My Own Brand of Christianity
High profile personalities are the bane of many things. Of late, it has become common for celebrities to express their sin preferences like homosexuality (Pete Buttigieg) and infanticide (Taylor Swift). Breaking from the tradition of denouncing Christianity, while promoting sinful lifestyles for themselves (and others who practice sinning as a lifestyle), celebrities like Buttigieg and Swift are claiming to be Christians. When asked about the inconsistency of their preferred and promoted sins, the celebrities claim this to be their brand of Christianity.
First, we must establish that all people are guilty sinners (Rom 3:23; 5:12), already condemned under the Law of God (Jn 3:18). There is no game of trying to do your best. The sentence upon every sinner is death, from conception (Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12; 6:23). Man is hopeless (Eph 2:12), but he loves darkness (Jn 3:19). Therefore, he lives his life in vanity (Eccl 1:9), before dying and being subject to the judgment of God (2 Cor 5:10; Heb 9:27).
Second, through the revelation of God (Bible), some people become aware of their plight, as guilty sinners on the wide way to eternal destruction (Mt 7:13). Having received the Spirit of Christ, by the will (Jn 1:13) and gracious choice of God (Rom 11:5), these are granted God’s grace to repent (Acts 5:31; 11:18) and to believe, in the One whom God sent into the world (Jn 3:16), to save them (Mt 1:21).
In love, God has chosen to make these people His own (Eph 1:4–5; 1 Pet 2:9), and also giving them the right to call Him, “Father” (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6)” and themselves “children of God” (1 Jn 3:1, 10). These are not ashamed of Jesus Christ (Rom 1:16–17) because they are fully aware of His transforming presence in them, by the Spirit (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11; Rev 19:1).
Third, those who have been born of God are subject to sanctification (1 Pet 1:3). This is the exclusive work of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2), employing the Word of truth (Ps 119:160; Jn 17:17) to set each Christian apart from the world of sin and unto the kingdom of God (Col 1:13), marked by righteousness, holiness and godliness (Rom 14:17; 1 Tim 2:2; 4:7; 6:3, 5, 6, 11).
Christians are given the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), and a converted heart (Ezek 36:26), so that they are increasingly more aligned with the sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29). With the Spirit of truth guiding His saints into all truth (Jn 16:13), we recognize the Spirit as our Teacher (Jn 14:26) and the most reliable interpreter of the Scriptures, brought forth by Him through the prophets and apostles (2 Pet 1:20–21).
Despite the transformation of the Christian mind and heart (Rom 12:2), by the Spirit and the Word, the believer remains in his doomed body of death. The Spirit works on the soul of a regenerate man, but death is ever encroaching upon the flesh, which still sins without measure.
The hope of the Christian is never placed on the success of or failure of the body to sin less. Christianity is never a performance exercise or evaluation. Every believer has the hope of glory living in him (Col 1:27). His focus is never on self, but it is on Jesus, who is the Author of his faith (Heb 12:2), and God-given faith is the only way to please God (Heb 11:6).
Performance evaluation, as in “look at my good works,” is only feeding the monstrous sin of pride (Gal 6:12). Christians boast in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:31) because there is nothing good in us, that is, in one’s flesh (Rom 7:18). God alone is good, and He alone works that which is judged to be good, by Him.
For this reason, and without shame (Rom 1:16–17), we proclaim Him (Col 1:28), Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 1:23; 2:2, 4), as our blessed and only hope (Col 1:27; 1 Pet 1:13; Titus 2:13). His works, alone, are acceptable at the bar of God, and in no way do our works bring us justification or sanctification. We are utter failures at keeping the commandments, but when God’s Spirit causes us to walk in His statutes (Ezek 36:37), we rejoice in Him (Ps 33:21; Is 61:10; 1 Pet 1:8). We bear witness to the fact that we are becoming holy (1 Pet 1:16)…by grace.
As for those who promote sin — their own and others — the call for them to repent of their wickedness is still a work of the Spirit-filled preacher and the Bible-believing church, of which there is only one brand (Jn 16:8; Acts 17:30). For all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus, these will not share in the spotlight of popular human approval, rather ,they will be persecuted by the world at enmity with God, in every age (2 Tim 3:12). If the world loves you, Taylor and Pete, it is not a good sign.
Christian, it is imperative for you to examine yourself. You must confess sin as sin, which is revealed in the Law of God. You must not rely on your compliance to His commandments, for your trust is in Christ, alone. Your position in righteousness cannot change, and all progress in holiness and godliness is attributed entirely to the work of His Spirit in you.
There is a good work, prepared by God for His children, to bear witness to those living ungodly, while claiming to be in Christ Jesus. The Bible simply calls these people “hypocrites.” They continue in sin, unashamed to support and promote sinful lifestyles, in their evil deed of suppressing the truth (Rom 1:18).
On the Day of Judgment, when they appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10), saying, “Did we not claim to be Christians, publicly, Lord? Lord, did we not promote antinomianism in Your Name? Did we not preach that you love everyone just as they are?” What fearful expectation there is, of hearing the judgment, “Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity.”
Impostors do sin, as do Christians, but the difference is in the promotion, instead of the confession of sin. This is what distinguishes a Christian from hypocrites like Pete Buttigieg and Taylor Swift.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
November 16, 2022
