I am not sure how many of you have really thought about the conviction of faith that you hold in Jesus Christ. I know that I have pondered what it means to be a believer and exactly what goes into the faith that I hold dear. With the recent admission by Josh Harris and several other prominent Christians who have abandoned the Christian faith, I thought it would be a good idea to look at what is really being said when someone turns away from Christianity. I am writing this to strengthen and encourage those who might be struggling with his recent admission.
Before I get started, it is important to understand that there are different types of people who practice the Christian faith. In a 2015 Pew study, 70.6% of America considered themselves to be “Christian” (https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/). This percentage consisted of those who had deeply held views in a traditional, conservative bible-believing sense, people who were liberal in their belief, those who were holiday Christians and groups that are classified under the Christian umbrella but are not Christian by any real sense of the word. In terms of Josh Harris, he would have been classified by the first group- traditional, conservative bible-believing. This is why his recent admission was so startling to the community of believers who also hold to the same standards of faith that he once held. In every sense, Josh Harris appeared solid. How can we reconcile this with his most recent admissions? Let me first say that had Josh indicated that he was merely struggling with some particulars of the Christian faith, it would not be all that significant. There have been many strong Christians who have been challenged by certain doctrines in Christianity and there have been true believers who have doubted and questioned their own salvation. However, this is not what we are dealing with here. Josh clearly stated “I am not a Christian” and by his own words he has classified himself as “fallen away”. Furthermore, he explicitly stands against biblical truths and appears to show interest in a more liberal view of faith and grace. There are many Christians giving allowance to him that he doesn’t give to himself. I believe Josh already did the wrestling and knows exactly the full weight of his confession. That’s why he made it public. He is not saying “I think” but rather “I know”.
The problem is that we tend to forget that influencers like Josh, are just men. Idolatry is indeed alive and present in Christianity. It is manifested in preachers and teachers that we place on thrones that aren’t theirs to inhabit. As a result, when an influencer falls, it sends a shockwave through the community of believers. We seem to forget that scripture lists Judas among the 12.
In a moment like this, it is important to step back and consider important truths that the Bible says about people who reject Christianity. This situation we are looking at is clearly spoken about in several places in Scripture. While it may not be in vogue to say so and I am sure it will be considered judgemental to some, Josh was indeed a tare among wheat. He was the seed that wasn’t planted in good ground. Of the parable of the sower, Jesus said, “And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?” (Mark 4:13) To be quite clear, he was never truly born again. To contend here would lead to rejecting fundamental truths of Christianity as we see in John 6:39, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day”, and John 10:28, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. no one can snatch them out of My hand.” Either Jesus can keep us until the end or He cannot. Either the Bible is true here or we are left facing a theological impasse. There is no middle ground. Biblically speaking, if Josh was truly born again, not even he could snatch himself out of the hands of Jesus. So what we are looking at is someone who, albeit sincere and religious, was very much lost and unregenerate. As believers lets pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, Josh will come to a place of real repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. But this post isn’t for him, it is for those stumbling because of his decision.
It is important to understand that when someone rejects Christianity, it is significant. There are powerful theological, philosophical and moral truths one must set aside to do so. This is why I would argue that anyone who is truly saved could never walk away from Christianity. The conscious understanding of what they would be walking towards would keep them from it. There is a moment that is reflective of this in Scripture. In John 6:48-58 Jesus speaks about His body and blood being life and that whoever eats and drinks of it will live forever. After this we read in John 6:66, “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.” Then, Jesus asks the 12 if they also want to go and Peter replies in verses 68-69, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” Never is it indicated that the 12 found the statement by Jesus about His flesh and blood easy; however, it was their understanding that there was no other option but Jesus that was presented. This is the heart of my point- the person who truly knows Jesus understands like Peter did, that it is only Jesus and there is nothing else.
So believers, what I leave you with is what one must reject to abandon Christianity. I hope that as you read these and wrestle with them, you find yourself strengthened in your faith. While there are other religions that speak of/or believe in a version of the following teachings, I am speaking strictly regarding the Christian understanding of them.
Theological rejections that one accepts when they abandon Christianity:
- Jesus is not God, not THE Way, Truth and Life
- Jesus is not the only way to Heaven
- The Gospel doesn’t save
- The cross wasn’t sufficient
- Man is not fallen
- There is no regeneration/new birth
- There is no substitutionary atonement, justification or sanctification
- Rejection of (the biblical) Jesus
- Rejection of the Gospel
- Rejection of the biblical God
- Rejection of the holiness, justice, and mercy of God
- Rejection of the character of God
- Rejection of grace and mercy as free gifts
- Rejection of eternal life as a free gift (rather, you must earn it)
- Rejection of heaven as a holy place where a holy God dwells
- Rejection of the divine attributes of God
- Rejection of redemption
- Rejection of the Bible as the Word of God
- Rejection of hope
- Rejection of assurance
- Rejection of the goodness of God
- Rejection of the friendship of God
Philosophical rejections/complications/confusions that come from abandoning Christianity:
- When someone abandons all belief in God, by necessity they declare:
- Prayer is not real
- Good is not real
- Evil is not real
- Morality (right and wrong) is not set
- There are no absolutes- therefore rape, slavery, abuse, and murder are not absolutely wrong
- The spiritual realm is not real
- There is no punishment of all wrong
- Heaven and hell are not real
- Hope is not real
- Purpose is not real
- Life has no meaning
2. When one abandons Christianity in particular, by necessity they must accept either:
God is not God in the traditional, biblical sense – all the biblical attributes and characteristics don’t apply. This would mean that “god” is lesser in quality, power, essence, and character than the biblical God. Furthermore, the fundamental truths about the Christian God that we understand from the Bible don’t apply – God’s holiness, just and merciful nature, goodness, etc
Unresolved issues from that line of thinking:
- Where does morality come from?
- How is sin/wrong dealt with?
- What/who defines sin?
- Who keeps track of wrong
- Is there a heaven/hell?
- What would then make a man good enough to go to heaven?
- Who defines good/evil?
- How is man forgiven?
- Is heaven earned?
OR
God is God, in the traditional sense – All the Biblical attributes and characteristics about God do apply, to include that God is Holy, Just, and will judge mankind on his merits and deeds.
Unresolved issues:
- God is holy- I am not!
As you can see, rejection of biblical Christianity is life-altering. A person has to acknowledge either one of two things: 1. They never were truly a believer or 2. They have knowingly chosen their own damnation. No real believer would choose to go the way of Judas knowing his fate would be similar. When you consider all that one must turn from and reject, and what the consequences of such a choice would be, you realize the impossibility of such a decision.
Rejection is not the same as struggling with the particulars of the Christian faith. It is also not the same as moments of confusion and unbelief. It is an absolute abandonment of the person and purpose of Jesus Christ. No one who truly knows what he has been redeemed from, Who he has been redeemed by, and the cost of that redemption, will ever abandon something so precious. The fact of the matter is that if anyone feels that they could walk away from Jesus, meaning it would not be hard to do so, make no mistake you are looking at someone who is not born again.
“which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.”
2 Tim 1:12