Christianity in the U.S. is dead.

Jesus asked if He would find faith on the earth when He returns, and in the U.S. it’s looking like the answer is largely “No.”

Barna released some new survey results recently regarding our worldview. They do this one every few years to track changing opinions over time, and are gracious enough to separate born-again Christians from non-Christians. Because for right now I’m not really interested in what non-Christians think about the tenants of Christianity.

It doesn’t surprise me, for example, that 60% of American adults believe Jesus Probably sinned. Was does send up red flags, though, is that about a third of born-again Christians (38%) don’t believe Jesus was sinless.

Other craziness includes:

• 60% of “born again” adults think Satan isn’t real.
• 53% of “born again” adults aren’t ready to give up on the idea that you can get into heaven by being good.
• 46% of “born again” adults believe in absolute moral truth.
• Almost a quarter (21%) don’t believe the Bible is completely true.

I’m not going to write a volume on theology, here – because I’m not qualified. But can we just take a minute on Jesus’ supposed sin, for a second? Because this blows my mind.

The consequence for sin is death. God is perfect. Sin can’t hang out with God – like darkness can’t hang out with light. In the Old Testament (before Jesus), only the high priest could enter God’s presence once a year and he had to make sure all of his sin was taken care of first. If he went in with sin on him, he dropped dead. Occupational hazard.

So – still Old Testament – if you sinned (and you do), you sacrificed an animal in your place. The animal took the punishment. Hence the term “scape goat.” Not just any mangy animal, though, it had to be spotless – as approved by a priest. If I stole and totaled your BMW (pretend you have a BMW), and tried to make it up to you by giving you a beat-up crotch rocket you’d punch me in the face. Doesn’t work like that.

Jesus came and lived and taught and healed and died in your place because people can’t sacrifice sheep fast enough to make up for every perverted thought or un-loving word, and because He’s so in to you He wanted to make it really, really easy for you to hang out. Just like the goats, though, He had to be spotless, and – if you’ll remember – neither Pilate nor Herod could find any fault with Him.

He didn’t do the whole raise-from-the-dead-three-days-later thing ’cause He felt like it, either. He’s fully God, but He’s also fully man. Men die and they stay there because – review – the consequence of sin is death. Jesus coming out of the tomb wasn’t just a cool trick or a random miracle to prove something – He had to come out of the tomb because He hadn’t sinned and therefore shouldn’t have died.

If Jesus wasn’t sinless He’d still be in a tomb somewhere in the Middle East, the disciples would have eventually gone back to being fishermen and tax collectors, and you and I are going to hell forever because there aren’t enough goats to save us at this point. If Jesus sinned, it didn’t work and we’re all screwed.

So fine, I did write a volume, but come on guys. If Jesus sinned why do any of us bother? If Jesus sinned I’m not born again, and neither are you. Thelogy 101. Read Romans and find a better church.