There is a church sign near my house that says, "Human sacrifice is a crime and a sin God would not commit." That sentiment was posted last week and I pass it several times a day. It is all I can do not to drive in and ask the pastor how he spends the 30 pieces of silver that represent his paycheck each week. It is amazing to me that a church that stands in the tradition of Calvin could possibly publicly deny that there is meaning in the crucifixion and continue to exist within that denomination. It is equally incredible that they chose to post this during Holy Week. It has certainly not made my Holy Week better to see it.
When you lose confidence in the Bible as truth, when you lose confidence in the Creeds, the church's interpretation of the Scripture from early in the history of the church, when you no longer believe that which stands at the center of the faith, is it not intellectual and spiritual dishonesty to continue to claim to be Christian? I believe it clearly explains the perceived demise of the church in America because such "churches" are in steep decline but should we actually count them as Christian at all?
1 John 4.22 is plain, "Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son." John isn't talking about a single person in history when he writes this about antichrist, he has just affirmed that many antichrists have come. This is the week to declare our faith in the power of the cross, the power of the blood shed for us, and the power of the resurrection. At the end of the week hope lives for me but not, sadly, for this pastor and his flock who empty the cross of meaning. If there is no cross, the resurrection doesn't apply to me, there is no redemption. Come quickly Lord Jesus.
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