PRESENT DAY CHRISTIANITY

By CHARLES WOODRUFF

Present day Christianity has largely rejected the teaching of God's grace in its biblical fullness Instead, we have on all sides a largely man-centered religion. "Media Event Christianity" is the norm in so many churches. The manipulation of souls and "decisionism" has given us a watered-down gospel that couldn't save a flea. It has been taught that God can only do what man "lets" Him do! But this is a far cry from the God of the Bible! He is the Sovereign of the universe! He does not need our help, we need His!

Naturally to declare God as God Almighty is going to "ruffle some feathers". The Baptists of today forget the London Confession, the Philadelphia Confession, and the New Hampshire Confession of Faith, which all contain clear and strong statements regarding the Sovereign God.

The Baptists are not alone in forgetting. The Presbyterians of today often fail to take note of the old landmark Westminster Confession of Faith (which differs from the Philadelphia Confession very little). The heritage of the church is largely discarded today, and the “emerging church”, “wealth and health gospel” along with “new evangelicalism”. and now "ultra-modernism". Most of today's fundamentalism cannot shape up when compared to the faith of our fathers. For the most part, as J.B. Phillips once said, "Your God is too small". Truth has fallen in the streets! We desperately need revival. I pray for it. I believe that reformation must come before true revival will come.

(I originally wrote the majority of these words in 1983. Some things have changed for the better, but it is evident that many things are much worse).