The Christianity of Christendom...takes away from
Christianity the offense, the paradox, etc., and instead of that
introduces probability, the plainly comprehensible. That is, it
transforms Christianity into something entirely different from what
it is in the New Testament, yea, into exactly the opposite; and this
is the Christianity of Christendom, of us men.” 2Christian religion is the sociological movement that is
comprised of formulated belief-systems and morality
patterns, and is structured into hierarchical political
organizations. Christianity, on the other hand, is the vital
dynamic of the Spirit of Christ in those who are receptive
to Him by faith. A Christian is a “Christ-one,” identified in
spiritual union with Jesus Christ, and Christianity is
“Christ-in-you-ity” (cf. Col. 1:27; II Cor. 13:5), as the
Spirit of Christ indwells the spirit of each Christian
individual (Rom. 8:9).
Our explanations are further complicated when we
recognize that the English word “Christianity” has as its
equivalent in the French language, the word
“christianisme.” This would tend to imply that Christianity
is some form of philosophical ...ism. Such is not the case.
Christianity is not an ...ism! Jacques Ellul, a French writer,
wrote a book entitled La Subversion du Christianisme. It
was later translated into English as The Subversion of
Christianity, 3 but this was misleading to some English