Most Americans believe that Christianity is just one of many options. Don't pick and choose. Check into the truth of your Bible. You'll find it's the best option.
It used to be that if you were born in America you'd most likely become Christian. A new survey found that most of Americans believe that Christianity is no longer the faith Americans automatically accept. Most believe that Christianity is just one of many options.
What does it mean? Researcher George Barna says: that you're increasingly comfortable picking and choosing what you think is a useful and accurate religious view. In other words, you've become comfortable throwing away the rest of the teachings in the Bible that don't fit you. More and more of you now serve as your own theologian-in-residence.
On the whole, Americans are taking on unpredictable and conflicting beliefs. Barna mentioned an example: millions of people who consider themselves to be Christian now believe that the Bible is totally accurate in all it teaches, yet at the same time that they believe that Jesus Christ sinned. How can that be? You see, a huge majority of adults have "customized" their religion.
Do you see the danger in that perspective? What's proper, right and true? Does it matter? The book that so many have revised for themselves says, "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him." (Proverbs 26:12)
Unfortunately, the survey found feelings and emotions now play a significant role in the development of people's faith views. Should that be the case?
Jesus took a straightforward stand on the issue when He said "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17). There is no customizing the truth. God's people will be set apart, they'll be different from others because they follow the truth of their entire Bible.
Basing your beliefs on truth, not feelings is the vital objective. Feelings come and go but truth lasts for eternity.
An encouraging aspect of the study also found that 74% of adults felt that their religious faith was becoming even more important to them than it used to be as a source of objective and reliable moral guidance.
If you are one of those, I encourage you to go to your Bible and seek out the full spiritual instruction that Jesus and the New Testament Church of God taught.
Don't pick and choose. Check into the truth of your Bible. You'll find it's the best option.
For GN Magazine, I'm Steve Myers.
