From “The Lost Anchor” – Chapter Five
Christianity at a Crossroads
America has been moving away from God at a steady pace. Many who maintain a Biblical worldview no longer recognize their own nation. Christianity is at a crossroad with only two choices before it. The path of acceptance in society, which now requires the modification of the core claims of the Bible, or the path that leads back to the historical conviction that God’s Word is the standard of truth for all men. Sadly, it appears that a considerable number standing under the banner of Christianity have already chosen the first path. Unwilling to risk rejection by society or a reduction in attendance, they have backed away from the clear teaching of the Bible. Desiring to sound like the world so they do not offend the world, they now spend more time apologizing for the Bible than they do proclaiming its message. Like Eve in the Garden, Christianity is confronted with Satan’s efforts to deny and remove God’s word from our minds and hearts. Many have already eaten this forbidden fruit and death has followed just as surely as it did for our first parents. One Christian denomination after another has backed away from God’s word and are now empty shells of what they once were. Though churches still dot our land, it is of little comfort when we remember that outward expressions of Christianity often continue long after the day when true inward Christianity has been left behind. Church buildings, programs, budgets, staff, and weekend services typically survive many years after the Spirit of God has departed the scene. It is time now for Christians to take a hard and honest look at their church and their own views. Questions must be asked, and answers sincerely sought. Is the Bible the central source of truth in my church? Do I learn how to parent my children from the Bible? If someone removed all our Bibles on Monday morning, would it be Sunday before any of us even noticed? Does the pastor spend his time exposing his people to God’s Word, or does he spend most of his time talking about the latest Christian fad? What do my children really think of the issues of gender and marriage? Do they read the Bible at all? Do I really think the church is effectively countering the indoctrination my children receive from the secular world with a few minutes on Sunday morning?
Honest answers to these questions reveal the dire state of Christianity in America. The anchor of God’s word no longer holds our nation, and the church is feeling the pull of the world to let it go as well. What Christianity does with the Bible today will determine our path ahead. We can tighten our grip once again on the anchor of the Bible or we can let it slip from our grasp and cling instead to the world. Holding to the Bible is the path that leads to life and blessing. Letting it go leads to chaos, fear, and death.