ILLUSION

Most people love to watch magicians practice their art. We expect magicians to deceive our eyes but we do not expect to be deceived in religion. But there are many false religions out there in this world that do not hold true against the last judge of arbitration, "the Holy Bible".

As I continue to study theology I find there is an illusion in many modern day beliefs. Every time I think I have nailed down an understanding of Christian beliefs I find a new twist. Here is an example from this past week. "Substitutionary atonement" is a belief that has been around only a thousand years and yet it is a major accepted belief in most Christian circles. Throw in the fact that there are eight different viewpoints or theories of how it works and it can be Confusion City!

You can start with Ransom theory of atonement or Christus Victor:

The ransom and Christus Victor theories present Jesus as dying to overcome (supernatural) powers of evil. In this model, the devil has ownership over humanity (because they have sinned) so Jesus dies in their place to free them. This is known as the oldest of the theories of the atonement, and is, in some form, still, along with the doctrine of theosis, the Eastern Orthodox Church's main theory of the atonement. I believe this gives the devil way too much power over God.

Satisfaction theory of atonement or Penal substitution:

The most widely held substitutionary theory in the West is the penal substitution model. Both the penal theory and Anselm's satisfaction theory hold that only human beings can rightfully repay the debt (to God's honor [Anselm], or to God's justice [penal substitution]) which was incurred through their wilful disobedience to God. Since only God can make the satisfaction necessary to repay it, therefore God sent the God-man, Jesus Christ, to fulfill both these conditions. Christ is a sacrifice by God on behalf of humanity, taking humanity’s debt for sin upon himself, and propitiating God’s wrath. 

I believe that Jesus had to do something special to correct our brokenness and it required His blood. There have been many times that I have stood at the Cross and wondered if there could have been some other way to fix humanity's brokenness without the violent death of Christ. The Mystery of the Cross.

The illusion is to think we do not need fixing or forgiven.

The illusion is to believe that the Holy Bible is not the inspired Word of God but only faith literature.

The illusion is to think that being a good moral person is enough to enter Heaven.

The illusion is to believe all religions lead to eternal life with the God that hung on a Cross for you and me.

The illusion is to think you know the mind of God completely.

The illusion is to believe there is only one true Christian church on earth with all the answers to life.

The illusion is to think there is no Hell or Satan; that the Christian faith is all myth and folk tales.

Ephesians 4:14 that we henceforth be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and their cunning and craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;