Know What You Believe!

Over the past few weeks, there has been some interesting news that has come out of the 2008 American Religious Identity Survey ( for the summary survey report go to http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/ ). I use the term "news" rather loosely, because to anyone who has been doing more than just using up oxygen and space in this country, the results of the survey tell us nothing that we have not been observing! In addition, the latest issue of Newsweek magazine has a cover page article entitled, "The End of Christian America." You can click on the following link to read the article http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583?GT1=43002 . It makes for interesting reading, but again, it is not new. Apparently, there are fewer Bible-believing Christians in this country than ever before. To me, perhaps the most startling thing that came from the survey and the article, is the fact that there are more than 75% of the people in this country who claim to be "born-again Christians." The startling thing about this is that you would think that if more than 150 million people in this country were Christians, we would perhaps be expected to live that fact out in our lives. However, there is the rub!

Apparently, you can be a "born-again Christian" and not believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ. And here I always thought that belief in Jesus Christ and who He claimed to be was one of the foundational doctrines and truths of Christianity! The concept of "original sin and the total depravity of man" is also an option for more than 75% of all "Christians." Also, most American Christians (over 66%) were absent the day Jesus talked about hell, because they don't believe in hell...heaven, yes; hell, not so much! And the coup d'grace, over 50% of American Christians do not believe in the resurrection! To use my son's favorite comment, "I have no words!"

To me, the most disheartening thing about all of this is the fact that many of these doctrines that "American Christians" either do not know or understand are the same doctrines of truth for which early martyrs willingly shed their blood rather than renounce their beliefs. Today, we don't even know what we believe much less die for those beliefs. I believe when we meet some of the early church leaders in heaven, they too will be amazed at our lack of knowledge as to what we believe. I also believe there will come a time, in the not too distant future, when our beliefs will be questioned and we will be called on to stand for those beliefs in the face of persecution. In Hosea 4:6, the prophet speaks a word from God, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee..." Know what you believe!