Every day on these generic newsfeeds (like Bing or Microsoft, etc.) there are stories for you to click on telling us why Christianity is wrong. Titles like "Reasons not to teach religion to your kids" or "Things you thought were in the Bible but aren't" or the like keep popping up, often and everywhere. One gave "Reasons Why Christianity is Experiencing a Mass Exodus." You don't need the link. I'll answer that one.
In his first epistle John warned, "Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour" (1 Jonn 2:18). Actually, since the beginning, "antichrists" -- those opposed to Christ -- have been around. In force. And still are today. But John's next sentence is a bit startling the first time you hear it. "They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19). Okay, now, hang on ... you're saying that these "antichrists" come out ... from us? They're coming from inside Christendom? Yes, that's what John is saying. They are "Christians," at least by profession. But John makes a very important point. They are going "out from us," but they were "not really of us." How do we know this? Because if they were of us, they wouldn't have gone out from us.
Jesus told of "many" who would say to Him in the last day, "Lord, Lord, look what we've done for You," and He would tell them, "I never knew you" (Matt 7:21-23). "Never knew you" doesn't mean "I knew you once, but no more." The reasons why "Christianity is experiencing a mass exodus" (if that's actually true) is not something wrong with Christianity. It is to show that "they are not all of us." How do we know? Because "if they had been of us, they would have remained with us." Which simply goes to show that there is still a vast mission field inside our churches.
4 comments:
A "post-script" to my post ... be aware that the "us" from which "they went out" does not constitute a majority. From the Old to the New Testament, terms like "remnant" and "few" are used to indicate those who are saved. "Us" is not determined by "more than them." It is determined by those faithful to Christ and the Word.
Whenever anyone postulates the future state of humanity, may it be sci-fi or post-apocalypse or whatever, religion in general and Christianity in specific are generally seen as being gone. And from a materialistic worldview it makes sense. Religion is declining, apathy is growing. But we have a promise that there will always be a remnant preserved by God. But we need to remember, in the time of Ezekiel (I think) there was a remnant of only 7000, out of the millions of Jews, and hundreds of millions of pagans, only 7000 served God. We will always be in the minority, sometimes more starkly than others, but God will always preserve His people.
I believe the “mass exodus” is by those people who are “Christians” in name only who are now abandoning the convention of identifying as such. Where once they might have kept up the pretense of ascribing to Christianity (to appease their parents, grandparents, etc.), they no longer feel the societal pressure to do so. Instead, many people (young people, especially) prefer to identify as agnostic, atheistic, or “spiritual but not religious”--which they might see as more “open-minded” and “inclusive” than “Christian” denotes. As you rightly point out, a true believer will not abandon the faith, but most churches--even good, Bible-based ones--are full of people who have never been born again. This is a sad reality but should not surprise those of us who know our Bibles (and church history).
Elijah, not Ezekiel, but the essence is right.
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