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Does Jesus Recognize Today's Christianity?

'Ready Answer' by Craig Sablich

The multiplicity of Christian denominations—Catholics, Baptists, Evangelicals, Charismatics, Methodists, Calvinists, Lutherans, and others—presents a fundamental problem: these groups hold contradictory beliefs, making Christianity resemble a patchwork quilt rather than a unified body. This raises the essential question of whether Christ would find Himself welcome among any of them, or whether He would walk into these churches and declare, "Yes, these are My people." Since Jesus is identified as the Head of His church, and believers are called to imitate Him and walk as He walked, the only way to determine who truly follows Him is to examine what He taught and how He lived. Despite their differences, most denominations agree on one point: that God's law was abolished at the cross, viewing it as a burden irrelevant to Christianity. This claim, however, contradicts Jesus' own words and example. He explicitly stated He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, connected eternal life to keeping the commandments, and taught that love and obedience are inseparable. Rather than dismissing the law, He intensified its requirements, teaching that hatred violates the command against murder and lust violates the command against adultery. His apostles Paul and John likewise upheld the law, delighting in it and equating its rejection with lying about knowing Christ. This same distortion of God's law extends into worship practices. God has always specified how He wishes to be worshipped, warning against imitating the worship customs of other nations and calling such practices abominable. Jesus reinforced this by condemning worship built on human tradition rather than divine command, observing instead the biblical Sabbath and holy days outlined in Leviticus 23, which His apostles and the early church continued to practice. In contrast, many denominations embrace man-made traditions and holidays that Jesus and Scripture warn against, despite claiming to honor Him. Because denominations largely reject the law's continuing validity and replace God-ordained worship with human traditions, the question becomes whether Jesus would recognize their worship as genuine. His warning that many who call Him "Lord, Lord" will be rejected for "practicing lawlessness" shows that mere religious profession, regardless of denominational identity, is insufficient. What Jesus will look for is not adherence to a denominational label—Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, or otherwise—but a relationship built on obedience to His commandments and worship conducted according to His instructions, all rooted in genuine love for God and neighbor. Denominational identity, therefore, is ultimately irrelevant to Christ; what matters is whether a person's life reflects obedience and love as He defined and demonstrated them.

Is Jesus Christ a Christian?

Sermonette by Craig Sablich

Jesus would not align with the vast majority of doctrines taught in the major branches of Christianity. Here's why.

Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The strife between this world's belief systems shows that God did not originate them. False teachings are dangerous because they can erode the faith.

We Are Unique!

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Our responsibility is to freely choose to follow the revelation God has given us, overcoming the baggage and resistance we have absorbed from the world.