Of First Importance...

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received..." 1 Corinthians 15:3a

How many times have you gotten all the way out to your car before you realized that you left your keys in the house? It is frustrating to realize that even though you are in the right place, missing the main point (the fact that you need the keys to run the car) means that you have to go back inside. Modern Christian pop culture has clearly missed the point, and thus Christianity at large is becoming worthless (even if it is moving towards greater "relevancy"). One recent Christian topseller tells us how we should be doing more nice things for people, because THAT'S what the gospel is about (said author neglects to mention what the Bible says the gospel is about in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5). Another trend in pop Christianity is to attempt to come up with a "green Christianity". Based on the error that the Church has replaced Israel, and the assumption that Jesus is not coming back the gospel is warped to involve how we take care of our planet. A popular Christian periodical will do everything to attach the importance to some "experience" that one must have. Other Christian books get believers wrapped up in evaluating God and the Church in terms of self-centered therapeutic methods, rather than remaining focused on the Lord.

The math hasn't changed: Jesus plus anything equals nothing.

The gospel is under attack from every direction, and each of these attacks attempt to take the focus away from Jesus and put it on ourselves. We must be aware that just because something is called "Christian" or is sold in a "Christian Bookstore" doesn't mean that it has anything to do with the faith of the Bible and the Savior revealed therein. It is because of what Jesus did on the Cross that we are forgiven, and created anew. It is because of Him that we have fellowship with our loving Father God, reject anything that takes your eyes off of Him and puts them on the world, the institutional church, the flesh or yourself. Look at Jesus.