I just read this lengthy essay by the (now) former president of Evangelical Theological Society, Dr. Francis Beckwith. It’s certainly an interesting switch, and I do wholeheartedly wish Dr. Beckwith many blessings and much wisdom in the Lord as he pursues his new calling.

That being said, I find the whole kafuffle to be a classic example of missing the point entirely when it comes to Christianity. On the one hand, you have the Roman Catholic Church which claims to be a direct heir of the church that Jesus and the Apostles founded, and therefore, they are the one true Church and the pure strain of the Christian faith. On the other hand, you have the various Protestant churches that claim to be direct heirs of the scriptural and doctrinal purity of the church that Jesus (or rather Paul in most cases) supposedly founded, and therefore, they are (closer to) the true Church and the pure strain of the Christian faith.

Pardon me for being blunt, but nobody, and I mean NOBODY, and by that I mean N-O-B-O-D-Y has a claim for their set of rules, regulations, doctrinal beliefs, institutions, founding fathers, etc. on the true Church. Anyone who says their tradition is the correct one is lying to you, whether they realize it or not.

Christianity isn’t a tradition. It’s not a factual statement of history. It’s not a set of rules and obligations. It’s not even the Bible. GASP! What did I just say? Yes, you heard right, and I’ll say it again: Scripture is not Christianity.

Christianity is becoming a disciple of Jesus. Pure and simple. That’s it. Christianity is following the Risen Lord by submitting to the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit which Jesus asked the Father to send to all believers on the Day of Pentecost and ever after. Do you want to know what the true Church is? It’s the worldwide body of believers knit together by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the founding father of the Church. The Spirit holds the Church together. Every single person on this planet who has a relationship with Jesus Christ and is possessed by the Holy Spirit and has their name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life is a member in good standing of the Church. It doesn’t matter what building they worship in. It doesn’t matter what clothes they wear. It doesn’t matter who they hang out with. It doesn’t matter what their priest or pastor or teacher says. It doesn’t matter if they’re Protestant or Catholic. It doesn’t matter if they’ve been excommunicated or cast out by any group or denomination. It doesn’t matter if they live as a hermit in the woods and belong to no visible church organization whatsoever.

Does this mean doctrine doesn’t matter? Am I throwing out Scripture and saying it’s only of secondary importance? Of course not. The Bible reveals the heart of God, the will of God, the personality of God, the historical works of God, and the stories of God’s people and His redemptive plan for humanity for thousands of years. It is the inspired Word of God. But it is not God. It cannot, and never will, reveal God’s Glory to the world. It cannot be a substitute for a relationship with the Living God. It cannot replace our prayer life with the Lord. It cannot serve double-duty as the author and perfecter of our faith. That’s Jesus’ role, not ours nor the Bible’s. It cannot fill us with the Resurrection Power that filled Jesus on Sunday. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job, not ours nor the Bible’s.

Be filled continually, over and over again, every day, every waking moment, in your sleep and in your dreams, in your work and in your play, in your worship and in your distress, in your weakness and in your strength, in your suffering and in your blessing — always and at every time, be filled continually with the Holy Spirit. Serve the Living God who dwells within you with your whole heart, mind, soul, body, and strength. Love Him completely, abandon yourself to Him, pick up your cross and follow Him to the ends of the earth and into the yawning gates of Hell itself.

Now go love your neighbor as yourself. That is the Law and the Prophets. That is the Church. That is Christianity.