How can Christianity be true, considering the evils committed by Christians throughout history?

This text is from a letter written by David Gooding.

Thank you very much for your letter; and thank you for your frankness in telling me how difficult you find it to believe Christianity to be true when you see how very badly Christians behave, and have behaved all down the centuries.

I will say at once that your criticisms are well justified; and in my reply, I shall make no attempt to excuse Christians' bad behaviour. Nor shall I claim that I am right and all other Christians are wrong. I, too, am a sinner, and full of failures, though saved by the grace of Christ. I say with the Apostle Paul: 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief' (1 Timothy 1:15).

Perhaps you are not yet familiar with the New Testament. On the other hand, I do not wish to impose my interpretation of the New Testament on you. Please allow me, then, to point out to you a number of passages in the New Testament, and to ask you to read them carefully. I shall briefly tell you what I think they mean; but then I shall ask you what you think they mean.

Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43: the parable of the Wheat and the Tares

I think Christ meant that, in the course of the centuries, there would come to be mixed in with true Christians many people who profess to be Christians—who may even look like Christians—but who are not true Christians at all.

This is what I think. But what do you think Christ meant?

Matthew 7:21–27

I think Christ meant that many people who claim to be preachers of Christ's gospel are not true servants of Christ at all. At the Judgment Day, he will disown them.

What do you think he meant?

Luke 12:41–48

I think Christ meant that, in the course of the centuries, there would be men holding high office in the Christian church who would lead dissolute lives themselves, and oppress and maltreat their fellow Christians.

What do you think he meant?

James 2:19

I think this means that mere intellectual belief that there is One True God is of little use. The demons believe in God (N.B. there are no atheists in hell); they know the facts and they cannot ignore them. But their belief does not correct their sinful behaviour. Their belief is useless. It is possible for men and women similarly to believe in God's existence without allowing their belief to save them from their sinful way of life.

What do you think this passage means?

John 3:1–21

I think that Christ here teaches us that even good religion is not enough. Nicodemus was a good and godly man, an expert in the Old Testament and a highly respected Bible teacher. He had, moreover, undergone all the rites and ceremonies laid down by the Old Testament, both as a baby and as an adult. But Christ told him that all that was not enough. To see and to enter the kingdom of God, he must be born from above, born of the Spirit, through personal faith in Christ. He must receive new spiritual life from God. Without this personal experience, people are not true Christians.

What do you think is the meaning of Christ's teaching here?

Acts 9:1–16; Philippians 3:1–11

I think that these passages show that religion, unaccompanied by personal faith in Christ, can be a very dangerous thing. It can foster a man's pride, cruelty, hatred and persecution of other people. Saul of Tarsus was a very religious man who thought he had to earn salvation by his good works. But his zeal for his religion led him bitterly to persecute other people, who believed in the same God as he did.

But after he discovered what it means to be saved through faith in Christ, he never persecuted any one again, not Christians, nor Jews, nor any one at all.

I think that this is a clear example of what it means to be a true Christian.

What do you think?

Matthew 26:51–52; John 18:36; 2 Corinthians 10:4

I think that these passages absolutely forbid Christians to use physical weapons and violence in order to propagate, or to defend, the Christian faith. The Crusaders, therefore, were acting in complete disobedience to Christ when they attacked the Turks because they were Muslims, let alone Constantinople.

What do you think these passages mean?

Now one piece of advice: if you are serious in your desire to know what true Christianity is, first seek Christ himself. Read what he says in the New Testament. Pray to him and ask him to reveal himself to you. He loves you personally. He died for you to secure your forgiveness, peace with God and eternal life. He has a great salvation for you. Don't miss that salvation by looking at people who profess to be Christians, instead of looking to the living Saviour himself.

With sincere love in Christ,