Solas Christus

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.  (1 Corinthians 2:2)

Somewhere, somehow, it has been lost upon many pulpits that Christianity is Jesus Christ. As the songwriter put it, “Christ is my hope, my joy, my all.” The preaching and teaching of the Gospel entrusted to the church is not a bunch of “HOW TOs.” Preaching is not psychology or motivational speaking. It is not some form of humanism. To the contrary, the only message of the church is “Follow Jesus, there no chance in getting lost.” That is always the answer to ever problem, circumstances, and trial. I know we want it to be more complex, but it’s simple, though it’s not easy. One’s heart is the hinderance. We don’t want the way of Jesus, who says love your enemies, pray for those who despitefully misuse you, turn the other cheek to insults, don’t return evil for evil, and prefer others before yourself. We want more mystical and esoteric depth that eliminates suffering like He suffered and dying like He died. However, there is but one subject matter, one message, one answer, and one focus of a righteous pulpit and His name is Jesus. The truth preaching has emptied himself of his own intellectual prowess and has filled his mind with the supernatural intellect of the mind of Christ: The GOSPEL. 

The Erroneous Demonizing of the Term “Religion”

 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.  27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:26-27)

This is why I am not a fan of pop-sayings theology and phrases, like “There is a difference between religion and relationship.” I get the intended sentiment. But such phases are often at the expense of what the Bible actually says. Somewhere in translation they become a substitute for scripture. People know the  pop-phrases better than they know the Bible. Many times the saying is defended over the Bible.

Let me start by saying, I don’t  demonize what scripture does not demonize. There is obviously, according to James, both “useful religion” vs. “vain religion” (v26) and  “pure religion” vs. “impure religion” (v27) IN REALITY. I know it is popular to despise the term “religion” and speak of it in the pejorative. I simply don’t, because the Bible does not. Furthermore, when James says to “keep one’s self unspotted from the world” that is a loaded phrase that encompasses all of the biblical Christian practices. I’m not sure what “religion” means in the pop-phrase... but I know what is meant when the Bible uses the term.  The biblical understanding and definition of true/pure religion is a biblical response to God in obedience (a relationship as it were.) The terms religion, service and worship are synonyms in the Bible. Staying biblical is staying on safe ground. James is making the very point, religion without integrity is NOT religion at all. It is a misrepresentation of God. Pure and undefiled religion is a relationship with God, manifest in the practices of 1) guarding the tongue, 2) having compassion on the poor, and 3) avoiding worldliness.

The Impeccable Jesus Christ

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

He bore our burdens. 
He participated in our pain.
He died our death.
He paid our price. 
Isaiah poetically speaks, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
None of which did He merit. Yet not a selfish deed. Not one wayward thought. Not a single word of disgust. But the righteous substituted for the unrighteous. Like a lamb, He submitted His life as if He had no power to do otherwise. He died as innocent as He was born. He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God.