Is Christendom true Christianity?
CHRistendom represents practically all religions professing faith in Jesus Christ. Remarkably, this religious domain claims membership composing one-third of all religions of the world.
With such a huge membership, has Christendom served as a strong moral and spiritual force that influenced people’s lives and world affairs for good? or what does history reveal about Christendom’s track record? And more importantly, how does Christendom measure up to the standards of Christianity that Jesus set forth in the Holy scriptures?
A controversial history
original Christianity was established by Jesus and his apostles early in the first century C.e. (Common era). From its birthplace in Jerusalem, the faith flourished and spread like wildfire to Samaria, and most of the Greek-speaking lands to the east, and lastly, to Rome.
despite brutal opposition and persecution both by the ruling Roman authorities and Jewish groups, Christians survived and preached unstopped throughout the second century. But by the third and succeeding centuries, there arose internal dissensions promoted by so-called “Church Fathers,” supposedly great thinkers influenced by Greek philosophy and pagan mythology. these “apostates,” as faithful believers viewed them, evidently corrupted the original teachings of Jesus and the apostles or deviated significantly from them.
such unfavorable developments in the Christian faith, however, had long been foretold by Jesus and his apostles.
in his parable about the “wheat and weeds,” Jesus likened the wheat to genuine Christians and the weeds to counterfeit Christians (matthew 13:24- 30, 37-43). eventually, as the prophecy had it, the time would come when the weed-like impostors would overwhelm the wheat-like believers in numbers and in influence. it’s only in the “conclusion of the system of things” that the true Christians would shine and make their presence felt. “By their fruits you will recognize them,” Jesus said. (1 timothy 4:1; matthew7: 21)
Paul the apostle echoed Jesus’ warning about the rise of apostasy in the Christian congregation. “And from among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:30) “However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies. . .” (1 timothy 4:1, 2)
true to prediction, apostates gradually introduced new ideas to the Christian congregation as if these thoughts should supersede the tenets taught by Jesus himself. But in reality, those “new creeds” included pagan beliefs such as the veneration of idols, immortal souls, hellfire, purgatory, trinity, and even superstitions and folklore. Bible truth was diluted with pagan beliefs, and Bible translation into the common languages of the masses was fiercely suppressed and forbidden.
By the fourth century C.e. the so-called Christian church had not only adopted mostly pagan beliefs and practices. it had cloaked the original congregation structure with a pompous identity, calling it the Roman Catholic Church, as “catholic” meant “universal.” oversight of the faithful, originally entrusted to spiritually qualified men called “elders,” was heretofore given to ordained “priests” with lofty titles as “bishops,” “deacons,” and much later to loftier titles as “cardinals” and “popes.” Huge and ornate churches and cathedrals were built as houses of worship.
the church also acquired power and political inf luence over monarchies. Popes crowned kings and queens, and unseated some who had lost the good graces of the church.
in the 14th century, the Protestant Reform movement broke away from the Roman Church, and thereafter broke into denominations but retained most of the pagan-rooted teachings and practices of apostate Christians. in all, Christendom flourished in the western hemisphere down to our day.
Known by its bad fruitage
Yet, despite their great advances in membership and influence, have the churches of Christendom proved true to the moral and spiritual standards of Christianity set forth by Jesus and the apostles?
History appears to show otherwise. many of the clergy among Catholic and Protestant churches had been involved in widespread sex scandals as well as other corrupt practices. immorality was reported to have reached shameful proportions in lands dominated by Christendom such as the U.s., Germany, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, italy, Chile, ireland, and parts of Africa.
A history soaked in blood
Also, Christendom has a history of bloodshed it could not erase. the infamous Catholic inquisition of the dark Ages led to the torture and brutal execution of intellectuals — some including conscientious priests — who dared question
Church dogma, and those who risked their very lives in order to translate the Holy scriptures into the language commonly understood by the masses.
the Holy Crusades, promoted as a concerted Christian warfare to reclaim lands seized by moslem turks, actually resulted in the massacre of innocent men, women, and children. some historian-commentators even believed the Crusades were meant to seize gold and treasures that eventually enriched the coffers of the Church.
eventually, those supposed Christian nations became the main combatants in World War i and World War ii — Germany, France, england, italy, and lastly, the U. s. massive bloodshed marked both wars, with millions upon millions of civilian casualties including women and children. ironically, documentaries showed photos of priests blessing soldiers of either side of the war. What sense, if any, could you make of Catholic German armies killing Catholic French troops, or American Protestant soldiers butchering German Protestant enemies? Could God have favored one side against the other?
the book Preachers Present Arms acknowledged: “the clercs [clergymen] gave the war its passionate spiritual significance and drive. . . . the church thereby became part and parcel of the war system.”
Had Christendom lived up to the ultimate expectation of Jesus from his followers? “By this all will know that you are my disciples – if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35)
An impending bloody end
For having a track record marked by corruption, immorality, hypocrisy and bloodshed, what standing do you suppose Christendom has before God and Christ?
in Revelation, the last book of the Bible, false religions — including Christendom — were pictured as a symbolic woman prostitute named “Babylon the Great,” “who had been committing ‘sexual immorality with the kings of the earth,’ apparently, political rulers, and who was also found “drunk with the blood of the holy ones and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.” God’s faithful servants whom Christendom had persecuted down through the centuries. (Revelation 17:1 – 6)
For its massive atrocities, Christendom has been foretold to be condemned by God and is due for a bloody end.
“And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought . . .” (Revelation 17:16, 17)
earnest Bible students have understood the prophecy to mean that Christendom along with all false religions will soon be destroyed by no less than the very political institutions over whom she (Babylon the Great, the collective empire of world religions) had exercised influence. This is how Jehovah God will execute judgment against her.
To be spared of Christendom’s judgment
As in a building condemned for demolition, God-fearing ones still residing in Christendom can be spared of the judgment awaiting her by taking immediate positive action which Jehovah God himself has offered to deserving ones.
“And i heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues . . . therefore, get our from among them, and separate yourselves, says Jehovah, . . . and i will take you in.” (Revelation 18:4; 2 Corinthians 6:17)
to be ‘taken in’ by Jehovah God would necessarily require being associated with his people, “a people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah.” (Acts 15:17)
***