Whatever Became Of Jesus?
By David R. Currie,
Coordinator

In the mid 1970s, Karl Menninger wrote a book titled Whatever Became of Sin? The thesis of the book was that nothing is a sin anymore. Bad choices are a mistake, a developmental problem, anything but a sin. Society does not use the term “sin” anymore.

As I observe the fundamentalist movement, I find myself wondering, Whatever Became of Jesus?

This past spring I heard one of the more famous fundamentalist pastors preach at a conference. His topic was on preaching the Word of God. It was a good message but about half way through it I became uncomfortable. He never mentioned Jesus. To my knowledge, he never mentioned Jesus one single time. Everywhere in the message where I would have used the name of Jesus, e.g., “saved by Jesus,” this speaker used Word. We are “saved by the Word.” We are to “stay close to the Word.” We are to “preach the Word.” Everything revolved around the “ written Word.” The “living Word” was never mentioned.

Then I read the quote from Tom Elliff, the new SBC president (see page 3). We are a “Word-driven denomination,” he said.

I find myself wondering, Whatever Became of Jesus? As important as the “written Word of God” is, and I believe it is very important, it cannot bring one into a saving relationship with God. Only Jesus Christ can do that. I want to be a part of a Jesus-driven and led denomination. How about you?

October 1996