(By Bert Farias) Are you serving the real Jesus or a Western version made in your own image? That’s quite a compelling question, isn’t it? It’s kind of like asking how much of Christ is in your Christianity. Take Christmas, as an example. I think many of us would agree that Christmas has become so commercialized that Christ is hardly noticed, much less celebrated and revered. Easter would be in the same category. How in the world a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ could have ever evolved into an affinity with Easter bunnies and Easter eggs, I’ll never know. Such is the tenuous nature of idolatry.
Is it possible for Jesus Christ to be lost in Christianity, the very religion whose name it bears and professes? We know that without a relationship with Christ, just another religion is all that remains. We also know from Scripture that someone can profess to know Christ but in works actually deny Him (Titus 1:16). But isn’t it also true that in works many may profess to know Him, but in authentic heart-knowledge, they do not? Here’s a quick contrast: The biblical Jesus warns us of sin, judgment, and hell, but the Americanized Jesus never says anything negative. The biblical Jesus gives you salvation, hope, peace, and joy, but the Americanized Jesus gives you happiness, wealth and sentimental feelings. CONTINUE
Just something to note, Jesus Christ was thrown into the pagan celebration called easter; hence the name easter. The question should be, how in the world did followers of Christ ever allow themselves to get involved in these festivities that the Almighty never prescribed for His children. The simple answer is, we wanted to be apart of the world and not separate ourselves from the unclean and idolatrous ways of the heathen.