I recently spotted a profile on a social media site called Parler.com. This profile read, “I am a Muslim. Islam is perfect but I am not. If I make a mistake don’t blame Islam. But blame me.” My immediate response to this sentiment is, “Please, provide for me some evidence that proves or at least strongly indicates that Islam is perfect.” I know enough about the history of Islam to know that, from its inception, it is wrought with flaws. I am curious as to what the Muslim would cite as evidence of the perfection of Islam.
But then I thought, could not the Muslim return the question to me? If I were to restate his profile to read, “I am a Christian. Christianity is perfect, but I am not. If I make a mistake, don’t blame Christianity. Blame me.”
I would suggest that even that statement is broad enough to contain an error.
Does this mean all of Christendom or only some portions of it? Clearly, not all within Christianity is perfect for even Christ rebuked His disciples and they later contended with heresy within first-century Christianity. If we mean only some portion of portions of Christianity, which version of Christianity is perfect? I would contend rather that Christ is perfect.
· Christ perfectly fulfilled prophecy concerning the Messiah
· That prophecy is found in a perfectly inspired book
· Christ lived a perfectly sinless life
· Christ preached a perfect message
· Christ died a perfectly vicarious death
· Christ resurrected perfectly from the grave
· Christ’s gospel perfectly redeems the sinner who trusts in Him
· Christ’s promise for eternity is perfect
Perhaps sometime in the future I will have time sufficient to elaborate upon these, but at least it starts the conversation.
There has never been a perfect Christian since Jesus Christ and, since that is the case, there has never been a perfect church. But the local church is Christ’s perfect place for Christians to learn and grow as believers and out of which to serve.
