Joel? Do you ever wonder how far off we are from the "Christianity" that Jesus wanted?My answer was... Yes, for several years now. I am also not the only one that has been asking these questions.
The version of being a Christian that I see, even in the "best" churches, at least here in America departs quite a bit from the version I see in Acts. I am even willing to forgive the cultural and political differences between 2000 years ago and now and still have a lot of questions.
Why should we care? Because, in many respects, theology (our thinking about God) does shift the further out from the source we get. Even when we have a standard like the Bible, that is true.
An analogy here is a laser level. If you set up a laser level slightly off, close to the center, you won't see much problem, in fact, it could be less than a nail point of difference. Move several feet down the line and the standard shows 1". Move further down and the level shows more difference.
The last reformation happened 4-5 centuries ago although it started earlier than that. It was a reaction to abuses of power and theology of the Catholic Church.
I have heard rumblings, however of a new reformation, a neo-reformation. This being a reaction to the blatant Americanization of Christianity. Maybe it is time?
That does, however, raise a lot more questions...
Paul wrote to the Galatians...
6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.
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