A story has been floating around the internet the last week or so about Azariah Southworth, the producer and host of a Christian music program called The Remix, who has announced that he is gay. While I don’t wish to discuss Mr. Southworth’s announcement, one of his comments gave me pause -

I know I will be cut off from many within the Christian community, and if so, then they didn’t get the point of the life of Christ. I believe by me living my life honestly and authentically now, I am able to be a better person and a better Christian.

So what is the point of the life of Christ? I would be curious to hear Mr. Southworth’s take on that statement though I am nearly sure it would make my head explode … and not in a good way. I think there is likely a great deal of confusion in the church in the 21st century as to what purpose Jesus had in coming, dying, and being raised from the dead, because rather than holding to the truth of the bible, we have allowed our message to become one that is man-centered rather than God-centered.

In today’s church, it is often about what God can do for me, what Jesus did for me, how the Holy Spirit can empower me and not about God. We are suddenly the center of the story and not God. It is about my sin, not God’s holiness. It is about keeping me out of Hell, not God’s wrath and His justice. It is about my need, not God’s love. So suddenly, we are teaching a self-centered gospel that is about us and we find that we are worshiping the idol of our own importance instead of glorying in the goodness, the righteousness, the holiness, the love of God our Father who sent His son, not so that we would make much of ourselves, but instead make much of God.