IS your President Candidate a Christian?

What does it mean to be a Christian?

The last few weeks have seen a great deal of debate on what it means to be a Christian and what our responsibility is. For a while now, a local pastor has used the pages of this paper to spread what is commonly referred to as the Social Gospel. Just this week, the News-Leader’s own, Brian Lewis, challenged Christians on what the purpose of a Christian is. So what is it? This debate is certainly not special to the Ozarks. In fact,because of the fast approaching ‘08 elections, this debate is only getting started nationally. On the fore front of this debate is one, Senator Obama. A Clintonesque candidate with a social agenda. At a recent church conference by Rick Warren on AIDS, he had this to say. “My faith also tells me that – as Pastor Rick has said – it is not a sin to be sick. My Bible tells me that when God sent His only Son to Earth, it was to heal the sick and comfort the weary; to feed the hungry and clothe the naked; to befriend the outcast and redeem those who strayed from righteousness. Living His example is the hardest kind of faith – but it is surely the most rewarding. It is a way of life that cannot only light our way as people of faith, but guide us to a new and better politics as Americans.” Well Senator, God sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, not to be a social worker. So you may want a refund on that Bible you have. You see, Christ did not come to do all those things. He came to seek and save the lost. All those things were a by-product of His love. If Jesus only came to heal the sick and feed the poor, then he would not have had to die on the cross. So when pastors like Rick Warren and Roger Ray lower Christ to nothing more than a social worker, they are in essence ignoring the very gift that is suppose to save their souls. Christians should be appalled by such behavior from the pulpit. To say Christ came to feed our bodies but not our souls is heresy in the grandest degree. It seems when churches become more “purpose driven” and less cross driven, the identity of a Christian becomes very clouded.