Is the Church Becoming a Christless Christianity?
The premise of Michael Horton’s book, “Christless Christianity,” is that although the church has not stopped using the name of Jesus Christ, and has not stopped talking about Jesus Christ, the church has stopped referring to Jesus Christ as the “Christ” or as the “Savior” from sins and from the wrath of God. Hence, the title, “Christless Christianity.” The question Horton presents is: are we preaching the crucified Christ who takes away sins, or a counterfeit message of good advice for a better life in Jesus’ name? Has the office of “Christ” or “Messiah” been replaced with “Life Coach” and “Sage”? I have been challenged by Michael Horton’s book. Here are a few challenging quotes to chew on:
In my experience, this is where a lot of Christians are living today: not quite accosted by the death sentence of the law, they are also not regularly hearing the liberating Good News of the gospel. Our intuition tells us that if we just hear more practical preaching (that is, moving exhortations to follow Jesus), we will improve. When this becomes the main diet, however, we do not find ourselves improving. We neither mourn [for our sinfulness] nor dance [over our forgiveness in Christ]. (p132)
The following is another quote that cuts to the heart of the issue:
If God’s voice of law does not de-center us, throw us off-balance, and judge our best efforts as having fallen short of God’s glory [righteous perfection], we will never flee to Christ as our Mediator greater than Moses. Instead, we will come up with our own representations of God–the golden calves of our own forms of worship [such as trying harder to obey the law]. . . . There is no balance here between law and gospel. The law tells us what we must do; the gospel tells us what God has done for us. These are two distinct words; each much be heard on its own terms, in the full force of its judgment and absolution. . . . We are saved by works–in fact, by perfect love and obedience. However, it is Christ’s works rather than ours that serve as the basis for our [justification and] confidence. (p. 137, emphasis added)
I highly recommend Horton’s book, “Christless Christianity,” to both unbelievers and professing Christians alike. As Horton says on page 125, “Since our faith in every moment is threatened by our natural tendency to [trust in our own good works] and be distracted from its object–Christ–we need the gospel placarded before us not just at the beginning but throughout the Christian life. The gospel is for Christians too. We need to be evangelized every week. It is not by following Christ’s example but by actually being inserted in Christ, clothed with Christ, united to Christ–as the Spirit creates faith through the gospel–that we are not only justified but sanctified as well.”