|
|
|
|
|
To find out more about The Evangelical Covenant Church , click the logo in the upper-right corner of this page |
|
|
|
Fact or Fiction: The Da Vinci Code? Seeking the Real Jesus! Since the book’s release in 2003, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has sold 40 million copies, and a motion picture version will hit theaters this week. Whereas The Passion movie last year served to heighten one’s appreciation for the Biblical truth of Christ’s sufferings, it is unfortunate and tragic that this movie will do just the opposite. Cleary, this movie will make mockery of the Biblical account of Jesus, potentially causing confusion among many world-wide as to who the real Jesus was!As a commentator from Focus on the Family suggests, “The plot deals with surprising discoveries of the ‘true’ facts about Jesus and Christian history. The book asserts that Jesus was not the divine Son of God, but a mere man whose true mission and identity have been distorted.” Regrettably, the movie asserts historical inaccuracies into the move about the life and ministry of Jesus. As for me, I much prefer the narrative of the non-fictional book called the Bible over this Hollywood fictional edition!If you go see this movie, do not be surprised to see that, according to Dan Brown, the real story of Jesus included the following: That he and Mary Magdalene were married; she bore His children; Jesus desired that she be the leader of the church; their descendants survive to this day; the teachings of Christ were hijacked and revised by power-hungry men like Peter, resulting in millions throughout history having now been misinformed about what Christianity truly is. Finally, as Brown concludes, these secrets have been known by a select few such as Leonardo DaVinci, who attempted to present these facts to the world through “clues” incorporated into his paintings. Friends, nothing could be further than the Gospel truth!In our search for the real Jesus, the New Testament ( 2 Peter 1:16) asserts that Christianity is not based on "fables." Jesus Christ’s coming was predicted in the ancient Jewish Scriptures, and His life and teachings are accurately recorded in the New Testament. The evidence confirming Jesus’ miraculous deeds, His crucifixion and subsequent physical resurrection have persuaded a countless number of people to accept Him as the one and true Savior of the world! The “blasphemous assumptions” (for that is what they are) that Mr. Brown makes in his book and subsequently includes in the movie version, do not rest upon solid historical foundations (although he presents it from the very first page that everything he suggests is based on “fact”). Brown’s agenda is clear: to tear down the historical Jesus of the Bible, and to make a mockery of Him and His ministry!Cleary in our pursuit for the real Jesus, this novel and its content simply serve to only demean and distort the core teachings of the Christian faith. The search for the real Jesus begins with Scripture.It is my prayer that those who know the real Jesus personally through faith will not be shaken in their faith as a result of seeing this movie. It is also my prayer that those who are still searching for the real Jesus do not fall for this fictional and blasphemous version of Jesus, for the Jesus presented in The Da Vinci Code is NOT the Jesus of the authoritative Word of God we call the Bible! The mission of Jesus was not, as Brown contends, “procreation,” but rather salvation for mankind from sin and its eternal consequences. Thankfully, Jesus was sent “just at the right time” (Galatians 4:4) to provide us redemption and the forgiveness of sins.So what should we believe? The fiction of The Da Vinci Code or the facts of Scripture? The answer is an easy one, for the former is based on a mere man’s speculation and anti-Christian agenda, while the latter is based on God’s revelation. The only real Jesus and the real truth of who He was and still is today for us lies in the truth of God’s Word.Do you seek to know this real Jesus personally? If so, read the Gospel of John as a starting point. Take notice of the 16th verse of the 3rd chapter. This is why Jesus was sent! Additionally, feel free to email or call me as well if you so desire. I’d be happy to talk with you about how you can know the real Jesus too!Pastor John DeLancey |
