HITLER'S CROSS

 HITLER’S CROSS

  “Jacques Ellul, in The Subversion of Christianity, wrote, “’Each generation thinks it has finally discovered the truth …. Christianity becomes an empty bottle that successive cultures fill with all kinds of things.’” Regrettably, the Christian bottle has been filled with many different agendas. Early in the history of the church, the Cross was obscured by sacramentalism, the idea that salvation was a grace given through the rituals of the church. Salvation was no longer a personal relationship with God, but reduced to a partnership with the ecclesiastical structure. The bottle was emptied and filled with liturgy that could never bring a soul to God. The cross became an ornament hung around the neck, not an instrument that changed the heart.

  Rationalism and humanism arose in the 18nth century, the fruits of the Enlightenment. Religion, it insisted, must conform to our understanding. Whatever seemed contrary to our sensibilities was eliminated. Miracles, for example, were discounted as being out of synch with the enlightened cultural mindset. The Unitarians argued that God was too good to send man to hell, and the Universalists believed man was too good to be sent there. The Cross became a symbol of sentimental love, not the means by which Christ shed His blood to reconcile men to God.” (Excerpted from HITLER’S CROSS, Erwin W. Lutzer. Chapter 10, page247.)

PS. I have read and recommend this book. EBB4