good and is most definitely politically correct, but never in history has their been a less politically correct person that Jesus. "Big Tent" Christianity is compromise on the truth of the bible. It is placing our feelings, desires and beliefs over scripture. Do we fully understand what the bible teaches us? Jesus tells us in Matthew 7: 13-15, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

That gate, the door, the only way, is through faith in the Jesus given to us through holy scripture. Faith in any other Jesus or god leads to destruction. This may not be popular, and it will not win us friends in the world., but it is the truth of the bible. So to those who do not uphold the holy scriptures as the "God breathed" revelation of Jesus, I ask, the one whom you follow; Who is this Jesus? Because he's not the Jesus of the bible.

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