How in the world did we get here?
In the last article I addressed the problem of apathy in our churches. If you haven’t read the previous article, “The immunization of the Gospel,” you should read it as it sets up the need for this follow up.
David was expressing a very important and overlooked principle when he said these words in I Chronicles 21:24. “No, I insist on paying the full price, I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
David knew that he had offended the Lord and he must make an offering to the Lord so he asked Araunah to let him use his threshing floor as a place to make this sacrifice. Araunah offered to give David the wood and oxen for the sacrifice as a gift. This is what precipitated David’s response that “Unless something costs you, it is not a sacrifice.”
Herein lays the problem within the church today. Christians have been offered cheap grace and they have whole heartedly accepted it. When something has been given to you which costs very little or nothing it is human nature to treat it with little or no esteem, or maybe even contempt.
The gospel today is promoted as easy, just believe, or mentally assent to its claims and your eternal home will be in Heaven, after all God loves everyone unconditionally and as a result forgives everyone unconditionally.
Another factor that has influenced “Cheap Grace,” is the doctrine that many churches push today preaching that Christians are eternally secure. There is nothing that they can do to lose their eternal destiny.
Knowing human nature, what effect would you expect that this teaching would have on the Church? It would be like a parent feeding junk food to their child everyday and then wondering why the kid is overweight.
I believe that this doctrine promotes apathy in the lives of Christians. If I am eternally secure, I can live for myself and allow God to fit into my life wherever and whenever there is space available and that pretty much describes most church goers today. If and when it is convenient, I pay some attention to God.
This whole modern day philosophy is completely contrary to the teaching of the New Testament.
Listen to what Jesus has to say about this idea of “Faith of Convenience” in Mathew 10:38&39. “Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Paul in writing to the early Christian Church in Rome addresses the same requirements when he says that the very least that you can do is to offer your bodies as living sacrifices. Romans 12:1. In II Corinthians 5:15 he tells that Church that since Jesus died for us we should no longer live for ourselves but to live for him. In Colossians 3:5 he tells that Church to put to death our earthly nature.
So, what will it take to turn the church around so its people live for God and not for themselves?
Church history records for us that the Church grows stagnant, apathetic, and ineffective during times of prosperity, but grows strong and very effective during times of persecution and trouble. Isn’t it interesting that many churches promote the idea that unless you are prosperous, God is not blessing you, and they wonder why there is so much apathy in their churches?
Hard times will bring the Church together and purge out its luke-warm apathetic followers.
Surgery is never pleasant and spiritual surgery will be no less. When trouble comes, and it will, let’s “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you have trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2,3
“Blessed is the man who preservers under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 11:12
What kind of church is God looking for, a weak, apathetic one, or a strong mature one? I think that He has our best interests in mind and there is only one way to achieve them.
Keep the faith brothers and sisters, there are better days ahead.
David was expressing a very important and overlooked principle when he said these words in I Chronicles 21:24. “No, I insist on paying the full price, I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
David knew that he had offended the Lord and he must make an offering to the Lord so he asked Araunah to let him use his threshing floor as a place to make this sacrifice. Araunah offered to give David the wood and oxen for the sacrifice as a gift. This is what precipitated David’s response that “Unless something costs you, it is not a sacrifice.”
Herein lays the problem within the church today. Christians have been offered cheap grace and they have whole heartedly accepted it. When something has been given to you which costs very little or nothing it is human nature to treat it with little or no esteem, or maybe even contempt.
The gospel today is promoted as easy, just believe, or mentally assent to its claims and your eternal home will be in Heaven, after all God loves everyone unconditionally and as a result forgives everyone unconditionally.
Another factor that has influenced “Cheap Grace,” is the doctrine that many churches push today preaching that Christians are eternally secure. There is nothing that they can do to lose their eternal destiny.
Knowing human nature, what effect would you expect that this teaching would have on the Church? It would be like a parent feeding junk food to their child everyday and then wondering why the kid is overweight.
I believe that this doctrine promotes apathy in the lives of Christians. If I am eternally secure, I can live for myself and allow God to fit into my life wherever and whenever there is space available and that pretty much describes most church goers today. If and when it is convenient, I pay some attention to God.
This whole modern day philosophy is completely contrary to the teaching of the New Testament.
Listen to what Jesus has to say about this idea of “Faith of Convenience” in Mathew 10:38&39. “Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Paul in writing to the early Christian Church in Rome addresses the same requirements when he says that the very least that you can do is to offer your bodies as living sacrifices. Romans 12:1. In II Corinthians 5:15 he tells that Church that since Jesus died for us we should no longer live for ourselves but to live for him. In Colossians 3:5 he tells that Church to put to death our earthly nature.
So, what will it take to turn the church around so its people live for God and not for themselves?
Church history records for us that the Church grows stagnant, apathetic, and ineffective during times of prosperity, but grows strong and very effective during times of persecution and trouble. Isn’t it interesting that many churches promote the idea that unless you are prosperous, God is not blessing you, and they wonder why there is so much apathy in their churches?
Hard times will bring the Church together and purge out its luke-warm apathetic followers.
Surgery is never pleasant and spiritual surgery will be no less. When trouble comes, and it will, let’s “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you have trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2,3
“Blessed is the man who preservers under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 11:12
What kind of church is God looking for, a weak, apathetic one, or a strong mature one? I think that He has our best interests in mind and there is only one way to achieve them.
Keep the faith brothers and sisters, there are better days ahead.
posted by Jim Burton at 7:40 AM
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