"Buffet" Christianity

For those who do not know me, I did not become a Christian until I was 21 years old. I spent the previous 21 years living and doing whatever I felt like. I coasted through life and was a good person. I went to church on occasion, picked a bible a couple times and made attempts at reading it, and I always pray..........before my meals. When I became a Christian, I didn't have the language they use, I didn't (and still don't) know a lot of the "classic" worship songs that every Christian is supposed to know. I have my fair share of pastors that I respect and read, and I try as hard as I can to not do "bad" things. But what is my reasoning, my motivation behind all this? Its because someone changed my heart. Scripture says that our hearts need a change, that its deceitful and all it desires (wants) is evil (Refer to Jer. 17:9, Gen. 6:5, 8:21). I needed a heart transplant that came only through God himself. Jesus gives the details of the transplant in John 3, when talking with Nicodemus about being born again. I did not believe in a religion but a person (Jesus Christ). But the Jesus Christ I believed in, and so desperately want to know comes from the teachings of Him in Scripture.

Why do I write all this? A disturbing article was written by Martin Thielen at the Huffington post (article here). He wrote what he believed to be the things that a Christian can believe in and shouldn't believe in. The title is "What is the least you can believe in and be a Christian?"
The title itself gives you an idea of where this is going. Please read the article to gain a better perspective before judging it though.
Thielen describes what he believes to be open-minded faith, by describing the 10 things Christians do not need to believe in and later 10 things they do. He incites those who subscribe to anything on the list are a closed-minded faith. His article and I presume his book, describe something that the younger generation gets wrapped up in: that doctrine divides, a biblical mindset excludes therefore we need to be more "open-minded". Anyone who does or thinks this is a right-wing, fundamentalist, conservative nut.

In the article he states,
"...many people in the 21st century hunger for an open-minded expression of Christian faith.

Though his article has merit and the conservative church has erred in some ways of judgment and exhibiting a loving character, I cannot accept his notion of a "open-minded' church faith.

First, Thielen as well as others, believe that biblical doctrine such as hell, exclusivity to God, and the biblical concept of sin is NOT open-minded faith and should be excluded.
This is not healthy nor constructive for the believer nor the purpose of the believer: to glorify God with the gradual transformation of the believer into looking more like Christ and less like themselves. (Sanctification for the theology buffs) (Romans 12:1-2)

If by open-minded he means being loving, and being graceful with sinners (as Christ was to us), then I totally agree. Jesus loved the lowest of the low by hanging out with sinners, eating with tax collectors, and breaking culture barriers with Samaritans. But I take the position a great woman in college told me: "You can be open-minded, but not so much that your brain falls out!"

Though Jesus loved sinners, he also called out their sin: in Luke 13:1-5;(when he told those to repent or perish or Luke 12: 49-53, where Jesus says he did not come to bring peace but division to purify the earth or Mark 10: 17-30, where Jesus excludes the rich man because the sin of money was in his heart; and finally in John 8:1-11, where Jesus doesn't condemn the adulterous woman but leaves her with the most crucial statement; "Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on sin no more."

Jesus not only was around sinners, and loved them, he loved them so much he called out their sin.
Second, exclusivity doesn't always mean its closed-minded.
Jesus tells us in Luke 14:25-33, that if you do "not hate your father, mother, sister and even his own life cannot be a disciple" was he was just kidding? Or maybe when Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life, no one goes to the Father but through me." (Jn. 14:6) he just was saying it to appease the conservatives of his time? Or did he make an exclusive statement about himself and the method by which one reaches the Father? (Soap box I know) The point is Jesus was exclusive (there is only one God--therefore there are no other Gods (1 Cor. 8:5-6)) yet had an inclusive message.


I don't think people hunger for a form of Christianity with no accountability, no consequence and not realistic. I firmly believe people hunger for an authentic relationship with a God who not only loves, but transforms the very person you think you are, to serve, love, and give all you have!


Anyways, like the article, I decided I would make a list of things Christians DO NOT need to believe in:

1. That pastors never struggle, and are holier than lay people.
2. That God loves straight people and not gay people.
3. That God loves America and blesses only America and not other nations (like China, Sudan, oh dear!).
4. That God is overtly concerned with abortion and homosexuality MORE THAN divorce, adultery, gossip, murder, slander, or a lack of love and faithfulness from His church.
5. That Christians can't believe in science.
6. That it doesn't matter what you believe about God, but that its something.
(Cause something is always better than nothing)
7. That its not okay to doubt.
8. That it is okay to be judgmental, and obnoxious towards unbelievers.
9. That the church is all about you!


His solution for belief and Christianity is,
"Thankfully, a better alternative exists -- vibrant, open-minded, grace-filled, gender-equal, life-giving, centrist, moderate/mainline faith.

This is the same road they Emergent Church movement has drawn themselves into. They have sacrificed doctrine (which the definition is a set of teachings---which would be for Christians derived from Scripture) for the sake of relationships.
Watch John Pipers video on emergent church:



We cannot simply downgrade or dilute biblical teachings simply to not exclude people. If Scripture tells us that if we have given our lives to Christ (through confession as Savior, and acknowledging Him as Lord (master, owner), then our lives CONFORM to His word. We shouldn't be anywhere close to asking the question "how little can I believe or do and still be considered a Christian?"
Its about a loving relationship with the God of the universe, who made you alive in Christ, when you were dead, worthless and hungry for sin (Eph. 2:1-10). He created you, redeemed you, loved you that He was willing to die for you! So that He would transform your heart, so that you live for Him and Him alone. The sins that plagued you, that you so willingly ran to are no longer the priority but crucified because of Your God's act on the cross (Gal. 5:24). The cross is offensive, but that doesn't mean that we have to be. Scripture is clear, and it reveals God most clearly. We must as believers maintain a biblical mindset, not closed minded or open minded or where we pick and choose like a buffet line what we want to believe. We never were given that choice.

Be Blessed