GREG CALKO If we change his rules, we cause God pain

Just a few weeks ago, Christians worldwide joyously celebrated Christ's Resurrection and his victory over death.
He gloriously and victoriously fought many battles in the war for our souls. Temptation, spiritual and physical suffering, pain and agony were no match for the love that He has for us. Jesus fulfilled a divine mission, carefully planned out from the beginning of time. That one extreme act of love forever removed the sting of death for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ. In essence, he bled and died for the church, for that body of believers who call themselves Christians.
The real church
Although that one act is forever sufficient and his work was finished, one has to wonder if the pain and agony he endured might still continue for our Lord. For the church, that same church that Jesus Christ loved enough to die for, seems barely recognizable today. Of course the buildings are readily visible, as there is probably a church building with a tall steeple and a cross within a few miles of where you live. However, the real church, those people who assemble to worship our Lord in those beautiful buildings, are what most folks have trouble recognizing.
Statistics, entertainment and media resources all reveal that willful sin is just as pervasive among individuals identifying themselves as "Christian" as it is among nonbelievers. Lay and clergy members of the church alike now openly and heatedly debate moral issues and topics that were once properly debated strictly in the political forum. Sadly, many times the end result is a lowering of the God-given standards that we have abided by for thousands of years. In addition, matters of the heart such as apathy, worldliness, indifference and callousness are also contributing to the decline of the church.
It's God's word
How are we addressing these problems? Some have chosen to become lawmakers instead of law takers and broaden what is socially and morally acceptable. Although we humans can seek to redefine sin, God's definition remains forever unchanged. I am unsure if the percentage of Christians who believe this to be true has declined, or if those who think the opposite have become more vocal.
Indeed, it is now quite fashionable to label as a "fundamentalist" that individual who believes that the only correct definition is the Biblical one.
Surely, there can be only one truth. Your truth, my truth or God's Truth? Which one have you placed your faith in?
XGreg Calko is a certified lay speaker, a member of the Berlin Center United Methodist Church and president of the Youngstown District United Methodist Men.