Simply Christ

"But I fear by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 1:3).
If the apostle Paul wore one of those message containing tee-shirts like you see so common today, I think it would just say, "Simply Christ". We see so many Christian messages (and not so Christian messages) on tee-shirts in our present culture. But some times the simplest message is the best.
In context, Paul is making an important distinction here between the Gospel of Christ and religion. The true gospel says that you simply cannot be good enough to please God but Christ has done so for you and, therefore, by the new birth with Christ as your life, the Father is well pleased with you as His child in a living union with His Son, Jesus Christ. It is that simple: Not I, but Christ!
In contrast, religion will not be satisfied with such simplicity. Like the serpent's argument in the Garden of Eden, religion says Christ is NOT enough. Or more subtly put, Christ is enough, but……..
The word "religion" comes from a Latin and French root re-ligio which means: to tie down or bind with ligatures.
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION – IT IS A RELATIONSHIP.
Christianity started out in the first century right on track with the teachings of Jesus and Paul and Peter and John and James. There was no priestly hierarchy structure involved in the formation of the first churches. There was just the pastor and his assistants in each church. In fact Peter in his first epistle stated that every Christian was a "priest" – a member of a "royal priesthood" (chap. 2:5,9). The book of Hebrews is a convincing treatise that the idea of the need of a priesthood as existed in the Old Testament had been replaced and done away. Hebrews 4:14 says that all any Christian needs is the great High-priest, Jesus Christ.
After the death of the apostle John near the end of the first century, a strange thing began to happen within the Christian church. Over a period of 50 to 75 years, a hierarchy of priests began to head many churches. It was a structure of priestly power that was similar to the Old Testament people of Israel. What was the reason set forth to have this new priestly structure? It was said to be necessary for priests to be mediators between the people and God, and to dispense the "sacraments" which at that time were considered to be baptism, marriage and the Lord's supper (communion).
But the Christian church had gotten along just fine during the first century without priests in power. Baptism could be dispensed by any Christian. Communion was a celebration of remembrance without any need of a special priest. Marriage was a civil agreement of union which could be witnessed by your pastor or his representative if desired.
As far as the need for "mediators" between the people and God, the Bible makes it clear that there is only one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24).
What I am saying is that, starting in the second century, there began to be a division between those Christians following the structure of the first century churches and those Christians following the priestly hierarchy structure of this new body of believers.
True Christians, that is, those who had called on Christ to be their Savior and Lord and were thus born again as true children of God, had to make the choice whether to join with the church following the structure of the first century church of the apostles – or to join with this new church of priestly hierarchy. Therefore both of these forms of Christianity contained many true believers, many true Christians born again in Christ.
What was so bad about having a hierarchy of priests over the "laity" of Christians? The whole structure was a power structure created by man. Men saw that if they could create a level of power structure as "mediator" between God and man, they could have a level of control over and a dependence by the laity.
Down through the centuries, these two forms of Christianity with and without priestly hierarchy existed side by side (remembering that there were mostly true Christians in both, and that even among the priestly hierarchy, there were mostly true Christians deceived into the necessity of this power structure.)
Historians have, in general, recorded for us the story of the hierarchy church since it became more powerful. When it said that the hierarchy church persecuted "heretics", many of these "heretics" were from the apostolic non-priestly church. Research has shown that one of the primary characteristics of "heretics" was opposition to the hierarchy structure.
As the centuries progressed and the hierarchy church grew in power, they began to institute many doctrinal things which were not Biblical. They increased the number of sacraments from three to seven – adding confirmation, penance, holy orders and extreme unction. These all required priestly control and dispensation.
The hierarchy instituted the "sacrifice of the Mass" which required priestly functions performed for the laity. Each Mass was a re-sacrificing of Christ again even though the Bible states that Christ died once and only once on the Cross for sinners (Heb. 9:28; 10:12).
As I stated earlier, Christ is the only mediator between God and man. But the priestly church declared the virgin Mary as a mediator between man and Christ – beseeching prayer to Mary was instituted. Then they declared praying to dead saints as mediators was effective. The Bible states that ALL Christians are "saints". All these false mediators prevented or hindered the proper mediation by Christ only between man and God.
As the power of the hierarchy church grew, they began to offer what were called "indulgences". By praying the proper prayers, the laity could take away for themselves or their loved ones, partially or completely, the pains of "purgatory". This became so popular that they instituted the doctrine that money donated to the church could buy indulgences.
While all this power structure within the church hierarchy was proceeding through the centuries, the smaller non-priestly church continued down through the ages in much the same apostolic form as in the first century – no hierarchy of priests, no sacrifice of the Mass, no sacraments except the original three. You might say, it was SIMPLY CHRIST.
Speaking about the doctrine of having a priestly hierarchy, we see in the present day the problem with priests in the Catholic church who are sexually abusing children. (Other hierarchy type churches are also being revealed as having the same problem.) The power structure of the hierarchy seems to have been covering up the problem by dealing with the priests only within the church rather than reporting the allegations to civil authorities. And, in many cases, the offending priests have only been sent to new parishes where further abuse was allowed to take place.
The media has been very active in reporting the problems within the Catholic church and, in fact, without such diligent activity within the media, the church coverup would have continued unabated.
What is the problem when such "holy men of God" commit such immoral acts?
Is it the fact that they are celibate – an unmarried priesthood? This may be a contributing factor.
Is it the fact that homosexual men enter the priesthood in large numbers because it is easier to live that lifestyle within the priesthood? This may be a contributing factor.
Is it the fact that homosexual men enter the priesthood hoping to overcome feelings of guilt over their sexual orientation, but find it difficult or impossible to do? This may be a contributing factor.
Is it the fact that Satan undoubtedly attacks people in authority in any church with temptations over and above the laity? This may be a contributing factor.
BUT WHAT IS THE REAL CAUSE OF THE CRISIS WITHIN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
My opinion is that the real cause of the problem is what has always existed within this church – THE PRIESTLY HIERARCHY ITSELF!
The church with Christ at its head was never designed to have a priestly hierarchy. Priests are not needed. All Christians are priests with Jesus Christ as High-Priest.
As far as the handling of the sacraments is concerned, the Bible nowhere states a need to have priestly distribution. Look at baptism in the Bible. It does not say that an apostle or a pastor or a deacon or any special person must do the baptizing. Apparently ANY Christian can baptize anyone using the formula of Matthew 28:19.
When we see communion in the Bible, the same is true – no special person must handle the distribution of the bread and the wine. ALL interact together in solemn activity to commemorate the death of Christ. (By the way, the Bible nowhere says that the bread and the wine actually BECOME the body and blood of Christ. This is the doctrine of "transubstantiation" which was established by hierarchy interpretation of communion. This doctrine made it easier for the hierarchy to control the laity by making their priestly function necessary.)
The sacrament of marriage is nothing more than a covenant between a man and woman to be husband and wife. The state requires witnesses, and Christians should make their covenant within their church body. Marriage is not a priestly duty but rather a public church witnessing.
In conclusion, members of the hierarchy church must deal with many appointed mediators rather than directly through Christ. This tends to limit their freedom in Christ and keep many of them more or less "baby" Christians not growing to full maturity and functional use by God. By not recognizing who they are in union with Christ, many remain "lukewarm" Christians (see Rev. 3:15-16).
God wants us to deal directly with Christ who dwells within our human spirit. We are not meant to be under the control of a hierarchy priesthood. Every Christian child of God IS a priest, IS a saint, IS a living container of that great HIGH-PRIEST, JESUS CHRIST.

Yes, the Gospel IS:
SIMPLY CHRIST.
Christ in you, the hope of glory!
Colossians 1:27

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