Is your average Christian capable? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out.
Reading through a lot of anti-Trinitarian material, something that strikes me is how many of these arguments are the same tired cliches. Constantine is to blame for everything. The Trinity was created at the Council of Nicea. What about passages like John 14:28? Don’t you believe that there is only one God?
These are all childish objections, but I was reading one such book today that while presenting these objections said that most Christians don’t know how to answer these questions. They only know what the person behind the pulpit told them. They never really study the issues for themselves.
I’m afraid that’s right.
Most Christians aren’t trained in this. Your average church teaches Christianity not so much as a doctrinal system, but as a pragmatic system. Here’s how you are to love your neighbor. Here’s how you are to pray. Here’s how you are to denounce sin. None of those things are wrong in themselves. They all have a place.
None of those are explaining the why of what we believe.
We are to love our neighbors. Why? Maybe my neighbor is a jerk. Well, Jesus tells us to. Okay. So why should I still? Who is Jesus that I should give Him that authority?
Get rid of your sin! Why should I? What if what I do is done in private and doesn’t hurt any one. It’s not that big a deal. Right? God forgives anyway. Right?
Even more, we are sitting ducks when the New Atheists come along or the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Mormons. Your average Christian doesn’t understand why Christians disagree with the LGBTQ movement. Your average Christian will think they are not supposed to judge any one.
Why? Because first off, no one ever told them this information is available. Second, no one has treated them like they are capable of learning it.
There’s a theory I have that people often become the way that you treat them. If the people in the pew are treated like they are infants in the faith, that is what they will be. Infants in the faith. Go look at Hebrews 6 one time and read the doctrines discussed at the start that are discussed as elementary. For too many of us today, they would be the advanced course.
You do not have to be a genius to understand apologetics and Christianity. You don’t have to spend every waking moment with your nose in a book. You don’t have to go to seminary or enter the ministry formally. You can work a 9-5 job, spend time with your family and your hobbies, and still be informed.
Sadly, too many Christians know more about their favorite sports team, TV show, movie, or gaming series, than they do about the faith system they base all of their eternity on. That needs to be changed. In this day and age, there are more resources out there to educate yourself on most any topic that you want.
If you care about your faith, you will do it.
And pastors, start treating your congregations like they’re capable. We’re supposed to be raising up people who will go out and fight the good fight. We are not out there to just feel good about ourselves. We are out there to change the world and we are the ones who have the responsibility of doing it. God will not reward laziness on our parts. We have our orders. It is up to us to follow them.
In Christ,
Nick Peters
(And I affirm the virgin birth)
Support Deeper Waters on Patreon!
