Has Christianity Failed?

When we see the chaos in our so–called Christian society, continual corruption within self–proclaimed Christian churches, and utter confusion in churches about various doctrines, we may pause and ask the question: “Has Christianity failed?” When we live in a nation that (for now) prints on its money “in God we trust”, but whose citizens are through new laws effectively telling God, “Don’t come into our schools, our government system, or our workplaces,” we must wonder if the religion of Christians has failed. How did Christianity come to this point of failure when millions profess to be Christians? Millions of Bibles have been printed and sold, teaching the path to Christianity. Why then do we see a world void of the true values, principles, and life styles that Jesus Christ taught? Has Christianity indeed failed?

What is a True Christian?

In order to determine if Christianity has failed, we must ask another question. What is a true Christian? New Webster’s Dictionary defines a Christian as “one who believes, professes to believe, or who is assumed to believe, in the religion of Christ [Christianity] and whose behavior exemplifies His teachings.” In other words, a Christian is one who believes and strives to do things as Christ did. God’s Word says we must have and be led by God’s Holy Spirit to be His: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:9–10). With this definition of a Christian as our starting point, let us examine some of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Taught the Ten Commandments

In the Psalms, we find the proper starting point for true Christianity: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments…” (Psa. 111:10). When the proper starting point—fearing God and doing His commandments—is eliminated, the proper solutions will never be achieved. Why has traditional Christianity been unsuccessful in aiding mankind? Traditional Christian churches have falsely taught that Christ did away with the commandments. In turn, their members have falsely believed that they are not required to do the Lord’s commandments. Is that what Jesus taught?

Matthew testifies that Christ said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). Some argue that “fulfill” means that Christ did all the work for us so we don’t need to do the commandments. Christ did have to fulfill the commandments in order to be a perfect savior for all of mankind, but his fulfillment did not negate commandment keeping for true Christians. Fulfilling any law does not then nullify that law. Because someone doesn’t steal today, is the law against stealing done away tomorrow? That’s nonsense! So many scriptures point to the necessity for continuously obeying God’s commandments (e.g. Matt. 19:16–17; John 14:15, 21; and I John 2:3–4). Additionally, Christ taught not only to keep the letter of the law but also the spirit of the law. Not only did Christ teach it was against the commandments to kill or commit adultery, but He elevated even the mental acts of allowing our minds to be filled with anger and lust to the same level as carrying out the physical acts (Matt. 5:21–22, 27–28).

By definition, a true Christian believes what Christ taught. Since this world’s mainstream Christian churches do not believe and teach what Christ taught about commandment keeping, they are not teaching true Christianity, but FALSE Christianity! The chaos, corruption, and confusion we see in our supposed Christian society are the products of false Christianity. No wonder traditional Christianity has failed to aid mankind in providing effective solutions for this world’s ills! Can God use this false Christianity to save the world?

God is not Trying to Save the World at this Time

This statement may come as a shock to most Christians. Most have been taught that there is a battle being waged now between God and Satan. They believe the spread of Christianity all over the world will somehow cause God to become victorious. Is that what the Bible says?

Adam, while in the Garden of Eden, chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil instead of the tree of life. Consequently, God separated him from the tree of life: “So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen. 3:24). God is now guarding, preventing mankind’s access to, the tree of life. Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong taught that the tree of life is symbolic of eternal life and the path to God’s way of life (The Mystery of the Ages 116, 118). He stated God would not save the world with the knowledge of His way of life, but let mankind, as a result of Adam’s choice and subsequently mankind’s choices, follow Satan in making their own civilizations, even inventing their own religions (120). This is the only way that humanity will learn, once and for all, that his way will never work!

When will the tree of life be made available? Eventually, God will allow access to eternal life at Jesus Christ’s second coming: “‘And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.’ Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city” (Rev. 22:12-14). God has a plan and a time schedule for salvation for all mankind. He has even planned for those who have died never hearing of Jesus Christ—an idea not heard in traditional Christianity!

God is right on schedule. When He cut mankind off from access to the tree of life, God showed that He is not trying to save the world or battle Satan now, but rather is letting mankind suffer the consequences of individual choices, starting with Adam and Eve and continuing right on down to our present day unabated. One of those consequences is the false Christianity that is extant today. God will never use this false Christianity to save the world.

What Does it Take to be a True Christian Now?

Although God is not trying to save the world now, He is calling out a few people, not just for the purpose of salvation, but for training in true Christianity. These true Christians are training now to be rulers and teachers at Christ’s second coming (Rev. 5:10).

A key to becoming a true Christian now is found in John: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (6:44). The word “draw” in Greek is also translated “to pull in.” God the Father decides who He wants to pull into the foundation of teachers and rulers that is being laid. Notice also John 15:16: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” Jesus emphasizes that we do not get to choose, rather He does the calling. Verse 19 adds: “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” The world hates what Jesus Christ taught, especially about commandment keeping. True Christians, called by God, should prepare to be hated for following what Christ taught and to endure to the end. The calling must be answered first, though.

How to Answer the Call from God

When God begins to open a person’s mind to understand His truth, there is a process that must take place. We read in Acts 2:37–38 that those God called at the early stages of the New Testament Church asked, “‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” Then Peter said to them, “‘Repent….’” Repent doesn’t mean we just apologize. It involves turning away completely from our sins and moving in the opposite direction—toward God’s way. The first step in answering God’s call is showing true repentance by our attitude and actions. We prove to God that His way is more important than Satan’s way of temporary pleasure. Moses, by his actions, showed true repentance: “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:24-25).

The second requirement to answer the call and become a true Christian is baptism: “…and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Acts 2:38). This important commitment pictures putting to death our old self and resurrecting a new person—one whose life becomes God’s for His use. God had to pay the incalculable price of his only Son’s life to make possible this special relationship with God: “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:20).

Next, Peter said true Christians would receive God’s Holy Spirit, “…and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). We must utilize God’s Holy Spirit to overcome problems we otherwise would not be able to overcome. Peter, without the power of God’s Holy Spirit, denied Jesus three times, but after receiving God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost he boldly performed miracles in Jesus Christ’s name (Matt. 26:75, Acts 3:1-9). When Saul was king over Israel, David saw that God’s Holy Spirit could be taken away (I Sam. 18:12). Later, as king himself, David beseeched God: “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psa. 51:11). True Christians must constantly keep God’s Holy Spirit in active use (II Tim. 1:6).

True Christianity Will Succeed

True Christianity will succeed where false Christianity has failed. True Christianity will provide solutions to the chaos and corruption of this world. According to God’s time schedule, true Christianity, including commandment keeping—will be fully taught and practiced when Jesus Christ returns and Satan is bound (Isa. 2:3, Rev. 20:1-3). For now, true Christians can put their religion into practice by yielding totally to God after answering their calling: repenting, being baptized, receiving the Holy Spirit and obeying God as a way of life. True Christianity is love exemplified and Paul said, “Love never fails” (I Cor. 13:8).