You’ve Got Some Holes in Your Wall

"Paul said, 'Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.'" - Acts 17:22-23

An overwhelming majority of Americans claim to be a part of a specific religion. And most believe that—even though their religion may not be perfect—it is more “right” than every other religion out there. Muslims believe their religion to be superior to Christianity and Judaism (and vice versa). Buddhists and Hindus are confident that they adhere to a more accurate view of reality. Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are each convinced that theirs is the “true” Christian Church. Even atheists are convinced that their “freedom from religion” religion is the best path to happiness and fulfillment

But regardless of how “right” any of us believe our religion to be, there are things about it that aren’t very enticing and tenets that don’t seem to add up. As much as we hate to admit it, every world religion—including your own—has holes in it. No religion is perfect, even the religion of “non-religion.” 

Consider this: as each of us makes our way through our teenage and early adult years, we develop a worldview—a perspective through which we see and interpret the world around us. My worldview is my view of reality which explains how things tick, what gives life meaning and order and why the world is the way that it is. You can think of your worldview in terms of a wall—a theological wall that stands firm in our chaotic world, helping you maintain your sanity during the insane circumstances of life.

As a committed Christian, I have a Christian worldview. And my worldview is founded upon three key beliefs: #1: God is the Creator of the universe, #2: Jesus Christ alone is Lord and Savior and #3: the Bible is God’s inspired and flawless word. These three beliefs form the underpinnings of the theological wall that helps me make sense of the world around me. As I go through life and process the many events taking place in our world, I view and interpret them in relation to God, Jesus Christ and the Bible.

I would like to be able to say with confidence that my Christian worldview is perfect, but it’s not. There are parts of my belief system that are emotionally unsatisfying and other parts that leave me baffled. In other words, I have some holes in my theological wall. For example, I am convinced that the Trinity is a clear teaching of Scripture—the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. But the Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. Make sense?  Not exactly. Because I can’t intellectually wrap my mind around the concept of the Trinity, it is a hole in my theological wall—a part of my belief system that is somewhat unsatisfying and lends itself to outside criticism.

If that’s the case, why am I a Christian?  I’m a Christian because I’m convinced that the holes in the Christian wall are small in comparison to the holes in every other theological wall out there. I have always appreciated the fact that for almost 2,000 years Biblical Christianity has consistently stood the test of academic and scientific scrutiny. When the historical details of the Bible have been questioned and criticized, historians and archaeologists have consistently discovered evidence to validate its historical accuracy. When the science of the Bible has been disputed, it has repeatedly been confirmed through paleontology and astrophysics. The same cannot be said of other religions.

In 1 Peter 3:15, the Apostle Peter writes these powerful words: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” So, why do I place so much hope in my Christian faith? I do so because it is grounded in historical fact, centered upon the greatest man who ever walked the face of the earth, intellectually challenging, emotionally satisfying, spiritually enriching, and powerful enough to transform lives—including my own.

I have discovered that Jesus Christ is the answer to life’s most perplexing questions. In other words, regardless of which religion you claim, there are certain holes in your theological wall that can only be filled by Christ. So, I encourage you: As you take a closer look at the holes in your theological wall, ask yourself the question, “Is Christ the answer that I’ve been seeking?” If so, turn to him and follow him. He’s a master mason who has been plugging holes in theological walls for 2,000 years.

Dane Davis is the lead pastor of First Christian Church of Victorville and the author of Holy Huldah! Lessons You Should Never Forget from Bible Characters You've Never Heard Of. To hear Pastor Dane's messages for for more information about the church, visit www.fccvv.com.