Our convictions about the cataclysmic events of Easter reveal the true nature of our professed faith. What do we
Robert L. Howard, Chairman
Presbyterian Lay Committee
really believe about the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ? Was he really the God-man of Scripture or was he one of many great humanitarians and spiritual leaders of history – made into a god by church tradition and human imagination?
Our identification with the timeless characters of the passion drama, in turn, reveal who we really are – regardless of our professions of faith. The world outside the church continues to act out its response to Christ. Part of culture is openly hostile to Christ, his Church and his message – blaspheming, persecuting and crucifying. Much of culture is neutral, indifferent or merely tolerant of Christ – washing their hands of any responsibility for their own conduct or the acts of others, and refusing to speak out against those who blaspheme, persecute or crucify.
But the real threat to the life and witness of the Church comes not from the hostile or indifferent world outside. As with Christ himself, his church ultimately is denied or betrayed from within, by those who profess to be his disciples. When we dispute or deny that Christ is who he claims to be, we mimic Peter before his restoration. Individually, we deny Christ when we are unable to publicly proclaim and privately believe that Jesus was indeed the only begotten Son of God, coming to us in human form, dying for our sin that we might be reconciled to God and live our lives as his adopted sons and daughters.
When the PCUSA cannot insist that its officers, agencies and programs always and only bear witness to the Christ of Scripture, and him alone, we deny him and follow Peter. Indeed, the cock of culture is crowing, and the PCUSA has denied him thrice. It’s time to confess and repent if we hope to be restored and empowered to again become his witnesses to the uttermost parts of the world.
Individually, and as a denomination, we betray Christ when we allow churches to serve any God other than the God of Scripture, manipulate its processes to succor secular agendas, push it to possess political power, and to bless as holy that which Scripture teaches is unholy. When we betray Christ, we become disciples of Judas and sell out Christ’s Church for secular silver.
Scripture does not say whether Judas repented. Unwilling to be obedient to what Jesus taught, Judas betrayed him. Seemingly unrepentant, unforgiven, unrestored, Judas destroyed himself.
Voices and votes within the PCUSA are denying Christ. Many leaders are unwilling or unable to speak out with conviction against such denials. The question has become: “Are we willing to repent, be forgiven and become restored – to become empowered to be Christ’s effective witnesses to a fallen world?” Or are we so insistent that the Church bless what Scripture teaches is unholy, so insistent in imagining Christ to be who we want Him to be, that we are betraying Christ? If so, we will not be forgiven and we will pay the price of self-destruction.
Robert L. Howard of Wichita, Kan., is chairman of the Presbyterian Lay Committee.