A Crisis of Faith?

by Orlando B. Gonzalez

Perhaps you wonder whether we, as members of the “Churches of Christ”, are turning others away from Jesus by how we discuss people in other denominations, and how we talk about our practices as if they are the only right way to do things, thereby condemning those who do them differently. I've known people who have felt this way to varying degrees, and it seems as if it is becoming an ever-increasing trend.

Well, first, are those people who are members of denominations actually following what the Bible says? How can they be in harmony with God if those denominations, such as Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, and Jehovah's Witnesses, do not practice full-body baptism, which is one of the clearest, basic, and most repeated commands in the Bible?

I find it so puzzling when those who grew up in the sound churches of Christ (or other sound groups who identify with a different moniker) start to doubt everything that they learned mainly from an emotional standpoint instead of a logical one. 

To the spiritually strong and faithful Christian, this could be a moment of bafflement when they hear such sudden words of doubt and anxiety from a brother or sister. Mind you, I know that everyone is different and they have their own reasons, but what I’m seeing is a form of external pressure that is evolving into a dark cloud, looming over multiple congregations and will eventually turn into a raging storm, which could’ve been avoided if members took action.

I would like to make clear that it is good to have some level of open-mindedness and doubt about yourself on what you believe in because in order to change and improve, you must first accept the possibility that you could very well be wrong about something that you initially perceived as being correct for a long time. It is also important that you listen to the other side’s point of view and utilize logical and sound reasoning and biblical information to determine if you are actually in the wrong or not. 

But, when I said “external pressure” earlier, I meant that some are doubting their trust in the church because they are scared of being criticized for being "too hard" on those who are clearly disobeying certain commandments in the Bible and do not see the sheer level of importance when it comes to handling the truth and watching out for souls. I could see where critics of the churches of Christ get the idea that its members are "too harsh," "too blunt," "too cold," or "too critical", but they fail to realize that the handling and teaching of the Scriptures is a matter of spiritual life or death. It is that serious. To decide to "soften" the message so as to not offend the lost, or even those in our own numbers, is risking to corrupt the Word and weaken the soul. It would be wiser to simply preach the Bible and experience suffering for our Lord than bending the knee to those who feel “offended” or “disgusted” by what we say and do, and possibly get a temporary moment of relief before being sent to Hell. 

I'm only 23 years old and have only been a part of the church for about four years. I didn't grow up in a church of Christ. I came from a Catholic family, or at least one that identified themselves as such based on “tradition”. It was only when I was in my mid-teens that I started to ponder about certain things, such as God, the universe, why there were so many religious groups in the world, and what they all taught and believed in.

Thanks to having access to the Internet, for the next few years, I did extensive research on the Scriptures, reading material written by genuine Christians from around the world, and having one-to-one talks with my current preacher and best friend. Eventually, I finally made the decision to not only become a Christian but to accept the fact that the congregations, who identify themselves as “churches of Christ”, as the most spiritually sound groups out of them all. They are the closest to how the first-century Christians spiritually lived. 

Granted, not all churches of Christ are doing what God is commanding them to do, but my point is that there has to come a time in your life where, no matter how you feel or how bad of a rut you are actually in (whether it be by your own decisions, the things that occurred in the world, by the hand of Satan, or whatever else), you have to remind yourself that "If I leave Christ and his church, there is nothing out there that could match it." 

That's one of the things I've concluded and have had to remind myself about when I went through times of depression, anxiety, and stress. If I did decide to leave, for whatever reason, what else really is there? How do other religious groups stack up against not just the churches of Christ but, more importantly, the Bible itself? Do they actually teach all the truth and strive to help their members and the lost by what God, Christ, and the Apostles revealed, or do they twist the Scriptures to satisfy their own desires? How would it even be reasonable to leave the body of Christ altogether just to find a religious group that fits my tastes? Isn’t that a death wish? 

From what I’ve seen, many, not all, but many churches of Christ stand out above all the rest because of how raw and unfiltered their teachings are, how firm and confident they are in what they preach, how well they practice the absolute pinnacles of love, faith, righteousness, and every other aspect that is good, how well the members handle problems in people lives, how they deal with evil, and how much they put God’s heart ahead of themselves. 

I guess that’s one of the major reasons why not only worldly people dislike us so much, but even some members of our own: What the Bible reveals is so cold and hard that even extremely religious people, who think they love Christ and follow him, would reel back in horror when they hear what we teach and demand that we retract what we say and apologize. Or worse, demand that we close our doors altogether. 

If you find yourself having a crisis of faith,  I recommend you first study the Scriptures, specifically the New Testament, to better understand the background of the kingdom, how a congregation should function and behave, and the warnings provided against those who teach falsehood, those who fall away from the faith, and those who refuse to listen to the Word. Next, talk to your preacher, elder, or someone who you are familiar with and deeply trust who can discuss with you the issues you are having. Lastly, pray about this. Ask God to help with your anxiety, to look at your concerns with a level head, and hope that He’ll give you the wisdom that you need to combat this and keep your faith.

I love you, and God loves you.