The Catastrophic Castration of Christianity

What does a bull without testicles, a Red Bull without caffeine and Christianity without the work of Christ, all have in common?

A great hulk of an animal is a bull, muscles bulging everywhere. Neck as thick and tough as a tyre.

The iconic blue and silver slimline tin that gives you wings - it can only be Red Bull.

And Christianity with all the trimmings: social action projects, exciting evening classes, real coffee and stonking great sermons (live-streamed every Sunday).

But all three could be missing their key ingredient and you might not notice.

To be fair, a bull without its balls could probably pull a plough, destroy a fence or even kill you.

And a Red Bull without caffeine still refreshes and re-hydrates and tastes identical.

It is also true that Christianity without Christ's work (his death and resurrection) has the potential to end up looking identical to the real thing. Its followers could be nice people, who care about injustice, make a tangible difference and meet in happy churches. In fact they really could, even without Christ, make the world a better place.

But if I was a beef or dairy farmer looking to grow my herd, I wouldn’t buy a bull without its family jewels. Why would I? It may look impressive but one thing I know it will never do is impregnate a cow. It cannot reproduce. In fact, it can mate as much as it likes, but a bull without its nuts has no potential to create new life. The farmer’s intention or the bull’s desire won’t change a thing. The bull will never be a father!

But I wouldn’t judge the poor emasculated thing for this, there would be no point in that. He may still have some value - but for something and someone very different. Maybe as a pet, a showpiece, a trophy. But for those concerned with reproducing life, he is worthless.

I’m sorry to say it but Christianity and its secret sauce - as defined by its own founder - has become so very similar to the situation I have described above. It is crude and hard to talk about, I know.

Rejecting or dumbing down the unique work of Christ in dying as a sacrifice for humanity is omitting the key ingredient. Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends, was horrified at the idea that Jesus might suffer and die and attempted to shut it all down. Jesus’ response? He told him to get out of the way.

Jesus knew it was His death and subsequent resurrection that was to be the secret ingredient of Christianity which changes it from being a pet hobby, a showpiece or a trophy to being something that is literally life-giving and catalytic.

The God-man never gave his followers (or onlookers) permission to luxuriate in choosing a few noble actions and calling it ‘being Christian’. Or to curate a lifestyle based on one or two favourable themes of his teachings.

Christ’s invitation is for a complete spiritual heart transplant or nothing - that’s the deal.

And the gift is exclusively for those who want it. Believe and accept him for who he said he was - The Son of God - and receive the gift he said he could offer.

Do this, say the Holy Scriptures, and you'll get a new spiritual heart.

You will WAKE UP to your creator.

It is the work of Christ, not Christianity the religion with its varied bells and whistles, that has the ability to produce new spiritual life, as defined by its founder.

And it really does have the potential to not only impact the world in visible ways but to bring about brand new life.

Listen, no one is going to stop you from buying a castrated bull from the cattle market; nor a caffeine-free Red Bull from the side shop. Go ahead. Just don’t start a farm or be hoping for an energy boost.

And by all means follow the moral teachings of Christ and attend a feel-good-factor church. Just know that a key ingredient could be missing and you might not find out until it’s a little too late.

If in doubt, examine the undercarriage of the animal, check his medical log book.

Read the back of the tin…

And for God’s sake, read the handbook!