Decline in Faith? Should Christians Worry?

Research shows that there is a decline in church goers. The current gallup poll indicates that only thirty percent of respondents reported attending church, synagogue or temple. In regards to Christianity is this something that Pastors and Christians should worry about?

For centuries there have been those who have tried to discourage faith in Jesus Christ or keep the word of God oppressed. According to God’s word, they have been unable to succeed because of the originator of Christianity. Its growth and preservation is divine. However, a picture of the last days indicates that many will fall away from the faith and that many would center their life on love of self.

God has said that the majority would reject His way. Christians are therefore to focus on the great commission and their own walk with God.  As Peter stated in Acts, “we must obey God rather than men.”

What Jesus Said About The Christian Life?

The Christian life is the narrow way. By far, the more popular road is the broad road where most of mankind find themselves. The majority of human hearts are like the soil mentioned in the parable of Jesus where seed does not grow and fruitage does not develop. It takes an act of God to draw the human heart to Jesus Christ.  It also takes faith and God’s power to remain.

Faith comes from hearing or reading the word of God and acting on it. Granted there may be many factors for why people attended church in the past, but in the end, it is the true remnant that are made a part of the body of Christ: those who put on the new personality and refuse to look back or turn to the left or right. We should also remember Jesus promise that not one given to him by the father will be let go.

So while it may be disheartening to lose our fellow members and to find that the hearts of many have become cold, it is important to remember that God knows those who are to belong to him and trust him to call those who are his own. We should also pray for any needed repentance and return to God while there is time.

Those Who Have Wanted to See Christianity Fail

Many have hoped to see Christianity fail from its inception.  There have been those who hoped to bury the name of Jesus Christ from the apostles age. Hoping it to be a movement like those, mentioned by the pharisee Gamaliel, which prospered and withered, he reasoned that if Christianity sprung from God, it would not be possible to defeat it.  But if it is from men, it would fade away.

However, it is God who makes it grow and has preserved its vital truths for our benefit. Indeed, there is no other name among men with which we can be saved. Just as the apostles did, we do not give up in proclaiming the name of Christ, following his directive, and obeying God rather than men.

Time will continue to tell the veracity of the Christian faith.  It survived the dark ages.  It has survived attempts at oppression. It will survive the present AI, personal spirituality, or atheistic age.  The reason is because God is not a man that He should lie.  And so, the end will come just as he prophesied.

As we hear of those who fall away from the faith, or refuse to listen, we should remember that these too were prophesied in God’s word and instead of becoming discouraged, strengthen our own faith and hope in God’s coming new world.