Recently, I saw a statement from the current editor of Christianity Today, Russell Moore, discussing the crisis facing the church today that even pastors in the evangelical church are getting accused of preaching liberal talking points by simply quoting Jesus verbatim from the gospels. A bit of an ironic day when Moore and I agree on much other than Jesus and Calvin being important. Nevertheless, I cannot argue with a very clear problem in the church that we have honestly been facing for quite some time.

Having served for most of my life in the southern half of the eastern seaboard, I learned how to argue scripture from an early age. I even married a good ole southern baptist (recovering) who taught me all about that beloved Sunday School game, “Draw Your Swords.” For much of my career the correct question was always, “Is it Biblical?”

Except, there are so many things that are biblical.

Slavery. Biblical.

Child abuse. Biblical.

Condoned genocide. Biblical.

In fact, almost every major atrocity in history has had biblical backing.

Racism. Sexism. Bigotry. Classism. Xenophobia. Just to name some old standards.

All of these are alive and well today. All of them can be backed with biblical passages.

And every single one can also be shot down by passages, too.

Which begs the question, how in the world do we decide?

For some of us, oddly enough, those of us who are descended from a thinker called John Calvin, we test everything, even the scriptures, through the only ineffable Word of God – Jesus Christ. What he said. What he did.

So the real question has never been is it biblical. The true question is this: is it Christ-like?

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 3:35)