The Twisted Cross

Some of my generation may recall the classic 1956 documentary “The Twisted Cross.” Originally produced as a part of a series for NBC, and later used as an educational film in schools, including my own, it relied primarily upon collected newsreel footage to chronicle the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. The title alluded to both the Nazi swastika, and how a nation with such a rich history of Christian heritage became perverted.  

Today, “The Twisted Cross” as a title most aptly applies to the state of evangelical Christianity. Many sins of the church have contributed to the twisting, but one of the root issues, or the upright beam, must be biblical illiteracy. It is no surprise then that the transverse beam consists of leaders who do not teach about sin along with laity who are unable, or unwilling, to discern sin in their own lives and others.

When Paul was speaking of sin in Rom 7:13, he says that, with the giving of the law, sin became sinful beyond measure, or, as the NASB states, it became “utterly sinful.” In other words, a Biblical understanding of sin is one where sin can only be defined by itself; there is no other definition which can elucidate how bad it is.

Today, however, we must ask, “Where is the doctrine of sin? When is the last time you heard a sermon on the sin? Recall that when we say we are saved, we are not talking about being saved from sin; we are talking about being saved from the wrath of God that rightfully should be poured out upon sinners. Without sin there is no reason to follow Christ who was announced to the world with John’s prophetic words “Behold the lamb of God who takes way the sin of the world.” When we fail to recognize sin we negate the reason for why Christ came.

When Paul was with the Bereans (Acts 17:10-15) we are told they examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul was preaching was in fact true. Without knowledge of the Scriptures we cannot hold fast to the word of life. Without knowledge of the Scriptures we will not see sin as problematic. Without a healthy recognition of sin we can bear no fruit in accordance with repentance.

Consequently, evangelical Christianity is full of baby Christians, from pastors on down, who are only able to take the milk of the word and not the meat. If it were not so, the church would be full of power. Now, however, not only is it bereft of power but it is also full of false teachers.

People like Robert Schuller, Joel Olsteen, and Tony Campolo, who go out of their way to distort the boundaries of Christianity while claiming an evangelical label, are rife because our popularity driven churches no longer produce mature Christians who know how to use the word.

Most of today’s church only wants to make people feel good. No demands are made, and subsequently there are no distinctives; we look just like the world. Isaiah 5:20 admonishes us with these words, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”

In a perverted effort to be attractive to the world, rather than God, the church seeks to hide the truth of God’s judgment. The thinking runs that unbelievers will turn away from the whole counsel of God out of fear. The reality is, without the knowledge of the doctrine of sin we give no one any reason to desire true conversion.

Apparently churches have forgotten that we are called to be set apart unto God, and have lost touch with how heinous sin is to God. Instead of being like Solomon who asked for “a discerning heart to govern… and to distinguish between right and wrong,” we feel we can only ever be affirming and never judging.

But we are to judge. Paul clearly teaches this in 1 Cor. 6:2-3, “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life?” To be certain, we are not to be judgmental, but as John 7:24 says we are to “judge with righteous judgment.”

Our job is not to make pagans comfortable while sitting in the pews. Nor is it to protect current pew warmers from the knowledge of God’s wrath which will ultimately fall on any who do not seek the Holy. Our job, our privilege, and our blessing is to worship the one true God.

Christ’s purpose was not to make us feel good, at least not until we recognize we are sinners and repent. Only upon regeneration from being dead in our sins, to being alive in Christ, should we feel good. Even then we should not rejoice over ourselves, but about the mercy that God shows us. “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” 1 Timothy 1:15.

Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord!

By Russ Young Email: RussYoung@q.com Click here for bio and archived articles