The Unappealing Cross

In the modern world of Christianity there is a question that plagues many, “What must I do to be saved?” This is an interesting dilemma for the body today, since many do not know how to answer this question. And along with this question, follows an equally tough question that is hard for many to answer; “What do I need to be saved from?” The obvious answer to the latter is that we must be saved from our sins. The message of the gospel is this, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” (Matthew 3:2). Yet, this message seems to be overlooked and in many cases not even taught at all in today’s modern assemblies. Why did Jesus Christ come to earth? “You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin,” (1 John 3:5).

In the Scriptures we read, “For the word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing…” (1 Corinthians 1:18a). Yet, it seems that today the body has forgotten this all-important message. And instead has vied to make the Cross, which is supposed to be unappealing to the world, appealing by using the ways of the world. In this purpose driven, mega-church, emergent, and prosperous world of modern Christianity, big churches have become big business. And the message of health, wealth, and prosperity has virtually replaced the message of salvation, through faith in Christ alone. What has happened and what is happening to the message of the Cross?

At the beginning of the twentieth century founder of the Salvation Army, General William Booth was asked what he thought to be the biggest danger to the world. He said; “I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost; Christianity without Christ; forgiveness without repentance; salvation without regeneration; politics without God; and Heaven without Hell.” It has also been said, that if the Holy Ghost departed today many assemblies would not even take notice. Many would probably still continue in their manmade programs and agendas without the blinking an eye. I tend to agree with these statements.

According to statistics more than ninety percent of Christians today, are not even remotely interested in sharing their faith. And of the thirty-three percent of Christians that claim to be born again fifty-two percent believe that there is more than one way to Heaven, other than Jesus Christ. Does this mean that Christianity has failed? Not in the least. What it does mean, however, is that many have not truly heard the Word of God and it has not taken root in their hearts and souls; “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). It can also mean that many have trusted in the religion of Christianity rather have put their trust in Christ. So, the next question would be, “Who is at fault?”

The Scriptures place much of the responsibility of the gospel message squarely upon the shoulders of the teachers of the Law. However, it is also up to the individual believer to make sure that they have not been deceived so that no one else would be deceived by a misunderstood message. And unfortunately, many today cannot give an answer to this faith that we have because many don’t even know what they believe. This is a sad fact, considering that over one hundred and fifty-thousand people die each day around the world in their sins, without knowing the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

If you ask the average person why they don’t believe in Jesus Christ, most will place the blame squarely upon those in the body of Christ. Brennan Manning once said, "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." Whether or not you agree with this statement, the fact of the matter is, is that most people look to Christians as a sign as to whether or not Jesus Christ is real. And in this modern age of emergent, seeker-friendly, entertaining and experientially driven Christianity, many find it hard to tell the difference between the world and the body of Christ.
In his sermon called, “Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats” Charles Spurgeon stated “My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church. If it is a Christian work, why did not Christ speak of it? "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). That is clear enough. So it would have been if He had added, "and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to Him (Jesus Christ). Yet, today many seem intent on providing and relying upon entertainment above the Word of God to somehow make Jesus Christ more appealing to the masses. Somehow Christ has become a product that continually needs to be redefined in order to be relevant to today’s modern message.

The modern message of the seeker-friendly gospel has seemed to fill many seats in today’s Churches. And it has seemed to produce many Church Growth movements, but is a modern message that avoids sin, repentance, and hell Biblical? Although, it may seem that the friendlier message of positive thinking and prosperous living produces numbers, does it produce true converts? A.W. Tozer said, “It is my opinion that tens of thousands of people, if not millions, have been brought into some kind of religious experience by accepting Christ, and they have not been saved.” Do we need to accept Christ in order to be saved, or do we need to be accepted by Christ through repentance of sins in order to be saved? The late Dr. D. James Kennedy went further to say, “The vast majority of people who are members of churches in America today are not Christians. I say that without the slightest contradiction. I base it on empirical evidence of twenty-four years of examining thousands of people.”
Biblical Christianity teaches that faith in Jesus Christ is the only true faith and that He is the only way to the Father. But, the message that Jesus Christ brought to His believers has in many ways been so watered-down that it’s hardly recognizable. The recent teachings of positive confession, health, wealth, and prosperity have so diluted the gospel message that many come to believe in another Jesus. These message of the modern gospel has actually produced more false converts than anything else. When trial and persecution come most fall away, because they believed in another Messiah rather than the Messiah of the Bible.
Walk into almost any modern place of worship today and you will more than likely be shown a way to encounter God rather than how to be saved by Jesus Christ. Turn on “Christian Television” and you will more than likely be inundated with the message of health, wealth, and prosperity rather than the message of Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone. It has become all too apparent that the gospel has been repackaged with the message of “self” in order to “sell it” to the world rather than win souls. Where are the witnesses? Where are the watchmen? Why must the message of Salvation be accompanied with entertainment and slick marketing schemes?

For over two-thousand years the message has not changed; “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven.” Yet, somehow this message is constantly being overlooked in today’s modern assemblies. Many in the world are crying “What must I do to be saved?” We, as believers have the answer. And His Name is Jesus Christ.