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The Culture War:  Why Christianity Appears to be Losing!

The Culture War: Why Christianity Appears to be Losing!

Christianity began 2000 years ago with a ragtag handful of refugees and poor traveling preachers within a culture in which the ruling authorities actively sought their eradication. Yet, within a few hundred years, Christianity became the predominate religion in the Western World.

Over the last 50 years, the number of practicing Christians in western countries have steadily decreased, and godless and secular theories have become ever more popular.

Could the methods employed by Christians 2000 years ago, and those practiced by many in Christianity today, be factors in why Christianity flourished then and withers now?

Two thousand years ago, Christians focused exclusively on evangelism and Christian living. In other words, they focused on reaching people with a message that would change their personal lives. Christians lived to bless others, to share, and to minister. They were kind, patient, honest, and good neighbors.

The one thing Christians never did 2000 years ago was seek to legislate their beliefs. In Apostolic times, we never find Paul seeking to get a certain senator elected to the Roman senate. We never find Peter seeking to get a certain governor appointed in Palestine. We never see James, John, or any of the church leaders, seeking to get new laws passed to mandate Christian values. In fact, it was the enemies of Christianity that sought to legislate their beliefs by passing laws to persecute Christians, yet Christianity grew.

But hundreds of years after the apostles died, when the population had vastly converted to Christianity through the methods of evangelism and Christian living, an astute politician—Constantine—made Christianity political. From that moment until today, Christianity has been infected with imperial human law constructs and methods. And history is clear. After Constantine and the infecting of the church with imposed law and political methods (the idea that God’s law functions like human law, and therefore Christians should function like human governments), Christianity sunk down into a system of darkness. The Crusades, the Inquisition, burning people at the stake, and legislating laws to coerce people to practice their faith, according to the mandates of someone else in the position of legal authority, took effect.

And the world went into darkness, still today called the Dark Ages.

Eventually, thinking people began to examine reality and looked to science and nature to find a reasonable understanding of life. Why? Because the church was unreasonable, it refused evidence, and it locked people up (like Galileo) who found, in science and nature, things that disagreed with the official interpretation of Scripture.

The Reformation began to reverse the course of unreasonableness. It sought to eliminate distortion and return people to evidence-based rational understanding of God, the world, and life. Martin Luther and the other reformers were effective, because they returned to the methods of the apostles. The reformers evangelized—they presented truth and left people free. The Reformers did not seek to use the state to enforce their beliefs on others. It was the establishment church that used the method of legislation, coercion, and the force of the state to seek to oppose the reformers.

In today’s societies, who is winning the culture war—Christianity or secularism? Why? Is Christianity primarily seeking to evangelize with a message that harmonizes with science, nature, and how life really works? A message so evidentiary, so obviously true, that it is persuasive to any reasonable person? A message that actually changes lives for the better? A message that brings genuine healing to hearts, peace to minds, and health to bodies? Is Christianity seen in the world as a religion of love, kindness, compassion, understanding, healing, and goodness? Does Christianity practice the methods of God or the methods of the state, of fallen, sinful, human governments?

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Can we expect Christianity to win the culture war by using the methods of fallen, sinful, human governments? Or, as soon as we use such methods, are we essentially no longer Christian—are we of the world?

What God wants is genuine love and trust. Can love and trust be achieved by legislation? Can love and trust be achieved by coercion? Can love and trust be achieved by passing laws that require people to practice religious beliefs they don’t believe in?

History documents that when Christianity left the methods of Christ (presenting the truth in love and leaving people free) and began using the methods of sinful governments (passing laws to enforce its beliefs), Christianity became corrupt and the world went into darkness.

It is no different today. If we want to change the world for the better, if we want to see godliness return to our society, if we want a world in which goodness, love, honesty, compassion, and kindness reign supreme, then we must reject the methods of the world and return to the methods of Jesus Christ. We can never win God’s cause by using Satan’s methods!

The only way to change our communities, cities, states, nations, and the world for good is by using the methods Jesus used—truth presented in love, leaving others free. I invite you to be like Christ in all you do. This is true Christianity!

 

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Testimony 10

I personally download and listen to each of Come And Reason Ministries Bible study class lessons and PDF study notes to use when teaching my class. Really appreciate the class especially when Dr. Jennings is teaching. Thank God there are persons like him doing His work and traveling to share His beliefs.

B. L.M., North Plains, OR, USA

 

Testimony 14

We really appreciate your views on the judgment and they make good sense considering our free choice.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 15

I have been sharing Come And Reason Ministries Bible study lessons with several folk. You have such a beautiful view of the plan of salvation. If we had this message preached when I was young, my generation would still all be in church.

H. R., New Zealand

Testimony 2

I continue to enjoy your lessons every week. The more that I research your conclusions, the more I am convinced that the Holy Spirit has lead you to distill out the essence of human redemption. Thank you for your courageous stand for the truth.

S. G., TX, USA

 

Testimony 17

The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, USA

 

Testimony 62

I would like to express my thanks to the C&R team for creating a platform from which people can learn to trust in God and grow. My life is a witness to the effectiveness of this ministry. Without believing the truth about God as you have shown, I don’t know what my life would be like. I had given up on God helping me with certain sins – it was all useless. Given that the scripture is clear and God is so good, how could I have betrayed him so many times? I was a yo-yo christian; spinning up and down. My faith and enthusiasm was driven by discoveries/threats that prophecy is about to be fulfilled. But when I watched your “Healing the Mind” seminar, it was like a light finally went on. I could see God had no plan to hurt me, the danger came from sin, and that He is working to protect me and strengthen me. Thank you for allowing God to use you. The message God gave C&R saved my life!

Antony N. – Hobart, Australia

 

Testimony 46

Over the past couple of years God has been expanding my view of Himself and His character. Along my approximately 40-year journey, I have often had questions, but was hesitant to voice these and step outside the traditionally accepted thinking, for fear of admitting that I may in fact be eternally lost. In the recesses of my thinking has been the thought – if one blindly accepts (which is widely regarded as “real faith”) and does not question, is this really ‘truth?’ I often find it challenging to grapple with very theological ‘speak,’ but Dr. Jennings has a real gift of explaining spiritual concepts with clear practical examples. The weekly discussions are growing my Christian experience and slowly changing my view of how to live as a child of God in today’s complex world. Finally the whole Old Testament sanctuary teaching moved in my mind from fantasy to reality!

Beverly S., South Africa

 

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

Testimony 54

I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

Karen S., Portal, AZ, USA

 

Testimony 25

I just want to say thank you so much for your conversations via YouTube. I regularly tune in to your lectures, “Let’s Talk” sessions, and many others. Through these I’ve found greater depth and meaning to God’s word. Thanks for all that you do and please continue. I’m currently working in the middle of Silicon Valley at Stanford University. I feel like God really has me in the right place right now and I’m sensing that your teachings might be part of it.

B. F., Silicon Valley, CA, USA

 

Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

Testimony 37

Hearing Dr. Jennings’ presentations in person came at a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey that began about nine months ago, when the fault lines inherent in my belief system began to crack under questions that most reasonable people end up asking about God and His nature. These were questions I couldn’t find answers to, and they shook my faith. I was unable let it go any longer and be satisfied. My Christian experience became distant. I was afraid; the fear in me rose like thorns, pushing me away from Jesus. And then someone heard my questions and introduced me to this ministry, and my life has totally changed.

I can tell you that this new, “present truth” message is far grander and life-changing than when I shifted from being an agnostic and then a nominal Christian. It has radically altered my worldview, because it reveals a God that makes sense. It is a revolution. I believe that Dr. Jennings’ message is the final message that must go to the world. If any message could be called “righteousness by faith,” as abused as that term is by the right and the left, this is that message, because Jennings’ biblical message identifies a God who is different, whose character isn’t an impossible contradiction.

I walk this path now without fear. I see people differently, and the Holy Spirit burns in my heart. Many call Dr. Jennings’ message false and compromising, but it isn’t false, because I’ve seen the fruits within my mind and body. It is not compromising, because in this message is the only road to holiness that makes any sense. No longer do I behold a pagan god who is always angry and suspicious. Instead, I behold a God who is freeing and loving, always working for our good, and giving me every reason to love my enemy even to my own death, just as Jesus pleads with us. God is good.

Anthony L., CA, USA

 

Testimony 23

I would just like to add my voice to the many people who, I believe, must have contacted you to express their appreciation for the “Healing the Mind” DVDs. I’ve been listening to your Bible study class discussions for many years and I’ve been personally blessed by your research and teaching about the character of God.

L. G., Oakland, MI, USA

 

Testimony 50

After coming into contact with Come And Reason Ministries, I can finally say that many of my unanswered questions have fallen into place. I discovered that my view of God’s Law was “imposed laws and rules” with “imposed punishments” and that this was the major culprit of my many unanswered questions. Thanks be to God for using you and those around you to help us who have struggled with this “infection” of thought. I have now rejected the “imposed law” concept to fully embrace “Design Law”… to look thru “Design Law,” instead of “imposed law,” is a relief.

Viliami L., Australia