Christianity Without Christ

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 11, 1906

Christianity Without Christ

The religions of the heathen world are no less reasonable and no more useless than some of the philosophies, called Christian, that are being expounded from fashionable pulpits in Christian lands to-day. The editor of the Outlook is quoted as saying:—

If it could be scientifically proved that Christ was not supernaturally born and not supernaturally raised from the dead, that would be no reason for rejecting Christianity.

But in that case we would have simply a system of ethics founded on a fable, demonstrated to be such. But as Christianity is the truth of God in action, and as the Word of God plainly declares the miraculous birth, the sinless life, and the supernatural resurrection of Jesus Christ, the whole structure stands or falls together. If the miraculous birth and resurrection are untrue, then the Word itself which records them is untrue, and the whole system would be untrue because founded upon an untruth. The idea of Christianity without Christ as the Bible declares him is unworthy a moment’s notice. It is one of the efforts of the evil one to build up a system of religion that shall have in it no power to save men from the consequences of sin. If men reject Christ as being all that the Word declares him to be, they reject the only power there is in the world to save men, and in that rejection spell out their own ruin. It is a sad fact that this system of “Christianity without Christ” is sweeping multitudes into its fold, and outward conformity to a system of ethics is taking the place of that deep heart work essential to acceptance with God.