What was the main objective of Jesus Christ in His
redemptive mission to earth? Did Jesus come to save man from their problems
(sins)?
Many today see Christ and the Christian life as the
answer to man's problems. Certainly the human race have their share of problems,
and as a result "Christian-religion" capitalizes on the perplexities
of man’s problems and promotes itself as problem-solving institution.
Multitudes gather each week hoping to find the remedy to their perplexing
problems. As problem solving has become the focal-point of Christians, it has
given rise to the big business of Christian institutionalism, that promises
they have the answers to fix, correct, and solve every problem known to man.
They proclaim that “Jesus is the Answer, to all of man's
problems!” Their meetings and programs are designed to teach individuals “how
to” resolve every problem or meet every need related to marriage, family, personal
and/or public life.
The followers of this “intoxicating objective” of
problem-solving, become enslaved and dependent upon the Pied Pipers of religion and their formulas for success. The "how to's" of
Christian-Religion (often sermonized in slick hermeneutical style) become the
basis of personal "problem solving," swaying and influencing their
congregations to follow their doctrinal and practical remedies to find the cure.
The message is always the same, "do to be,"
performance based religion, which is promoted to be the cure to every problem. Christian-Religion
always requires you to do something. Religion always places the burden of
responsibility squarely on the shoulders of man to make the right choices to
solve his/her own problems. As a result, many Christians continually seek to
find the answers to the problems they face, asking repetitively the same
question over and over again, “What must I do?” Just tell me what to do to
solve my problem.
What keeps them “hooked” to this religious bondage is the
false belief that man is inherently sinful and therefore the source of his
problems. It becomes man's responsibility to bring about change by doing the
right thing, behaving the right way as God has commanded. Scriptures are quoted
out of context, "... If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,"
as the basis of man's personal responsibility. Religion has taught that
responsibility is something that one “must do” or perform to be what God wants
them to be.
What is man's responsibility? Responsibility has nothing
to do with our performance. Responsibility should never be focused on what we
can or cannot do. Responsibility is our God given ability, “response-ability,”
to be receptive to God. A responsible person participates with God’s activity.
Our response to God’s ability is what we call faith. Faith experiences God’s
activity which is Grace. In the midst of life’s problems, as we respond to and
rely on the living Lord Christ, we live by His grace. Grace is not an answer to
a problem, but is a Person. In this manner the unresolved problems that we face
become the opportunities that God uses in our lives to reveal His All
sufficient Life and ability, that we might experience the abundance of His
character and Life.
Jesus’ objective in coming into this world was not to
solve man’s problems.
Therefore, Christianity is not about solving problems,
Christianity is Christ Himself! Jesus declared in John 10:10, "I have come
that you might have life and might have it abundantly."
The Good News of the gospel is the living person of Jesus
Christ indwelling man (Romans 8:9) as God intended man to be, rather than a
packaged solution to solve a problem. Jesus did not come to solve our problems
or simply take away our sins, He came to be our indwelling life (Phil. 1:21;
Rom. 5:10)!
God solved any and every problem man might have "once
and for all" at the cross when Jesus declared, "It Is Finished"
(John 19:30). PROBLEM SOLVED!
So what is the objective of Christianity if it's not
problem-solving? It is to see Jesus not as a solution to a problem, but rather
as "The Way, The Truth, and The Life" (John 14:6). Man's only
responsibility is to be receptive and available to experiencing The Way, The
Truth and The Life in the midst of life’s most perplexing problems. How you
ask? By the "obedience of faith" (cf. Romans 1:5; 16:26). As the
apostle Paul declared in Philippians 1:6, "I am confident of this very
thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of
Christ Jesus." The objective is "... that the life of Jesus might be
manifested in our mortal bodies" (2 Cor. 4:10-11).
As problems arise, as they will, embrace them as
opportunities of God’s grace and let His Life shine through you as you confront
the circumstance, no longer problem-conscious but Christ-conscious (Matt.
13:43).
The words of the chorus of a well-known hymn by Helen H.
Lemmel are appropriate:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
© 2015 by Don Burzynski
Postscript: The thought sequence of this article was set in
motion after reading James A. Fowler’s book Christianity is Not Religion ©2008 pp.197-216.
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