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by Chad Koons

“Do you also want to go away?”

A fracture has occurred within the American Church. From Evangelicals to Catholics, those who would call themselves Christians have been rapidly falling away from Biblical truth. Are you one of them? On what basis are you sure?

John chapter 6 is absolutely heartbreaking to me. Here, we witness the account of Jesus presenting Himself as the Bread of Life. Referring to His crucifixion, the Son of God harkens to His violent and sacrificial death. By saying to “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood,” Jesus likens Himself to being consumed and to the necessity of believers partaking in the benefits of His death by coming to Him and believing in Him.

“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” (John 6:56-57, emphasis mine)

Something of particular sadness to me is found at the reaction of His disciples. Disciples: His disciplined followers who had made it their life point to be led by Him. Today, we may call them “Christians.”

“Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, 'This is a hard saying; who can understand it?' When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples grumbled about this, He said to them 'Does this offend you?'” (John 6:60-61, emphasis mine)

This was a “hard saying” not because it was difficult to understand but that it was difficult to accept. The idea was offensive to them. Following Jesus was fine as long as it would benefit them and cost them nothing. Good things happening and celebration? YES! The sick and outcast finding relief? YES! Being close to the Big Guy when He comes into power? YES! True fans of Jesus, yes they were.

Yet Jesus spoke and broke their bubble. His role as the Bread of Life meant that He would be consumed. This suggested that He would be sacrificed. If their Lord was to be sacrificed, then what sacrifice would be required of them? This didn’t fit their opinions. They wanted out. It seems they did not want Jesus for who He was, but for what they wanted Him to be. Their false idea of Jesus was more acceptable to them than the truth. Offense came at this realization, and they left.

Here it is: the infamous John 6:66, one of the most heartbreaking verses in all of the Bible: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”(emphasis mine)

I feel like these words could have been spoken of Christians in 2020.

In January of 2020, Dr. George Barna and the Cultural Research Center conducted a poll entitled “American Worldview Inventory 2020,” which was an annual survey that estimated how many adults have a Biblical worldview. The assessment was based on 51 worldview-related questions drawn from 8 categories of worldview application, measuring both beliefs and behavior. AWVI 2020 was undertaken in January 2020 among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults.

From this cross-section of American Christians, we find that:

• Evangelicals are embracing secularism: A majority (52%) of evangelicals reject absolute moral truth; 61% do not read the Bible on a daily basis; 75% believe that people are basically good. The study found that one-third to one-half of evangelicals in the survey embrace a variety of beliefs and behaviors counter to biblical teaching and longstanding Evangelical beliefs.

• Pentecostals and charismatics take secularization a step further: Two-thirds (69%) reject absolute moral truth; 54% are unwilling to define human life as sacred, with half claiming the Bible is ambiguous in its teaching about abortion; and 69% say they prefer socialism to capitalism. A full 45% did not qualify as born-again Christians.

• Mainline Protestants are the most secular of the four faith families: Sixty percent (60%) of mainline Protestants’ beliefs directly conflict with biblical teaching. Three key values define this group: truth and morality are relative; life has no inherent value or purpose, so individuals should pursue personal happiness or satisfaction; and traditional religious practices are no longer seen as central or essential to their Christian faith. Only 41% of mainline Protestants are born again.

• Catholics are increasingly secular and permissive: They are most likely to falsely believe in salvation through works or living a good life, and least likely (28%) to be born again. Today’s Catholics are more permissive than other groups, being most likely to accept sexual relations outside of marriage, lying, speeding, and refusal to repay a loan as morally acceptable behaviors.

“Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’” (John 6:67, emphasis mine)

To partake of Jesus means that you live a sacrificial life. It will absolutely cost you. You will stand out in the culture and often not be celebrated. The notion that the world will LOVE you is absurd and most likely of Satanic origin. Jesus said quite the opposite, in fact. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it has hated you.” Following Christ means hard sacrifice, ridicule, and persecution.

A separation is occurring, Church. Many Christians are adopting unbiblical beliefs in the name of being “woke,” inclusive, relevant, and “loving.” You must realize that we don’t get to reinvent Jesus; we only receive Him as He is, as clearly seen within the Bible. We may not like it that Jesus is exclusive and that He has rules to be obeyed, especially rules regarding sexuality, personal holiness, protection of life, and many other deeply heated topics, yet He does. He cannot be separated from His Word.

Instead of scrambling to reinterpret the Bible to accommodate our views, we must submit our thinking to align with His, if we simply come to Him and believe. I would much rather lay aside my flawed opinions and abide with Jesus than I would protect my error and live a weak, counterfeit Christianity.

Do not fall for the bait of Satan. Jesus knows who are His. Are you His? Is the Father drawing you? Lay it all aside, come to Jesus and partake. No other but Jesus has the words of eternal life.

I leave you with this… John 6:66-68.

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