True Christianity is Based on Truth, Not Emotions.

Modern society is very focused on feelings and emotions. We spend massive amounts of time consuming entertainment. The purpose of entertainment is to touch our emotions and make us feel good.

Consequently, many people who consider themselves Christians have consciously or sub-consciously adopted the mindset that Christianity is all about emotions. Most church services are designed to entertain people. Many devotionals are written so as to give people an emotional high. Hurting someone’s feelings is considered a cardinal sin by many regular church attenders.

The problem with this view of Christianity is that Christianity is not based on emotions, it is based on truth. Let’s look at three verses that teach the centrality of truth in Christianity.

Watch the video to learn more or scroll down to read the transcript.

Transcript:

Modern society is very focused on feelings and emotions. We spend massive amounts of time consuming entertainment. The purpose of entertainment is to touch our emotions and make us feel good.

Consequently, many people who consider themselves Christians have consciously or sub-consciously adopted the mindset that Christianity is all about emotions. Most church services are designed to entertain people. Many devotionals are written so as to give people an emotional high. Hurting someone’s feelings is considered a cardinal sin by many regular church attenders.

The problem with this view of Christianity is that Christianity is not based on emotions, it is based on truth. Let’s look at three verses that teach the centrality of truth in Christianity.

Before I look at those verses, let me remind you about some changes coming to Bible Mountain. On January 1 Bible Mountain will add a paid subscription tier and start posting everyday. All free subscribers will get at least one post per week. All paid subscribers will get a post everyday. I will have more information about this after I discuss the centrality of truth.

John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.

Jesus did not say He is emotions or feelings. He said He is the truth. When Jesus was on earth, He did not cater to people’s feelings. He taught the truth. He confronted people with the truth about life and themselves.

1Tim. 2:3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.

This verse does not say that God desires all men to feel good about themselves. It says God desires all men “to come to the full knowledge of the truth”. Notice the word “full”. God desires us to have full knowledge of the truth.

Full knowledge includes understanding our sinfulness and depravity. Those concepts do not make us feel good about ourselves, they do the opposite.

1Tim. 3:14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you soon, 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

Paul did not say the church is the support of emotions and feelings. He said it is “the pillar and support of the truth”. The purpose of the church is to proclaim and defend the truth about everything, including God, life, and people themselves.

The objective of church should not be to put people on an emotional high and make them feel good about themselves. Unfortunately, that is what most churches, particularly mega-churches, have become. The music, sermons, programs, and structures of many churches are designed to create an emotional experience. Truth is minimized, distorted, and in many cases cast aside, in this effort to cater to feelings and emotions.

Instead, churches should be proclaiming, celebrating, and defending the truth. Christianity is based on the truth that Jesus is God and Lord. He was crucified, killed, and buried, but He rose again from the dead. We exist to serve Jesus. The greatest commandment is to love God. The way we love God is by obeying God. Those are the truths that form the basis of Christianity.

Let me tell you more about the changes that are coming to Bible Mountain. On January 1, 2025 I will start posting everyday. Each post will draw a contrast between how humans want to think and act versus the priorities, values, and behaviors that God commands us to adhere to. The goal is to be transformed into Godliness. I will start at the beginning of Matthew and read through the New Testament.

The first several posts will be free and available to anyone and everyone to read. After that, at least one post per week will be free, the rest will be behind a paywall.

“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”