TO WHOM ELSE SHALL I GO?

I have been watching the erosion of Religion for sometime now.  Religion and people who practice their Religion are now seen as the enemies, not only of the world but now of the church..the man made church.  I see things like Church Without Religion or hear about gatherings of people who go out of their way not to appear Religious.  They claim to want to be relevant to people today and in their minds Religion isn’t.

I understand their motivation to be inviting and open to all people, but I have difficulties with the compromises that have been made to the foundations on which the Christian Faith was built.  “Unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain who build it”.  There are good people involved in this progressive movement towards relevancy, but deception is a powerful force. 

There are many human elements in Religion that needed to be examined and eliminated.  But I am concerned that the baby has been thrown out with the bathwater.  When the very Source of Faith is compromised or eliminated the results will be futile, meaningless, and unsustainable.  The Pilates of our day find no fault in Jesus and yet they strip him, flog him, and crucify him.  He is removed from the I AM and now must be apart of the WE ARE, just one of many ways, not The Way to God.  That certainly makes him more popular to the crowds and more relevant to those who want to be associated with him on their own terms.  Their own terms are often out of sync with God’s words and Jesus’ teachings, aimed more at pleasure than sacrifice.

Jesus reached a point in his ministry that his teachings weren’t drawing crowds like they were.  Some of his followers were complaining about how hard his sayings were and taking offense at them and him.  He confronted them with the truth and many turned back and no longer walked with him.  There is no record of where they went but I suspect they went and found another teacher who tickled their ears and started their own thing somewhere else, much like today.  After they left Jesus turned to the twelve disciples that had been with him from the beginning and asked if they were leaving as well.  Peter spoke for all of them and simply said, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6: 60-71).

Things didn’t get easier for these disciples; they got harder, much harder.  At times they floundered and failed but they, all but one, remained true to his words.  This is the Faith that I want my life built on.

It is hard to live an uncompromising life of faith in these times.  It feels lonely at times.  It may appear foolish to others at times.  The enemy still works his ways of doubt and temptation.  But in my heart of hearts I stand with Peter; to whom else shall I go?  I know in the core of my being that Jesus is exactly who he says he is.  I know in the core of my being that God is the Source of Everything.  I know in the core of my being that I only want to be in His Presence, now and forever.