How Can You Still Believe When ...?

"You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed." 2 Corinthians 11:4

A Christian ministry bills its upcoming broadcast with the following introduction: "Looking at the current state of the world, along with how the Church can often be a poor example of Christ and the recent de-conversion stories, why still believe in Christ? Is he really who he says he is, or have we made him to be something He isn't? If you've ever asked these questions, you're not alone." One thing to always consider when engaging in conversations about the questions presented here is to never accept the premise being presented. When I read something like this, I have to ask myself, "Why is Jesus Christ on trial and not the beliefs of those asking the questions?" What does the "current state of the world" have to do with believing in Jesus Christ? When has the state of the world been anything other than what it is right now? Has there been a time in history where there wasn't the threat of viral infection? According to one source, "The earliest recorded pandemic happened during the Peloponnesian War (430 B.C.). After the disease passed through Lybia, Ethiopia, and Egypt, it crossed the Athenian walls as the Spartans laid siege. As much as two-thirds of the population died." What is a "good example of Christ?" If Christians could be like Jesus Christ, we would not have needed Him to live a perfect life, die on the cross, and be resurrected from the grave. That is the whole point of the Gospel; we can't be like Him. When Jesus was arrested, the Bible records, "Then everyone deserted him and fled (Mark 14:50)." It seems like we have been a "poor example" for a couple thousand years. Perhaps that is what has led to the "recent de-conversion stories." However, nobody can "de-convert" if they understand the Gospel. Salvation is the restoration of the life of God. It is why the experience is referred to as being born again of the Spirit of God. You can't just get the Holy Spirit of God to leave you. Our sins, which caused God to remove His life from Adam in the Garden of Eden, are no longer being counted against us by God (2 Corinthians 5:19; Romans 4:8). Therefore, if our sins cannot separate us from God, and He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), what is a "de-conversion?" In my opinion, a "de-conversion" is another way of saying that a person had a wrong belief about God and maybe unrealistic expectations about what it means to be a Christian. Therefore, when those expectations were not met, they "de-converted." Well, they probably should have done that because that is not how it works with God. What did they "convert" to in the first place? When somebody asks, "Why still believe in Christ?" you ask them, "Which Christ are we talking about?"

When the Apostle Paul was writing his second letter to the Corinthians, he chastised them for, among other things, putting up with someone who was preaching a different Jesus than the one he preached. Paul also mentions people preaching a "different kind of Spirit" and a "different kind of Gospel" other than those they received and believed. Therefore, when it comes to the question, "How can you still believe?" you have to make sure you are on the same page with a person as to what Jesus they are believing in. The term Christian has become a catch-all term to incorporate any and all beliefs and systems of worship under the same umbrella. However, when you have an estimated 33,000 denominations in the United States alone, you see why warnings about different Jesus', spirits, and gospels were mentioned. If it was enough of a problem for Paul to write about it in the first century, how bad is the problem now in the 21st century? Too often when topics like this arise, Christians get on the defensive and then believe the mere presence of the subject is somehow going to destroy Christianity. And it may destroy Christianity, but it won't destroy Jesus Christ. Christianity never saved anybody. Christianity didn't die on the cross. Christianity didn't get resurrected. We don't put our faith in Christianity. There is no better time than the present for people to come to faith in Jesus Christ. There is this notion that conditions have to be perfect in order for the Church to grow. And, they are perfect. What better time is there to preach the hope offered through faith in Jesus Christ than what we see now? It is when lives are falling apart through sickness, loss of jobs, societal turmoil, government upheaval, and a host of other problems, that the true Gospel of Jesus Christ is there to bring the love, peace, healing, and hope that so many people desperately need. How often do you hear a testimony where somebody says that life was perfect for them and that is the reason they accepted Jesus Christ? When was it said that somebody behaving perfectly like Jesus Christ is what made the difference in their faith? While there may be some anecdotal evidence for it, most often that is not the case. What you hear is God met me in the midst of my pain. Or, it was the love of another Christian who went through a similar struggle, that ministered to a hurting heart. It is during those tough times that you realize that the only one who is truly faithful is Jesus Christ. If you feel otherwise, then I suggest you may have the wrong Jesus and it is a blessing for you to find that out now than later on when it could be too late.