Jesus Really Is the Answer!

Straight AheadI remember the old saying about the cost of a luxury item. If you have to ask how much it costs, you probably can't afford one. A skeptical theologian once remarked upon the slogan, "Jesus is the answer," by saying, "What is the question." And my response to that is simple. If you don't know the question, you probably wouldn't understand the answer! But let me try to add some light to the heat, as they say. Increasingly, we hear of professing Christian people, ministries, and organizations who sincerely want to deal with problems in the world; but they want to do it with one hand tied behind their backs. They want to give solutions to serious problems, give comfort to hurting people, give hope to the hopeless and direction to the lost, and life to the dying--but they want to do all these wonderful things without mentioning the name of Jesus Christ, without affirming His claims, without any meaningful evangelism. Many of these are sponsored by Christian ministers and churches. I have heard of groups of churches coming together to form counseling ministries who wanted to be careful not to emphasize the Bible or overtly Christian principles. Biblical references were not to be a vital part of their approach in aiding their clients. Many people who want to aid those going through the various stages and processes of grief or involved in other specific emotional problems want to steer clear of Christian assertions or faith claims. Talk of "the resurrection and the life" is deemed too sensitive by some to bring into discussions of co-dependence. We may talk of coping with the adversities of life by using psychological terms; but whatever you do, don't dare run the risk of offending anyone by seeking to lead them to Christ or by encouraging them to join a church or become active in church activities. Theological answers to psychological and behavioral questions are taboo--seen by many as too naive and immature. I remember when I first began studying philosophy in college and again in seminary. The great questions of life were discussed in purely speculative terms and often from a highly secular perspective. The idea of God, the doctrines of Christianity, were often brushed aside as being of little interest to the serious scholar. Such notions were all right, of course, for the uneducated, but hardly suitable for the intellectual seeker or serious student. My reaction to such philosophical suggestions is the same as it is to those who would deal with the great social problems of our day by dismissing Christianity. To those who think Christianity can only be a helpful sidelight in the emotional struggles of real people, and to those who think we must be careful not to offend the non-Christian by suggesting a personal relationship to Christ, I extend my utmost sympathy and my sincere prayers. I am not a fundamentalist. I understand that we must meet people where they are, and at the point of their hurt, before we can show them the source of their real problem and satisfy their genuine need. Still, I cannot help but think back to those days in seminary when I first heard Andre Crouch sing, "Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him, there's no other, Jesus is the way." Andre Crouch was right! Jesus is the answer! And if you don't know the question, you probably wouldn't understand Jesus Christ, the Answer!