“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.” (1 Timothy 1:15b-17 NIV)
Perhaps the answer to church decline is not to become more like the world, but to challenge its assumptions and offer a different narrative of what life should be like. At least one part of the answer should be to preach what Jesus preached: “Repent and believe in the Good News!” (Mark 1:15b NIV) I suspect that most people know there is something wrong with their lives, something that needs to change. Jesus knew it too. He gets us. He did not say, “Follow your heart,” but, “Come, follow Me.” Until we do, the fullness of life will evade us. It is not mercy to preach Jesus without repentance and new life. It is cruelty.
To reach people for Christ is a noble task, but who is this Christ? Most will agree that He was a wise teacher, a friend to sinners, a misunderstood prophet, a refugee. But He is also God-made-flesh, the embodiment of perfect humanity, the bearer of new life, and, yes, a judge. He gets us. After all, He became one of us, though not for free hugs and vague sentimentality, but to save us. Sin and death abound. The devil is loose in the land. What Western culture needs is not another bearer of its common values with a bit of religious window dressing, but a savior.
-- David F. Watson, Lead Editor of Firebrand, and Professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio
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