Article: Christianity without Christ?

A recent article by the BBC entitled "Dutch rethink Christianity for a doubting world" focused on a pastor in The Netherlands who "can offer his congregation little hope of life after death".  His church is a member of a "mainstream Protestant church" where they sing hymns and read the bible, but he does not believe that "God exists at all as a supernatural thing."  In fact, he believes that Jesus "may never have existed". 

So how can a Christian church teach that there wasn't really a Christ or God?  Perhaps the following quote might help us understand this strange reality.  Another church in Holland is trying to reach young people.  One of it's coordinators says

"The Church has to be alert to what is going on in society," he says. "It has to change to stay Christian. You can't preach heaven in the same way today as you did 2,000 years ago, and we have to think again what it is. We can use the same words and say something totally different."

This is Post-Modern thinking at its best, yet, it is not new thinking.  Paul warned Timothy to stay away from people who "[have] a form of godliness, but [deny] the power thereof: from such turn away."  (2 Timothy 3:5)

You can not have Christianity without a living Christ.  Paul told the Corinthians that "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain."  (2 Corinthians 15:14)

This biblical truth is contradicted by Dutch pastor Klaas Hendrikse who says, "You don't have to believe that Jesus was physically resurrected".

Christ is the Cornerstone of the Christian faith.  There is no "alternative" way of looking at it.  Believe that Christ lived a perfect life, died on the cross absorbing God's wrath, and rose again conquering death and sin.  Or don't believe it.  If Jesus wasn't the Christ, there is absolutely no point to follow a faith that is based on a fictional or finite character.  As Paul said, it is extremely vain.  There is absolutely no purpose.

Let's pray for the churches in The Netherlands and around the world who deny the living Christ.  May they "see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."  (2 Corinthians 4:4)