Why Are So Many Christians Deconstructing Their Faith?

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Two years ago I wrote a post “4 Reasons Christians Lose Their Faith“, a post that I’ve taken a lot of heat for in the comments section.

Since that time, we’ve seen several more prominent Christians do what they call “deconstructing” their faith.

There are three things I have observed about this process, as well as have experienced when I speak out about what I’m seeing.

• Those who are deconstructing their faith often exhibit a superiority because of their freedom to question God’s Word, their questioning of the existence of hell, their support of the LGBTQ+ community, and their engagement in social justice.
• When these Christians engage in deconstructing, they feel the need to announce it to the Christian community, much of which is supportive of this process. Something I find puzzling and disturbing.
• Those of us who have spoken out against deconstruction and the ex-evangelical community are attacked for our opinions on why this is happening, and our use of Scripture is dismissed because Scripture, itself, is up for question.
• Those who are not deconstructing are, in fact, not welcome into the discourse because we who are not open to deconstruction cannot understand those who are, therefore we do not have a right to an opinion

Actually, as firm believers in Christ, and in the inerrancy of God’s Word, we should not be taken by surprise when even prominent Christians begin deconstructing their faith and, as often happens, completely abandon their faith in God.

The Bible tells us this will happen in the last days.

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first…

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

Why Are So Many Christians Deconstructing Their Faith?

Today we wrap up our final study through the book of Isaiah; which ends with prophecies about the last days, about Christ’s second coming, and about heaven.

But if we believe in a righteous God, if we believe in a holy God, then our belief demands that we believe there will be those who cannot, by their unrighteous and unholy lives, enter heaven.

This belief demands that we recognize that there are those on earth who have never, and perhaps will never, acknowledge the supremacy of God, and live selfish, sinful, and evil lives that demand God’s eternal justice.

However, there are those who want to dilute God’s righteousness and holiness by questioning how a loving God could send people to hell.

They excuse large portions of the Bible away by referring to them as allegorical and cultural; they say that the Bible contains God’s Word, but couldn’t possibly be God’s Word.

They claim that because man penned God’s Word, that their human nature polluted God’s Word, so it’s not completely without error.

There are many ways Christians have found to excuse away the inerrancy of God’s Word, thereby releasing them from having to keep all of the commands of Scripture.

In their refusal to submit to God as supreme; in their rebellion against His complete Lordship, they have crafted a permissive god in their own likeness.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man…Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Romans 1:20-25

We see a similar statement in Isaiah 66:4

God begins this chapter by asking His people, “Where do you plan to build my house and how do plan to do it? Because I’m so huge that the seat of my throne is in heaven and the floor of my throne room is on earth. How do you suppose you can impress me by building me a home with things that I, Myself, created?”

He is already announcing that there will be a day when His home will be in the hearts of mankind.

He goes on to say, “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my Word.” Isaiah 66:2

We see similar statements about being poor in spirit and of a contrite heart in the Psalms and in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

But then he turns and gives a stern warning in Isaiah 66:3 to those who are not poor in spirit, who do not have a contrite heart, and who do not tremble at His Word.

These people still engage in spiritual actions, but their hearts are arrogant and rebellious, and they have no fear of God in them.

And God says, “So will I choose their delusions, and bring their fears on them; because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear; but they did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.” Isaiah 66:4

He says that when they come before His altar to bring a sacrifice, they behave without reverence and sincerity; and even do so in pagan ways, and actually delight in their sin.

So, He had no choice but to give them up to their delusions. Paul talks about this too, in 2 Thessalonians 2.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

Dear sisters, we must have a love for the truth. If we don’t love the truth – God’s Word being the source of all truth – God will have no choice to give us over to strong delusion, that we should believe the lie.

And what happens when we are given over to strong delusion?

We will be condemned and perish.

What we see and read about in these final chapters in Isaiah is a warning of God’s righteous judgement, His promise of heaven, and the execution of His judgement.

For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For behold, the Lord will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.

‘For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me’, says the Lord, ‘So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the Lord. ‘And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.’

Isaiah 66:15-16, 22-24

Hell is real. Matthew 25:41-45, Mark 9:44, Luke 12:4-5, Revelation 14:11

But heaven is also real. And God’s desire is for all mankind to live with Him eternally in heaven. But that desire does not overshadow His holiness and justice.

His desire for us to live with Him in Paradise does not tempt Him to compromise His Word.

His holiness and righteousness is as pure as His love, and they demand that same purity in us. A purity that is only attained by recognizing our own inability to attain that purity on our own.

We must humble ourselves with a contrite heart, acknowledging our own destitute spirit, allowing the blood of Jesus to cleanse us, and submitting ourselves to the complete Lordship of God in our lives.

When we do this; when we refuse to form a likeness of God in our own image, but instead submit to the God we see in the Scriptures, we will have our names written in the Book of Life and enjoy an eternity in Heaven with Him!