It is truly shocking that anyone would accept Dan Brown's book as a legitimate challenge to historical Christian claims that Jesus is Lord and Christ. Let’s examine Brown's central assertion: "almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false."

This statement is made because of a single meeting of bishops in 325, at the city of Nicea. Brown asserts that these church leaders, in an attempt to consolidate power, created a view of Christ and infallible Scripture that never existed prior to that time. Is that true?

The Council at Nicea is an important event. The early church was at a crossroads of sorts. Alexandrian theologian, Arius, was arguing that Jesus was a remarkable leader but not God in the flesh. Arius, like many today, attempted to prove his assertion by twisting Scripture. It’s the old “tail looking for a dog to wag!” He has an assertion. He tries to find support for it by taking Scriptures out of context!

Brown wrongly assumes Arius’ view is an accurate portrayal of early Christians' view of Christ. And, if Scripture had no authority, why would Arius attempt to use Scripture to give credence to his view?

Early Christians worshipped Jesus as the risen Savior and Lord. Before the church adopted official doctrinal creeds, early Christian leaders developed a set of summaries termed the "Rule" or "Canon" of Faith, which affirmed the truth that Jesus was divine. The canon of a prominent second-century bishop Irenaeus took this view from 1 Corinthians 8:6:

"Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ."

The Greek term here—Lord, Kyrios—was used by the Greeks to denote divinity. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint, pre-dating Christ), this term became the preferred substitution for "Jahweh," the holy name of God. The Romans also used it for their emperor. The first-century Jewish writer Josephus tells us that the Jews refused the term for the emperor for one reason: only God himself was kyrios.

Christians took over the term kyrios and applied it directly to Jesus. They did this from the earliest days of the church. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians quotes the Old Testament blatantly substituting the name for God with the name of Jesus! Early Christians did also in the early extra-canonical Christian book, the Didache, which scholars agree was written no later than the late 100s. In this book you will find even the early Aramaic-speaking Christians referring to Jesus as Lord.

So, Brown's claim that Scripture was altered AFTER Nicea is historically inaccurate!

Pre-Nicene Christians petitioned God in Christ's name and baptized in the name of the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit proving once again that early Christians acknowledged Jesus as God. The Council of Nicea only affirms pre-existing and standard Christian beliefs.

Brown’s book is correctly classified. It is fiction!

We’ve all been around certain Christians that appear to have wisdom beyond their years. We instantly recognize they have a “sense” about them. They know the right things to say. They have a way with people, relationships, and situations.

These persons are often sought out for advice. They clearly see the things of God. They know right words when someone is struggling or seeking God. What is it? What gives them this unique insight? Is it training or experience?

It starts with knowledge. There is an experiential knowledge developed over time, but that’s not it entirely. There is a knowledge that comes from intellectually knowing Scripture and the God of Scripture, but that’s not it entirely either. It's more a relational knowledge that comes from knowing Jesus as Savior, Lord, Guide, Comforter, Counselor and Friend. Then, there is supernatural wisdom added to this knowledge that helps them properly apply what they know.

Supernatural wisdom comes only from God, through prayer. There are insights God can give that no person or book can give you, not even the Bible. There are things God can teach you that no can live long enough, or experience enough, to learn on their own. There are things God can help you see that no eye has seen. There are things God will let you hear that no ear has heard.

Seek the knowledge and wisdom from above. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father.

Cesar Milan is called the “Dr. Phil for dogs.” His therapy doesn't stop with pets. He boasts that he "trains humans and rehabilitates dogs". He knows that animals have a different psychology from humans. He constantly touts the importance of rules, boundaries, and limitations for healthy relationships between humans and canines.

Children especially need rules, boundaries, and limitations applied early. If a child is allowed to be out-of-control during the terrible twos, don’t expect behavior to improve as the child ages. The tantrums have great potential to become more violent and dangerous with age! Boundaries and rules, placed and enforced early, will help children grow with the expectation of limits throughout life.

Dogs and children need appropriate boundaries applied early (with consistent discipline for misbehavior) from calm-assertive pack leaders. Healthy boundaries with rules for relationship and consistent consequences help children grow into adulthood having reasonable expectations.

Tithing one-tenth of everything one owns is an Old Testament concept for supporting the temple priesthood. The New Testament promotes the idea of free-will offerings for needy saints.

Jesus’ ministry was funded largely by wealthy women. It’s true. We are introduced early in the New Testament to the idea of free-will offerings.

In the early life of the first church, at Jerusalem, everyone pooled their resources. Men full of the Holy Spirit were entrusted to oversee and distribute these funds and goods. Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, lose their lives in the early church when they hold back a certain amount from the sale of a piece of property. They are condemned, not for holding back funds, but for lying to the Holy Spirit. Listen closely to Peter:

“Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal?” (Acts 5:4)

Everything we own belongs to us. God blesses us with our resources and he trusts us with their disposal. When we first came to God he asked us to give him everything. Then he handed it back and commanded us:

“Now, go and use all for my glory.”

So, where do churches get the authority to command a weekly tithe offering if the New Testament promotes a free-will offering? Good question. It comes from a misapplication of I Corinthians 16: 1, 2.

“Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up…”

This Scripture is often quoted as a command for the church collection plate to be passed weekly in the assembly. What they do not quote is the last half of this Scripture. Paul gives the reason for his command:

“…so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.”

If this applies to us today, then the gift we collect must go in trusted hands to the needy saints in Jerusalem! This was a ONE TIME gift promised from the Gentile churches to the needy saints in Jerusalem experiencing a famine. After Paul stops by and picks up their gift, they are under NO obligation to take up another collection the next Sunday! Paul later says that he is even hesitant to command them to send their gift. He does so only because they had promised to give to the saints in Jerusalem. His command is actually a reminder for them to keep a promise! It has no authority today. It is not given by Paul with that intent! There is no New Testament authority for commanding a weekly offering in the assembly.

In the assembly where I worship, there is no passing of the plate! We have a box in the back for anyone who wishes to give. There are no sermons on giving to make one feel guilty or obligated. There is no coercion. And, we have never failed to meet our budget.

God desires we give “as each determines in his own heart…for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:5-11.)

This statement is often meant to encourage persons to attend church, somewhere. But, there are several flaws in its reasoning.

You may join a denomination, but Christ’s church is not something you choose to join. Christ’s church is something you are! When you receive Christ's “birth from above”, God adds you to his family. You become a part of the spiritual body of Christ. You cannot join it. You can only be born into it! (Or, should I say "reborn"?)

When you are added to the body of Christ, you are expected to gather weekly with other family members. You are expected to assemble for corporate worship and mutual encouragement. Assembled or not, you remain IN the body of Christ, his church. Assembled in a denominational service or in your living room with family and friends, you are still part of the body of Christ, his church, if you actually belong to him.

Just before Christ died, he stood in Galilee on a large outcropping of rock. He proclaimed, “Upon this rock, I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” He wasn't going to build a denomination! He was stating that the grave would not prevent his Kingdom from coming to earth. Immediately after his resurrection, he told Mary to inform Peter and the rest that he was going to Galilee. Paul writes that Jesus appeared to 500 persons in one gathering, see I Corinthians 15. I believe Galilee was the place of the first gathering of his church. His church started on that large outcropping of rock following his resurrection (see Matthew 16).

After Jesus had returned to heaven, Peter stands and preaches the gospel (Acts 2). Three thousand persons respond. Luke says God continued to add daily those being saved. God added them to the already existing church of Christ and gave them his Spirit to make them his children. He continues to add family members today. He does the adding! He decides who is in and who is out of relationship with him.

You may choose to join a denomination and never be added to Christ’s church. You may be a member of Pastor Bob's church yet never be a member of Christ’s church. You may go to liturgical services and denominational meetings all your life but never be in Christ’s body. You may get thrown out of a denominational church but remain a faithful member of Christ's church!

Christ’s church follows Jesus. Christ’s church centers worship on Christ, not men. Christ’s church owns no property. Christ’s church is part of God's universal spiritual Kingdom. Christ’s church is not about liturgical services, traditional hymns, choirs and choruses, or man-made creeds! These are matters of men. These are part of traditional or cultural Christianity and matters of personal preference. Please don’t confuse the two. You can participate in all of these and never be in Christ’s body! You can participate in all of them and your heart STILL be far from God. You can participate in NONE of them and reside daily in God's presence.

Denominations require tithing. Christ’s church requires 100% of everything you are and own. Denominations are concerned with organizational committees, Bible schools, budgets, pastoral alliances and doctrinal allegiances. Christ’s church is about taking up your cross daily.

Join the DENOMINATION of your choice, but realize Christ’s church is not about religion. Christ’s church is about your relationship to God in Christ!