The reason Christianity has failed is because it has shed practically everything of its origins except for the name brand.
Matthew, chapter four recounts the temptations of Jesus after his baptism. The very last temptation he faces is to embrace the way of empire.
Christianity managed to follow Jesus by shunning the way of empire until the 4th century when Emperor Constantine became a “Christian” and promised his “fellow Christians” protection under the power of empire.
What is empire? It is power and control
In order to have an empire, there must be an enemy to defeat, those under you to trample and they must be kept that way by means of coercion and threat of retributive punishment.
Us and them.
This is why the ideas of penal substitutionary atonement and eternal conscious torment in Hell are integral to the empire of Christianity. The idea of hell didn’t become popular until the 5th century. Until then, almost no Christian believed in it! Jesus certainly never taught it. Penal substitutionary atonement didn’t enter the scene until the 16th century.
With the onset of Christianity embracing empire over the way of Christ, there was a shift in priority. It became more important to privilege orthodoxy over orthopraxy. (Correct belief over correct action or lifestyle). Empire must always be propped up by its own propaganda.
If you go to church, have signed a statement of faith and believe that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible word of God, you are probably a good Christian.
But It doesn’t make you a Christ follower
Jesus was never much into making sure that people had a “correct” systematic theology that he could sign off and give you a gold star for believing in.
He was more into defending the weak and powerless. He was more into showing us a new way to live in which we see others as equal to ourselves and treat them as such. Where our power comes not from threat of violence, but from the invitation of irresistible love.
Power from powerlessness
If you have found yourself scorning a preacher recently for asking someone with the power of empire to protect the lease of these, you may be a fine Christian, but you are certainly no follower of Christ.
You have kissed the ring of empire.
The two are mutually exclusive.
Oil and water.
This is why I cannot and have not called myself a “Christian” for many years now. I am merely an aspiring follower of Jesus.
Will you join me?