Change with the times?

I read a comment the other day that said Christianity should be changing with the times. That really made me stop and think. How would it be possible for Christianity to "change with the times" without fundamentally changing Christianity?

I think the reason that Christianity has stayed so consistent throughout time is that we worship an unchanging God. We don't worship a God who's mood changes with the seasons or that is dependent upon the stars. We worship a God that is consistent, unchanging.

John 3:16 says, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life". The fundamental belief of Christianity is that God sent his son into the world to save the world. How is it possible to change that cornerstone and not change Christianity? If the solid belief of the church is that Christ came to die for us, then we cannot change with the times unless we change our foundation. God knew that giving human beings choice would create a measure of havoc, but he also had a way for us to overcome that. His son.

I think the verse that follows John 3:16 is perhaps even more important, but much less quoted. John 3:17 says "For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved". The foundation of Christianity is not condemnation, but salvation. A church that doesn't preach God's salvation has already changed with the times. If we water down the message of Christianity, then we might as well not have Christianity at all.

I go through moments of ups and downs in my walk with the Lord. When I am being stretched and pulled in so many directions, I wonder how I will ever stay strong in my beliefs. There are so many options in our world, so many choices that seem like a "good" choice. I know that the power to stand only comes from one place - the power of God that has been given room to grow in my life. Power that God gives because I choose to place my belief in him.

I don't want Christianity to change with whatever wind happens to be blowing through society. I want the foundation of Christ to always be evident through the church. Yes, the way we do church may change - the songs we sing, the instruments we use, the way we take our offering - but the foundation of Christ must always remain. The knowledge that the only way to the Father is through is his son must always be in the forefront of who we are and what we do. If we lose that, we lose our purpose. We lose our passion.