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Following the Dodo?
Reading the ‘Religion’ section of the secular press, or even the pages of certain Christian newspapers and periodicals, can be a bit of a depressing experience if you don’t have a biblical view of the events unfolding around the world. One potentially depressing article that appeared recently, quoted a number of senior Church leaders who warned that Christianity is ‘on the verge of extinction in Europe’ [1].
If by ‘Christianity’ they mean the official, State-recognised, folk religion, that is nominally observed throughout most Western European countries, the clergy of which don’t preach the gospel (because they don’t believe the Bible), where many abominations are accepted, and whose bishops have been active in undermining the foundational doctrines that they should be upholding; then that form of Christianity will not be a great loss to Europeans!
But that so-called ‘Christianity’ is far-removed from the authentic Christianity characterised by the true Church of Christ. For Jesus assured his followers that he will build his church, and that not even the gates of Hades can prevail against its victorious progress (Matthew 16:18). The real Church of Christ has always been hard-pressed and assailed by the world. It will continue to be so until Christ returns, for the simple reason that Jesus gave: ‘If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.’ (John 15:19)
The world hates Christians for the same reason that it hates Jesus Christ: he testifies that what it does is evil (John 7:7). We might, therefore, draw some encouragement that there is increasing persecution of Christians in Europe [2] – perhaps we are following Christ more closely than the world wants us to!
But let’s return to that central question: is Christianity on the verge of extinction in Europe? Well for those who think that this might be the case, take note of this Scripture: ‘Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.’ (Daniel 7:14)
Then again, some readers might prefer to consider evidence from an academic who thinks that far from heading for extinction, Christianity is poised for a comeback in Europe [3].
NOTES
This article was published on 8th June 2009.
Three sermons by Martyn Lloyd-Jones that cover persecution are:
REFERENCES
[1] Church leaders warn that Christianity is on verge of extinction in Europe
16th April 2009, Judy West, Religious Intelligence
[2] Christians face a new persecution
11th April 2009, Telegraph.co.uk
[3] Europe’s Christian Comeback
June 2007, Philip Jenkins, Foreign Policy
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