A fashionable objection to Christianity is that the church has caused so much violence and death in the world. The history of Christianity seems permanently scared by big events like the Crusades and the Inquisition in the Middle Ages. There are also many smaller, but in some sense more loathsome, examples of moral failure in the lives of Christians: self-righteous smugness or the hatred and intolerance exhibited by certain churches towards certain groups of people. As bad as big wars long ago were, simple moral failings like this can hurt others directly and personally, which can turn them off towards Christianity and even belief in God. What can we do when people bring this objection up in a conversation?
The first thing we need to do is concede. The church has done terrible things in the past and many adherents to the church today are terribly unbecoming. We must acknowledge this and grieve over the fact that people who’ve claimed the Name of our Lord have represented Him and us so egregiously. So first we need to look at ourselves and repent of our failures. The church is called to make disciples of the nations (Matt. 28:19), not drive people away.
However, at most this proves that Christians have behaved badly, but many people take it much further. Some will use the argument to show that God doesn’t exist, but this is a blatant non sequitur because the conclusion that God doesn’t exist doesn’t follow from that argument. Some will say that it specifically disproves Christianity, but again it’s a non sequitur because Christianity isn’t shown to be false from the fact that people in the church have done bad things. It is, however, a more stinging critique. Aren’t people who accept Christ made new and do God’s will (Ez. 11:19-20, 2 Cor. 5:17)? So why do we see so many examples that contradict that? The Bible is incredibly honest and makes it clear that even people within the church fail morally. First, some people in the church aren’t genuine believers, but imposters. Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets, “who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves,” (Matt. 7:15), and Paul, when leaving Ephesus, warns the leaders that “fierce wolves will come in among you… and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things,” (Acts 20:29-30). So we need to be more discerning on who is actually following Christ with a genuine faith and who’s in the church for duplicitous reasons.
Can it all be blamed on “wolves” though? Unfortunately, no. The Bible shows that even genuine believers can fail and grieve the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t take much reading through the Old Testament, Paul’s epistles, or Revelation to see the moral failings of God’s people. That’s why I thank God that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” (Rom. 5:8)! If salvation was based on our works, none of us would be saved, “for by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight,” (Rom. 3:20). We are instead saved by the grace of God freely given to those who have faith in His Son. In Jesus Christ, is there hope for religious sinners like us. And when we truly follow Christ as we ought, we exhibit the kind of love and compassion towards others that He did.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Veritas 