Why Christianity Is More Than a Relationship

Here is a short clip from the White Horse Inn radio broadcast. The context is a discussion on how Christians often view their own religion. Is it objective and true for all men or is it merely experiential (Remember the hymn: “You ask me how I know he lives. He lives within my heart.")?

Rod Rosenbladt explains in this clip the importance of catechizing our children in proper doctrine. I have heard often pastors lamenting that children have head knowledge instead of heart knowledge. I’d like to know where these children are.

Some have questioned why I used to teach the Sunday Morning High School the class way I did. The answer is simple. Giving children a feel good religion or attempting to lead them via a Finneyite methodology will simply not last. Perhaps teaching Christianity as if it were a religion of self help or morality is often confusing to them.

High Schoolers generally graduate and go to college. This is where their rebellious nature breaks forth. College Professors will tear apart any vestige of Christianity that may remain. Teachers of the church are to teach Law and Gospel according to Scripture in order to equip them with what they need.

Let me offer a real life example. Pastor John Warring (former pastor in Scott City) once asked me if I would abandon the faith if it could be proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that evolution is true. My answer was simple. Yes, I would.

He response was simply incredulous. “You would give up Christ and the faith?!”

“Of course.” I said.

You simply cannot divorce Christianity from history and evidence. God made this world. God has a purpose for this world. God made time and all events for a purpose. All of this is to glorify God.

The moment the Christian believes Christianity is true for private inner reasons he has lost all to the secularist of this generation. So much of Evangelism is about “Experiencing God”. The Apostolic preaching is quite different. They went about and preached an historical event that had theological consequences. They demonstrated that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God in power. “What power” you ask? Read this portion of Acts:

Act 26:24 While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad."

Act 26:25 But Paul *said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.

Act 26:26 "For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.

The events of Christ and the coming of His Kingdom, Christ’s work of salvation on the cross, the unbeliever’s involvement in His work (remember Pilate is in the Creeds!), all of the events of the Gospels were not done in a corner! God invaded history. Paul appeals to truth based squarely in historical fact. Notice even Festus could not escape Paul's preaching, for he knew these things were historically true!

I am not attempting to abandon the experiential side of the faith, but faith and one’s experience should be a result of the objective and truthful proclamation of God’s Word. Anything less is non-Christian.