Another One Walks Away: High Profile Christians Leave the Faith

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Recently two high profile voices chose to walk away from the faith. Both have had a huge impact in Christians circles, their works known even though their names may not be familiar. The first, having written a book which  has shaped Christian dating for decades, walked away from both the faith and from his marriage. The other, who has contributed to a large catalog of worship music, used social media to express his doubts. These situations are unfortunate and...expected. In fact, I'll be surprised if we don't see this more often in the future.

People have been turning away from the Christian faith since the faith first started here on earth. Jesus saw many turn away when He began teaching things they did not want to accept (John 6:60-66). If people turned their backs on God incarnate while He was here on earth, we should expect others to do so now that He has ascended up to heaven. That's not to say we shouldn't feel sad when people turn, as I'm certain Jesus feels disappointment, but we should not be surprised.

Nothing has changed as far as the many ways people respond to what is taught in the Bible. In fact the only change I see is the use of social media to announce to the world one's movement away from the Gospel, using an online platform to convince a world wide audience that turning is the right thing to do. And while those who leave risk losing followers (and gaining trolls) these leaders gain a louder share of the public square, their new message amplified among a new audience who was not interested before.

So why do people turn away from the faith? There are a number of reasons, but chief among them is the fact that the Christian faith means taking a very difficult and narrow path (John 7:14). Jesus did not try to sugarcoat it. Yes, we are saved by faith, but remember, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). At times that word is difficult. There are even times when we (when I) don't like what the Word says. Those who turn away tend to do so because they do not like certain parts of God’s word and find it difficult to accept all of what is said.

It's not my understanding that establishes truth nor do I make something true based on how much I like it. Yet these quite often are at the core of the arguments made by those who walk away from the faith. Honestly there is plenty to wrestle with when it comes to the Bible and with the history of God's interaction with mankind. Christians should not be afraid to take on the challenge that comes with an honest reading of scripture. But the most important question for those who walk away is not did they like or understand what they see. The most important question we must ask is: Is it truth?