Decline of Christianity is Undeniable 2 of 4

So, while studies are pretty consistent in describing the changing landscape of Christianity, what is inconsistent are the analyses of why. At the risk of stepping on a lot of religious toes, what follows are three simple, but scripturally based truths. Following the first three truths are three verifiable realities. These actualities are based on historical data, observation, personal interaction from within the Church, study and much deliberation.

One: Christianity immediately started becoming irrelevant when irrelevancy started becoming Christian. What does that mean? First, a little biblical history: We humans have always had trouble doing even the simple things God asks of us. The Old Testament story of Israel and Judah reveals repeated cycles of their following God for a while but inevitably being drawn away.

Have we not been doing the same ever since Christianity came on the scene? From its inception, did not people quickly start altering nearly everything about it?

For humans to try to “improve” on God is not only arrogant and presumptuous, it also renders our religions irrelevant. The legitimacy of Christianity is totally dependent on whether its creator—Jesus the Christ, who was God incarnate -- is involved and active in it. If He isn’t, it’s irrelevant.

Wouldn’t it seem logical that whatever Jesus and His apostles did, we should do; what they said, we should say? When churches desperately try to reinvent themselves to appeal to what people want, as so many are doing today, they abandon what’s relevant to God. True Christianity is about changing to find our relevance in God—not God finding His relevance in us. And if Christianity isn’t changing people, it is not relevant.

Jesus’ own words remain a devastating indictment of Christianity today: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven,” He said. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

He wasn’t talking about any other religion. He was targeting those who claim to represent Him—modern Christianity. Labeling oneself “Christian” doesn’t necessarily make you so.

If God says something is irrelevant—meaningless to Him—then it is irrelevant. And what’s more, sooner or later, human religious inventions will fail to satisfactorily explain the spiritual questions for which we seek answers. Human explanations cannot satisfy spiritual voids, and people will eventually start looking elsewhere for relevancy. Like they are today.

Two: Bad produce at the fruit stand. Most people eventually stop eating bad fruit. They may move on to other bad fruit, but move on they will. Jesus had a lot to say about fruit when He began His ministry some 2,000 years ago. The mainstream religious institutions and teachers of the day smugly assumed they were leading people to God, but to Jesus they had long ago become irrelevant.

“By their fruits you will know them,” He said, and He was unsparing and withering in His assessments. Jesus’ harshest words were not aimed at the pagan Romans, but at the religious leaders claiming to follow God! Their carefully crafted religious practices made them appear pious, but He cut through their facade, calling them hypocrites, “whitewashed tombs” that are beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:27). They marketed their religion well, but their spiritual lives were reprehensible!

What would Jesus say if He was observing the fruit stand of Christianity today? A big reason people cite for walking away is the bad fruit of its leaders/members—abuse of people and power, scandals and immorality, cover-ups, confusion and opposition over moral and social issues, hypocrisy, greed and opulence, doctrinal disunity, embarrassing extremists, open bickering among church members and…you fill in the blanks.

Bad fruit doesn’t just bring shame and embarrassment on churches. It makes Christianity appear irrelevant as a genuine, life-changing entity.

Three: Counterfeit Christianity. Counterfeit money works only if it’s fooling people. Once everyone knows it’s fake, it’s irrelevant. But until then, a lot of people can be deceived. The same is true with counterfeit Christianity. Here are Jesus’ own words of warning: “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:5).

He established Christianity with two strong assertions: It would never die, He promised, but it would be corrupted. It didn’t take long for the “many” deceivers to come. Within just a few years, they began creeping into the Church; and in only a matter of decades, “Christianity” began to morph into something resembling little of His original church. It wasn’t long before the counterfeiters overwhelmed—both in numbers and popularity—the remaining “flock.” Their primary tools of deceit—false doctrines—are now the unquestioned norm.

But Jesus’ words then are just as true today: “You have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:6-9).