Category Archives: Faith

Faith

Salvation & Discipleship: Two Halves to a Whole Faith

2 Comments

Irrespective of your age, ethnicity, citizenship, upbringing, wealth, or social status, you’ve likely given some thought to God and wondered what happens after you die. And if you’re like most people you’ve probably invested time reflecting on whether heaven exists and what requirements, if any, God demands from those who want to spend eternity with Him.

In your search for answers you may have studied various religions and spiritual texts to understand what God wants from you. Your research may have concluded that securing a place in heaven requires adherence to strict rules, being a moral person, or ensuring your good deeds outweigh your bad. You likely learned that most religions teach that you must earn your way to heaven and work hard to receive God’s mercy. Fortunately, none of this is true.

The fact is we cannot earn salvation. No matter how good our deeds, how holy our lives, or how hard we try, we will never do enough to merit eternal life. Why? Because God has established a standard of perfection to enter heaven. A single sin, then, separates us from God and operates as a barrier to eternal life.

Don’t despair, though, all is not lost. It turns out the truth is much better than having to work your way to heaven. God offers His love, mercy, and forgiveness (as well as eternal life) to anyone who wants it, irrespective of who they are, what they’ve done, or where they’re from. Best of all, God offers salvation without condition – it is a free gift. Scripture explains it like this: “For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV).

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a cost. On the contrary, the cost is quite high. How is that possible? To comprehend this apparent dichotomy we need to understand the relationship between the gift of salvation and the cost of discipleship. They are not mutually exclusive concepts but rather two-halves to a whole and healthy faith. Let’s examine what God’s word says about both to discern how these truths co-exist in the Christian faith.

Basics of Salvation:

1] Repent. Repentance represents the first step to a renewed relationship with God. Both Jesus and John the Baptist initiated their ministries with a call to repentance, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2 and 4:17, NKJV). Repentance requires confessing our sins and asking for God’s forgiveness.

2] Place your faith in Jesus. Only the blood of Jesus removes the stain of sin from our lives and only His sacrificial death on the cross fulfills the requirement of the law. Jesus died that we might live for eternity. In fact, Scripture states, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NLT). Jesus removed any doubt about the singular path to salvation when he exclaimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, NKJV). Later, after Jesus’ resurrection, the apostle Peter explained that Jesus “is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through His name” (Acts 10:43, NLT).

3] Confess and Believe. Embrace Jesus as Lord of your life. The apostle Paul tells us how: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Romans 10:9-10, NLT).

We must believe and proclaim Jesus is Lord, and that belief must flow from the heart. This is critical because only then will we readily embrace all of Jesus’ teachings and pursue with joy the basics of discipleship outlined below. If our belief is limited to our intellect or emotions, we will reject Jesus’ claim on our lives.

4] Surrender your life to Christ. This is as critical an element of faith as any above, yet for some reason preachers, pastors, and priests often neglect it. Certainly the gift of salvation resonates with more people if we ignore this component of authentic faith. But to do so is to undermine the message of the cross. Besides, if we really believe with our heart that Jesus is Lord then we will enthusiastically surrender our lives to Him – knowing that He first surrendered His life for us.

The apostle Paul provided a clear articulation of this principle and how it relates to faith and grace in his letter to the church at Philippi. After outlining the many advantages he enjoyed before his conversion (wealth, status, power, education, and zeal) he asserts:

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:7-11, NKJV).

Paul captures beautifully the truth described earlier, that salvation is free but costs everything. On experiencing the saving grace of Christ, Paul chooses to count all things as loss. He does this not to earn salvation or God’s favor but that He might know Christ more intimately. He wants to remove all distractions and impediments from growing close to the Lord. Because his faith is genuine, he refuses to allow anything in this world to undermine it.

When we embrace Jesus as Lord with all our heart, we gladly echo Paul’s words to the church at Galatia: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NKJV).

Once you profess faith in Christ, embrace Him as Lord, and surrender your life to Him, it is time to get about the business of growing as His disciple. This involves a number of principles, many of which we have discussed in detail previously on this blog. I encourage you to review previous entries to learn more about what it means to live as Jesus’ follower. To get you started, here is a brief overview of what living as Jesus’ disciple involves.

Basics of Discipleship:

1] Cultivate your relationship with Christ. Nothing is as important to the condition of your faith as investing time nurturing a healthy, mature, intimate relationship with the Lord. Carve out time in your schedule to study the Bible, pray to God, and seek His presence on a regular basis. Create opportunities to worship and praise Him in private. Develop the habit of pursuing Him daily and make an effort to increase your time with Him as your faith matures.

2] Adopt Christ’s attributes. Embrace His standards of holiness in your speech, your conduct, your thoughts, and your relationships. Allow the Holy Spirit to transform you from someone focused on the things of this world and the desires of the flesh into someone focused on heavenly things and the desires of the Spirit. Allow Him to replace your pride with humility, your deceit with honesty, your rebellion with submission, your anger with gentleness, and your infidelity with faithfulness. Study the person of Jesus as revealed in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and follow His example in all areas of your life.

3] Treat people as Jesus did. Demonstrate the love, mercy, kindness, gentleness, patience, selflessness, forgiveness and generosity of God to the world. Many will never know God unless they see Him exhibited in our lives on a daily basis. Represent the person of Christ in a way that honors Him by caring for the hurting, the depressed, the poor, the refugee, and the rejected.

4] Evangelize and disciple others. While walking the walk is critical, it is also important to identify opportunities to verbally share the good news of Jesus with others and help them grow in their faith. Ask God to provide you opportunities each week to make known His redemptive sacrifice and unconditional love for everyone, and then capitalize on those openings – even if it costs you your friends, short-circuits your career, or jeopardizes your safety.

If you have yet to repent, trust Jesus as Lord, and surrender your life to Him, I encourage you to consider making that decision today. If you have already committed your life to Christ and are unsure how to grow in your faith, I encourage you to begin incorporating into your life the principles and practices outlined above, especially as it relates to building a robust relationship with Jesus and living as His disciple. He is calling you to follow Him, how will you respond?

Faith

Casual, Cultural Christianity is Corroding the Church

1 Comment

Polls consistently find an overwhelming majority of Americans refer to themselves as Christians. Those results seem surprisingly high against the backdrop of news stories splashed across the paper each morning and reported on by news anchors each night. Acts of greed, arrogance, hate, selfishness, violence, and debauchery appear to grow exponentially, and often in increasingly brazen ways, while acts of mercy, love, forgiveness, selflessness, humility, and self-restraint seem to occur with less and less frequency. And while the media certainly emphasizes the former while ignoring the latter, that doesn’t dismiss the fact that, as a nation and as individuals, we appear to pursue with growing regularity behaviors, attitudes, priorities, passions, and worldviews that collide head-on with God’s standards as outlined in the Bible.

How is it possible for a country to profess fidelity to Christ, claim to follow Him, and insist He is Lord, and yet find itself hurtling down a path of destruction littered with escalating amounts of sin? How can we reconcile the explosion of immorality crippling the nation with findings that two-thirds or more of Americans embrace Christianity? The answer lies in the type of Christianity much of the nation pursues. Many chase a casual, cultural Christianity that comports with societal standards instead of a fervent faith rooted in Scripture and aligned with Jesus’ example. The two expressions of Christianity have nothing in common, yield followers with dramatically different lifestyles, and lead to very different eternal destinations.

So what does casual, cultural Christianity look like and why does it thrive in our country? And what guidance does the Bible offer, to help us identify characteristics of this faux-faith so we can avoid embracing its dangerous doctrine? Fortunately, Scripture frequently addresses the subject of counterfeit faith and reveals its shortcomings in unambiguous terms – to keep us from falling victim to it. Does your faith mirror any of the attributes of artificial Christianity outlined below? If so, repent and ask God to restore you into a proper and healthy relationship with Him.

1] Casual, cultural Christianity focuses on self instead of God. It concerns itself with what it can get rather than what it can give. It desires (and demands) all the benefits God offers His people but dismisses His expectations and standards for them. It says yes to God’s mercy, healing, forgiveness, salvation, and material blessings but shouts no to obedience, trials, sacrifice, holiness, worship, and surrender.

Casual, cultural Christians proudly proclaim their faith but only when it drives more customers to their business, enhances their standing in the community, allows them to influence others, provides ‘cover’ to pursue secret sins, or furnishes power they can wield to advance their own agendas. In contrast, authentic believers publically profess Christ as Lord even when it costs them their job or financial security, soils their reputation in the community, results in the loss of freedom, subjects them to persecution or discrimination, or compromises their safety.

2] Casual, cultural Christians excel at talking about religion, attending church, and flattering the pastor and church leaders. But they refuse to answer God’s call on their lives and fail to follow His ways. We see an example of this in the Old Testament with God’s people, the Israelites. They happily encouraged each other to “come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord” (Ezekiel 33:30b, NKJV), publically expressing an interest in knowing God and His word and regularly attending temple services.

But God informed the prophet Ezekiel that the Israelites “sit before you as My people, and hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not do them” (Ezekiel 33:31-32, NKJV).

The Israelites said all the right things, voicing love for Ezekiel and God. But their outward enthusiasm was not matched by inward obedience. They had no intention of following God and obeying His message. Instead, they planned to pursue personal agendas predicated on selfish gain. Similarly, many of us verbalize love for Jesus in the public square but harbor ulterior motivations grounded in greed and selfishness. Emphasizing outward appearance while leaving the heart fallow has consequences, however. Like the Israelites more than two millennia ago, judgment and ruin awaits those who feign faith in Jesus.

3] Jesus confronted this disconnect directly during his discourse with the Pharisees. In response to their assertion that His disciples transgressed tradition by not washing their hands before they ate, Jesus exclaimed: “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Mark 7:6-7, NKJV).

Casual, cultural Christianity sounds authentic because it honors God with the lips. What makes it faux-faith, however, is that it proceeds from a heart filled with rebellion and ruled by self (the flesh). Casual Christians never surrender their heart, soul, and lives to God, never express genuine repentance, and never undergo a life transformation by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They simply go through the motions of the Christian faith, play church, and act religious.

Consequently, Jesus explains that whatever worship they exercise toward Him is in vain; it is worthless. They might as well not even waste their time. Unless we worship and honor God with our hearts, and not just our lips, we face the same rebuke. How do we know the difference? If we embrace as doctrine the commands of men instead of scriptural truth, then our hearts have not engaged Jesus. Unless we offer to Him our lives and not just our words, we are not truly His.

4] The ancient church of Laodicea struggled with casual Christianity. They lived compromised lives that produced diluted faith that was barren and bore no spiritual fruit. More than that, they were so far from God they failed to understand their spiritual condition. They mistook their material prosperity as a sign God was pleased with them and approved of their faith. But Jesus issued a harsh warning to them, correcting that misperception.

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked … As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:15-17, 19-20; NKJV).

In many ways the American church mirrors the Laodicean church. Too many of us possess lukewarm faith that is neither on-fire for the Lord nor offers cold refreshment to the lost and hopeless. We, too, have misinterpreted our wealth and self-sufficiency as a signal that God is pleased with us and approves of our faith. Little do we know how “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” we are in our faith.

Like the Laodicean church, we must repent and open the door of our heart to Christ and invite Him in. Then, let us take up the call of Christ and follow Him as passionate disciples. Only then will the casual, cultural Christianity that plagues the church be replaced by a healthy, energetic, and powerful faith that not only transforms our lives but also transforms the culture around us. What could be more fulfilling?

Faith

Is Jesus’ Return Imminent?

Leave a comment

For two millennia Christians have been waiting for Christ to return to earth and establish His kingdom. And for just as long His followers have viewed His second coming as very near – either on the doorstep or just around the corner. Yet time and again those expectations have been disproved with the passage of time – as the Lord remains in heaven.

But the repeated failure of earlier prognosticators hasn’t discouraged a new generation of voices from issuing their own proclamations about Jesus’ imminent return. In fact, there exists a growing consensus among many Christian leaders that the Lord is on the cusp of returning. And nothing can dampen their enthusiasm for broadcasting this fait accompli to all who would listen.

This current crop of self-styled seers avoids identifying a specific date for Jesus’ return. Instead, they employ language that asserts authoritatively that Jesus’ second coming will occur within a specific window of time, saying things like:

  • Jesus will return in my lifetime.
  • The current generation will see Jesus descend from the heavens.
  • This generation will usher in Jesus’ millennial rule.

This view has become widespread across much of Christendom. Not only are a growing number of voices with national platforms professing this perspective, more and more pastors and parishioners are embracing it as well. It has become a sort of Zeitgeist within the church. The frequency with which the topic arises during casual conversation with believers seems to grow every week.

Evidence of this trend is borne out in the marketplace. Go to any Christian bookstore and you’ll quickly realize few topics generate as much attention. The growth in resources, Bible studies, and novels focused on end times reflect an escalating interest in the subject. Indeed, a veritable cottage industry has sprung up on the subject with an increasing number of Christians claiming expertise on the topic.

Not surprisingly, a great many men and women earn a great deal of income capitalizing on this interest by marketing themselves as authorities on the subject. But whenever a subject generates substantial fame and fortune for those who set themselves up as experts, the risk of false teaching increases exponentially.

What, then, can we say with absolute certainty about Jesus’ return? What counsel does the Bible offer us about the end times? More importantly, what truths about the topic will stimulate and strengthen our faith? Let’s examine four.

1] He is coming back. Jesus alluded to His return in numerous parables and spoke of it specifically on many occasions. His lengthiest discourse on the subject occurred shortly before His crucifixion (see Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21). These passages offer a smorgasbord of insights and warnings about His return and we would do well to anchor our eschatology to them.

In the book of Revelation Jesus informs us, “Behold, I am coming quickly.” He shares this truth three times with the apostle John to emphasize its importance and give us urgency in our lives (see Revelation 22:7, 12, 20). Jesus reiterates the point to remove any doubt about whether He will return. And that great news is worth sharing with everyone. Is there someone you know who needs to hear it?

2] No one knows the date or time. Knowing that false prophets/pastors/priests would attempt to deceive people and accumulate power by claiming to know the mystery of His return, Jesus declares, “of that day and hour no one knows; neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is” (Mark 13:32-33, NKJV).

Many of the voices proclaiming Christ’s imminent return avoid identifying a specific date but categorically insist it will happen in this generation. But Jesus warns against those types of pronouncements as well. “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying … ‘The time has drawn near’. Do not follow them” (Luke 21:8, NKJV).

Some argue that Jesus provided signs to indicate when the end days are near. And indeed He did. But He provided those as reminders His return might occur at any moment, so we remain alert and vigilant, not as hints to solve the mystery of ‘when’.

3] Be prepared. Jesus communicated several parables that warned of the dangers of being unprepared for His return. Each lesson highlighted individuals who thought they would enjoy eternity with Christ but were instead cast into outer darkness.

In one parable the unprepared come to Jesus on His return, saying, “Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!” They want into the kingdom of heaven despite their unpreparedness. Jesus answers them, “Believe Me, I don’t know you!” (Matthew 25:11-12, NLT). Despite confessing Him Lord, these individuals are refused entry into heaven. Why? They never knew Jesus. Their hearts did not align with their words; their lives revealed the fiction of their claim.

Let’s consider that for a moment. How could someone who claims Jesus as Lord later learn He never knew them? Jesus provides a succinct explanation that also serves as an admonition. “Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly” (Luke 21:34, NKJV). Their words professed Jesus Lord but their lives revealed the truth: the world and its pleasures were what they truly desired. How we live says far more about our faith than our words.

Don’t presume your salvation simply because you claim ‘Jesus is Lord’ with your lips. Look at your life, your priorities, and how you invest your time. If they do not align with God’s word and reflect the model of discipleship He taught, you may find yourself unprepared for His return.

4] Redeem the time. Irrespective of when the Lord returns, we need to maximize our time here. We accomplish this by following the model Jesus provided during His brief life. His first priority was always time with the Father. Over and over we see that in the Scriptures:

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35, NKJV).

“And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on a mountain by Himself to pray” (Matthew 14:23, NKJV).

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12, NKJV).

“So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16, NKJV).

Though Jesus’ days were packed from start to finish (serving, healing, teaching, forgiving, casting out demons, and rebuking religious leaders) He always carved out significant blocks of time for prayer. Maintaining a healthy, vibrant relationship with the Father was paramount to redeeming His time on earth.

We ought to take a cue from Jesus and follow His example. Regardless of how busy we are or how much good we want to accomplish with our time, our first priority must always be cultivating a relationship with Christ, nurturing our love for Him, and offering Him the praise and worship He deserves. Absent that, nothing else matters.

Second, we need to understand what Jesus said about His purpose on earth.

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34, NKJV).

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38, NKJV).

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4, NKJV).

We should adopt a similar focus in our lives by pursuing God’s will, implementing His agenda, and advancing His kingdom. Since details of carrying out His mission will vary by person, we need to draw near to Him on a regular basis – for only as we spend time alone with God will our ears be trained to hear His voice clearly.

So next time you hear someone exclaim how little time exists before the Lord returns, take a moment to rejoice in the good news that Jesus will indeed return. Then remind them to be about the business of redeeming their time on earth and ensuring they are properly prepared, “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27, NKJV).

Faith

In Matters of Faith, Motivations Matter.

Leave a comment

Students of either Church or Medieval history might recall the captivating story of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162-1170. Having served as Chancellor for King Henry II (a role he excels at by helping the king consolidate power from the church), the crown appoints Becket to the role of Archbishop. No doubt the monarch expected Becket the Archbishop to operate in a manner similar to Becket the Chancellor, and subject both himself and the church to the king’s authority.

As Archbishop, however, Thomas proved loyal to the Church. He resisted all efforts by the king to curb ecclesiastical power and submit to the sovereign, insisting instead on a substantive separation of church and state. Not surprisingly, this infuriated Henry II and led to a serious fracture in their relationship, eventually resulting in the Archbishop fleeing to France in late 1164.

A fragile compromise eventually allowed Becket to return from exile six years later and resume his residence in Canterbury. But the tension between the crown and the cloth exploded on his return when Becket refused to reinstate three bishops excommunicated for their support of the king. On learning of this, the king erupted in anger and unleashed a vindictive diatribe that inspired four of his knights to find and assassinate Becket.

In his celebrated work, Murder in the Cathedral, Nobel Prize Laureate T.S. Elliot recounts this assassination. In his drama the writer describes four temptations that challenge Becket, each offering something of value in exchange for his willful disobedience of the Lord. The confrontation mirrors Satan’s temptation of Christ following forty days in the desert.

The last temptation encourages the Archbishop to pursue martyrdom, for which he will receive glory and admiration. While recognizing that outcome likely awaits him, Becket also understands an intentional pursuit of that ending to his life would be improper. So he rejects that final temptation, declaring: “The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.” With that statement, Elliot’s ecclesiastical character captures one of the great truths of Scripture: motivations matter.

God emphasizes this point through His prophet, Zechariah. Following their return to Jerusalem, the post-exilic Jews tired of fasting and mourning, and sought God’s release from those duties. They sent a delegation of men to the house of God “to seek the Lord’s favor” and “ask this question of the prophets and the priests … ‘Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction, as we have done for so many years?’” (Zechariah 7:2-3, NLT). They had hoped these emissaries might secure permission from the Lord to discontinue these religious practices.

Rather than respond directly to their petition, God poses a question: “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me – for Me?’” (Zechariah 7:5, NKJV). The Lord cuts to the heart of the issue: for whom did they complete those activities? His concern went beyond their ritualistic performance of religious rites. He wanted their focus on Him. He desired a properly motivated people who displayed the right heart.

Instead, the Israelites fulfilled God’s requirements begrudgingly – their hearts were not in it. They exhibited no joy of the Lord and no passion for Him. It was strictly (religious) business for them. God reveals their improper motivation when He rhetorically asks: “When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?” (Zechariah 7:6, NKJV). As soon as they finished their religious duties they resumed living for themselves. They had no interest in pursuing God and His ways in all areas of their lives.

I wonder how many of us fall into a similar routine? Like the Israelites, we compartmentalize our lives in such a way to avoid giving God complete control. We perform whatever religious acts we believe He requires of us and then go about the business of living for ourselves.

But this approach to faith rarely leads to lives of joy, peace, and fulfillment. Instead, like the Israelites, we find ourselves complaining about God’s standards and expectations, insisting they are overly onerous and too restrictive. We decline to follow Jesus down difficult paths and only embrace His words when they are convenient.

Take a moment to consider your motivations for each activity you perform for the Lord. Do you really perform them for God’s glory or do you instead harbor a selfish motivation? Motivations are especially important for those serving in a leadership role or position of authority within the church.

Listen as the Lord poses to you a similar question to the one He raised with the people of Judah:

> Do you really sing in the choir for Me – for Me?

> Do you really serve at the homeless shelter for Me – for Me?

> Do you really participate in a weekly Bible study for Me – for Me?

> Do you really attend church services for Me – for Me?

> Do you really help with the children’s ministry for Me – for Me?

> Do you really minister to prison inmates for Me – for Me?

> Do you really tithe for Me – for Me?

> Are you really taking that mission trip for Me – for Me?

> Are your prayers really for Me – for Me?

Our motivation matters in everything we do. Our most sacrificial acts are of little consequence if performed to draw glory to ourselves. Our acts of service have no eternal value if done to burnish our reputations within the church and the community. Our worship, prayers, and praise are impotent if offered out of obligation or to appear religious.

So how do we know whether the manifestations of our faith spring from pure or impure motivations? First, consider your attitude. Do you perform acts of service, worship, and ministry with a spirit of joy or out of begrudging obligation? Proper motivations genuinely produce appropriate attitudes in serving God and others.

Second, do you seek recognition and the approval of others when living out your faith? Do you gravitate to acts of service, worship, and ministry that are largely in public view? Those with improper or impure motives often pursue roles and activities in the church that provide them a platform of prominence and that call attention to themselves. While corporate worship and service is important, it should never overshadow the time we spend alone with God, praising, worshipping, and giving Him glory. Does your private time with God pale in comparison to your public demonstrations of faith?

As you go through the week, reflect on your motivations. Ask the Lord to reveal any actions done with an impure heart. Ensure your faith produces spiritual fruit, celebrates Jesus, and testifies of His greatness, rather than draws credit to yourself and pursues recognition from others. Remember: The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.

Culture, Faith

Are You Planning for the Right Retirement?

Leave a comment

Every quarter I receive a newsletter that encourages me to review my retirement strategy to ensure I have the funds needed when I retire. While the articles vary, the message remains the same: retirement is not cheap; healthcare costs are skyrocketing; lifestyles rarely change in retirement. Invariably, a litany of charts follow, reinforcing the narrative and explaining how much I need in my accounts based on several factors: how long I plan to live (not sure how much input I get in that variable), my current income, and inflation, to name a few.

Like hundreds of similar investment documents published each month, the newsletter emphasizes the need to plan now so I am not caught unprepared for the future. One common theme highlights those adults who assume they’ll have enough for retirement but never bother to do the math to validate their hypothesis. Almost always, we are told, those assumptions prove false. As a result, they fail to plan properly and must delay retirement, reduce their standard of living, or forgo retirement altogether.

Sadly, many Americans adopt a similar approach with respect to eternity. They assume they are going to heaven or that no afterlife exists. Either way, they neglect to invest any time or effort investigating the question of everlasting life and the existence of God. Instead, they prefer to trust their instincts – convinced that whatever reality they embrace will be revealed as truth once they pass from this world.

Of course, as Christians we recognize the danger with that worldview and ought to explore opportunities to share our faith and Jesus’ teachings with those who hold that opinion. He had much to say on the topic of eternal life and His message of mercy, grace, and salvation is one society desperately needs to hear and observe these days. Like the newsletters, we ought to inform and warn, prod and challenge those around us to prepare for eternity and not ignore such a critical decision.

Similarly, Jesus’ teachings also provide a powerful reminder to those of us in the church – that we, too, ought to prepare for heaven while still in this world. Too often we conclude that once we check the salvation box, all is good. But that view contradicts the truth shared by Jesus and the apostles. Let’s examine a few important verses that should shape how we prepare for eternity.

First, we need to remember we are not citizens of this world; rather, our citizenship is in heaven (see Philippians 3:20). Consequently, we are (in the words of Peter in his first epistle) pilgrims and sojourners in this world – here to serve as Christ’s ambassadors (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). As with any ambassador, our assignment is temporary – until the Lord calls us home – and requires us to reflect in speech and in conduct the one we serve.

That conviction is critical if we are to redeem our time on earth (see Ephesians 5:16) and live according to God’s will. Otherwise, we fall into a common trap: the belief that God wants us here to eat, drink, and be merry. In other words, our pleasure is His desire.

While God definitely wants us filled with joy, hope, and contentment, it is His pleasure that ought to be our desire, and not vice versa. When we lose track of that distinction, we risk becoming ensconced in the world, falling prey to its distractions, and adopting its priorities. In the process we cease to represent Christ and begin to reflect the world.

So how do we remain in the world without being of the world? By abiding in Christ. Any ambassador, to properly fulfill his or her role, must maintain frequent and substantive contact with the president. The same is true with us. As our relationship with Christ matures and our passion for Him deepens, we become a more accurate reflection of Him and ours ways align more closely to His.

As that happens, we focus more on things with genuine value (the eternal) and less on things with no lasting value (the temporal). That transformative shift in perspective equips us to handle the trials and tribulations that result from our faith in Jesus. Paul explains this in his second epistle to the church at Corinth. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18, NKJV).

So as we consider retirement, what would Jesus have us do as His ambassadors? Should we adopt the world’s perspective and save lots of money in a retirement account so we can maintain our current lifestyles until we die? Should we work extra hours now so we can retire early and get a head start on the pleasures and comfort of retirement? Should we wind down our Christian service as we wind down our careers? Of course not.

Why do so many of us assume God makes no claim on our retirement – that we can pursue the same retirement strategy as our non-believing friends and colleagues? Do we cease to be the Lord’s when we retire? Does retiring from our career correspond to our retirement as Christ’s ambassador? Not at all. On the contrary, retiring from our career ought to serve as a catalyst for us to redouble our efforts to redeem the time as God’s representatives – and usher in a new season of serving Him with renewed vigor and focus.

For those on the verge of retiring or already in that stage of life, I encourage you to consider the possibility that retirement is an opportunity to finalize God’s call on your life. Resist the temptation to embrace the worldview that you’ve earned a restful retirement and deserve to enjoy the good life as you sail into the sunset. Instead, ask the Lord to reveal His retirement plan for you, what community you might serve on His behalf, and how you might fulfill the Great Commission. It might be quite different then your original plans – and much more satisfying.

For those still many years away from retirement, consider these words from Jesus as you craft your career and ascertain how best to invest your resources. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; rather, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21, NKJV).

Unfortunately, too many Christians focus entirely, or primarily, on acquiring treasures on earth, building a legacy with the world, and pursuing temporal success. But Jesus informs us in unambiguous terms that such endeavors are a fool’s errand. They produce nothing of eternal value. Worse, they risk corroding, or even severing, our relationship with God.

Don’t be that seed that fell among thorns: those who hear the word of God and briefly trust Jesus but “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19, NKJV). Those who chase worldly accomplishments, recognition, and treasure enter into a Faustian bargain. And when eternity begins they will have nothing to show for all the time and effort they invested in this world. And they will have had very little time to enjoy the fruits of those worldly labors – even if they live to be a hundred.

Instead, invest in true treasure: the souls and lives of those around you. In doing so you will deposit into an eternal retirement account a value that exceeds exponentially everything the world has to offer. Nothing is as sound an investment for your time and resources. And that truth is something you can take to the bank.

Faith

The Church’s Most Dangerous Doctrine.

16 Comments

If one of the Church’s primary purposes is to fulfill God’s plan by leading a fallen world into right relationship with Him, then any doctrine that undermines that objective poses a danger to not only the Church’s mission but also to the world that so desperately needs God’s love. And while any Church teaching that contravenes Scripture is both deceitful and heresy, the most dangerous are those that send adherents down a path that leads to eternal suffering and separation from God.

Applying that standard, the most dangerous doctrine taught by many churches is that of ‘Easy Believism’. It offers all the benefits of salvation without requiring any of the costs of discipleship, asserting that eternal salvation is available to anyone who recites a handful of words proclaiming Jesus as Lord and imploring God’s forgiveness. Especially popular in evangelical churches and referred to as ‘The Sinner’s Prayer’ in other circles, this teaching insists that when individuals make a verbal profession of faith they immediately guarantee their place in heaven and nothing can ever compromise that eternal destination.

While that teaching enjoys broad appeal and a significant following among those who claim Christianity as their religion, it has no foundation in Scripture. On the contrary, it disregards the explicit truths Jesus frequently proclaimed about eternal life. Whereas Jesus taught that the path leading to eternal life is difficult (see Matthew 7:14), that only those who persevere enjoy salvation (Matthew 24:13), and that following Him has a considerable cost (Luke 9:57-62), ‘Easy Believism’ teaches the exact opposite. It insists that embracing Jesus as Lord need not disrupt our lives, does not demand we endure, and imposes no cost.

Before going any further, we ought to examine closely what Jesus taught about eternal life and His expectations for those who proclaim Him Lord. After all, as the Son of God and the Savior of the world, His word is final on the matter. What we learn from careful study is that Jesus often described faith in terms of discipleship (following Him) and was unequivocal as to what that involved.

To His disciples and a crowd of potential followers, Jesus said: “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34b, NKJV). To follow Christ is to deny ourselves. We set aside our hopes, plans, interests, and goals, and replace them with Jesus’. That may sound extreme, as if Christ were calling us to give up our very lives for Him. And in fact He is. In the very next verse Jesus says as much. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35, NKJV).

While losing our life for Jesus does not necessarily mean physically dying for Him (though sometimes it might), it does mean putting to death ‘self’ and all it represents: our greed, arrogance, selfishness, debauchery, materialism, and idolatry. That expectation causes many would-be followers to bristle. They want to proclaim Jesus their Lord but retain the rights to their lives, careers, pursuits, passions, and resources. In other words, they want to limit Jesus’ lordship to a verbal profession rather than make it a substantive, exhaustive, and ongoing commitment.

Jesus anticipated many of us trying to have it both ways – wanting to declare Him Lord without actually evidencing it in our decisions, our priorities, our time, our relationships, and our lives. That is why He advises potential followers to count the cost first (see Luke 14:25-32), because the cost of discipleship is high and ought not be entered into lightly or without knowledge of His expectations. He summarizes those expectations in very succinct and unambiguous terms: “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33, NKJV).

Forsaking all sounds comprehensive because it is. Like all of Jesus’ teachings about discipleship it requires sacrifice, which Jesus modeled for us in His life and in His death. Sacrifice was why the widow’s tiny tithe was heralded as the most generous – because she gave all. Similarly, the merchant in Jesus’ parable about the kingdom of heaven gave all to secure the pearl of great price (see Matthew 13:45).

Genuine faith compels us to put God first and adopt His agenda as our own, not carve out and dedicate parts of our lives for His use and glory while retaining other parts for ourselves. Jesus addressed that duplicitous approach to faith and warned that those who embrace it have no faith at all. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches” (Matthew 6:24, NKJV). Nor can you serve ‘self’ and Christ. All who try reveal that their true loyalty lies with the flesh and with the world.

‘Easy Believism’ also damages the souls of men and women by suggesting that no ongoing faithfulness to Jesus is required for salvation – that He does not demand we endure to the end. That could not be further from the truth.

When Jesus sent the twelve out He warned them of the trials and challenges they would face, explaining that they would be hated and persecuted for His sake. As an encouragement He reminded them: “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22b, NKJV). Years later, as he described the end times, he repeated these words to His disciples (see Matthew 24:13). In addition, He gave that message to each of the seven churches He counseled in Revelation – those who endure and overcome will eat from the tree of life and not be hurt by the second death.

The parable of the sower communicated a similar message (see Mark 4:13-20). Of those who hear the good news about Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice, few receive it and then bear fruit for the kingdom of God. Most wither in their faith and do not endure. They are unfruitful. That may seem an insignificant detail except that Jesus later tells us that everyone who abides in Him bears much fruit and those who do not bear fruit are not His and are cast out and burned in the fire (see John 15:1-6).

Despite the clarity of Jesus’ teachings about faith and His expectations for those who would call Him Lord (and there are many more Bible passages that reinforce the verses above), many refuse to accept His truths. They insist that the call of Christ imposes no demands on them, does not require they remain faithful, and that they can decide what areas to consecrate to Him and which ones they can keep for themselves.

Sadly, many pastors, deacons, and church leaders reject Jesus’ message for fear it will chase people from their congregations and result in people forsaking their faith. What they fail to understand, though, is that those who practice ‘Easy Believism’ have no genuine faith to forsake – they follow a faux-faith created out of whole cloth by spiritual wolves. Churches teaching that salvation and discipleship are unrelated are leading parishioners astray because Jesus never made such a distinction. For Him, discipleship and salvation were intrinsically linked.

Why, then, do millions of people fall for such deceit? Why do so many discard the clear word of God and embrace a false gospel instead? Because ‘Easy Believism’ tickles our ears and tells us what we want to hear. It appeals to our flesh, which refuses to be inconvenienced or removed from its throne in our hearts. We want it to be true and refuse to study Scripture to learn if it actually is.

Do you desire to make Jesus your Lord and receive His forgiveness? If so, search the Scriptures to understand what He expects of you as His disciple. Start with the verses above and then read through each of the four gospel accounts found in the New Testament. You may find that what Jesus taught about faith, discipleship, and eternal life is different than what your pastor, priest, or shepherd teaches. And eternity is too long, heaven too exciting, and Jesus’ presence too awe-inspiring for you to leave your faith in the hands of someone who may be more motivated by church attendance and donations than your eternal soul.

Make it a priority this week to get right with God, commit your life fully to Him, and begin building that intimate relationship with Jesus that costs everything but yields an eternity of joy, peace, and love with the Maker of heaven and earth.

Faith

One Thing Will Change Your Life.

Leave a comment

Humanity constantly seeks that One Thing that will change life forever. One investment strategy that produces an unprecedented rate of return and makes us rich. One scientific discovery that yields a medical breakthrough and eradicates a disease that ails us. One activity that generates a rush of adrenaline and the ultimate thrill, eliminating the boredom that plagues us. One person who meets our needs for acceptance and unconditional love. One pursuit that satisfies the soul and gives our lives meaning.

Sadly, many of us never find the one thing we believe will transform our lives and make everything better. And those of us who do often learn a painful lesson: the one thing we’ve spent so much of life chasing disappoints and fails to satisfy our cravings, our hopes, and our yearnings.

Interestingly, the Bible uses the phrase one thing on a variety of occasions and it is instructive to discover what it says about the term. The one thing that gives us purpose and satiates our souls. The one thing that changes our encounters with others. The one thing that draws us into a meaningful relationship with God. The one thing that might block our path to eternal life. Let’s examine a few and see what insights the Bible yields.

1] In Psalm 27, David declares, “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4, NKJV). More than anything, David wanted to be in the presence of God and dialogue with Him. And as he pursued that desire David experienced such incredible joy he felt compelled to “sing praises to the Lord” (vs. 6b). In God, he found the source of true happiness – one that exists in all situations and which is not predicated on favorable conditions.

Moreover, he found strength to confront circumstances that had the potential to overwhelm him: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord” (Psalm 27:6b, 13, NKJV). As David reflected on God and His glory, he acquired perspective and perseverance. Armed with those attributes, David defeated the enemy’s effort to discourage and distress him.

2] In Luke’s account of the gospel he describes two sisters who encounter Jesus as He enters a village. One of them, Martha, welcomes Jesus into her home, busies herself with acts of hospitality, and serves Him. The other, Mary, does nothing but sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to Him. Frustrated, Martha brings this disparity in behavior to Jesus’ attention and asks Him to tell Mary to pull her weight and help. But Jesus does not respond as Martha hopes. He informs her she is troubled and distracted about many things. He then proclaims, “One thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42, NKJV).

What an accurate metaphor for most of our lives. We busy ourselves doing good things, pursuing noble endeavors, performing honorable deeds. All this activity, we convince ourselves, reflects those things God wants more than anything. Like Martha, however, we misunderstand. God’s passion is for us, not our busyness. He yearns for us to sit at His feet and listen; develop a relationship with Him; experience intimacy with Him; and worship Him. Mary understood this truth. Do you understand it? Do you, like Mary, carve out time from your frenetic schedule of good activities to pursue the one thing that truly matters: listening to and spending time with Jesus? If not, consider making a commitment to prioritize that above all else.

3] In his gospel account, Mark tells the story of a rich young man who asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. It is a question that has interested mankind since the beginning of time and is as salient as ever in today’s modern world. Jesus points the man to the Old Testament commandments and highlights a few in particular. In response, the man insists he has obeyed them all since his youth. In other words, he is righteous before the law.

Jesus recognizes the statement for what it is: a falsehood masking the true condition of the man’s faith. It is dead; yet he has no idea. The man is on the fast track to judgment but believes his place in heaven is secure. Because Jesus loves him, He makes one more attempt to reveal the truth. He says to the man, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me” (Mark 10:21, NKJV).

The man had an idolatrous relationship with the world. His love for the things of the world precluded him from having a genuine relationship with God. More than that, it prevented him from understanding how far removed from God he really was.

Like the rich young ruler, many of us allow something in life to distract us from God and compromise our relationship with Him. The world is filled with attractions, pleasures, and seductions that seek to draw us away from the Lord. Once it does, it can be difficult to recognize that a wedge exists between God and us, and that our faith is floundering as a result. What one thing in your life pulls you away from the Lord? If you’re unsure, ask God to reveal it. Then request He remove its influence and presence.

4] One of my favorite encounters in the New Testament occurs after Jesus heals a blind man. The Pharisees are enraged because the healing took place on the Sabbath and they are more interested in imposing Mosaic law on the people than seeing the captives set free. More than that, they want to destroy Jesus’ ministry because they perceive Him as a threat.

The scuttlebutt among the people is that Jesus might be the Christ. After all, who else has the power to heal a man blind from birth except the Son of God? The Pharisees want to eradicate this belief so they put out the word that anyone who confesses Jesus as the Christ (the Savior) will be excommunicated and kicked out of the synagogue.

They then contact the former blind man and insist he give an account of what happened. To influence his testimony they tell him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner” (John 9:24, NKJV). In other words, make sure you emphasize the fact that He sinned by healing you on the Sabbath. The man ignores their entreaty and replies, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25, NKJV). He refuses to debate the issue they want to discuss. Instead, he focuses on His encounter with Jesus and how that changed his life forever.

Similar scenarios play out around us today. Those hostile to Jesus demand we embrace their inaccurate view of Him: He was a good man but is not the Savior; He is not the only way to eternal life; He doesn’t care about people because the world is a bad place; He is judgmental and an egotist. And like the Pharisees from two thousand years ago they issue threats to anyone who disagrees with them: We will reject you from mainstream society; we will kick you out of the scientific and intellectual communities; we will sully your reputation; we will mock you as a hater, a fool, and a Neanderthal.

In such circumstances we would do well to mirror the example of the healed blind man. Avoid debating the merits of an irrelevant issue. Instead, focus on what Jesus has done in your life, what He means to you, and the miracles you experienced when you surrendered your life and called Him Lord. No one can argue with you on those points and often those are the most persuasive in drawing people to Jesus.

Faith

4 Common (& Dangerous) Justifications to Sin

1 Comment

Many of us believe the biggest threat to genuine faith comes from charlatans who deceive with lies and half-truths, tickling our ears with what we want to hear. And certainly we must remain vigilant against those who preach a false gospel and seek to devour the gullible and vulnerable. But an equally dangerous source of deceit lies in our own hearts. In fact, the Bible tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NKJV).

According to this verse the heart has two defining attributes: it is deceitful and it is desperately wicked. Both traits represent sin that pushes us away from God and His love. And the two work quite well together. Deceit leads us to embrace doctrines and creeds that rationalize sin and justify whatever pursuit our heart desires. It subtly twists the truth of Scripture to convince us we are obeying God when in fact we are not. So powerful is the heart’s deceit that even in the midst of sinful behavior we insist we are in God’s presence.

Sadly, that treachery always takes us down a dangerous path that ends in ruin. It leads us to a place we hope is an ocean of happiness and satisfaction but actually is a cesspool of pain and sorrow. The heart’s duplicity always separates us from God and prevents us from experiencing His remarkable, exciting plans for us.

Why does the heart deceive us? Why does it make such herculean efforts to lead us astray? Because of its nature. Contrary to popular public opinion, mankind is not intrinsically good with just a few moral wrinkles to iron out. Remember, our hearts are desperately wicked. The heart insists on ruling our lives and refuses to yield to God. However, it happily allows us to act religiously and play church as long as we do not surrender our entire lives to God. As long as we allow the heart to remain in control of key decisions and to pursue cherished sins, it has no problem with us pretending Jesus is Lord and calling ourselves Christian.

So what are the most common arguments the heart uses to deceive us into justifying sin and allowing it to flourish? Here are four to consider.

1] God is leading me to sin. I call this the Christianization of sinful choices and sinful conduct. Basically, we live in whatever manner we want and convince ourselves it is the path God wants for us. We don’t seek His guidance, the counsel of godly friends, or the Bible for direction. What motivates us is simply our own desires. We determine what is best for us and make our decisions accordingly. We practice behaviors that produce pleasure and satisfy lusts. All the while we insist God is leading us to sin.

Perhaps an example will crystalize the point. Many years ago a friend informed me he had decided to divorce his wife. He explained that he had met another woman and they had fallen in love. He believed with certainty that God wanted him to marry the other woman. Therefore, to remain faithful to God and obey Him my friend had to divorce his wife. He had deceived himself so badly he actually believed God was leading him to sin.

Deep down my friend knew divorce was wrong. He also knew it was wrong to get involved with another woman. However, as an active and respected member of the church he faced a conundrum. How could he pursue his lust without losing his reputation in the church? He arrived at a solution many of us use in our lives. He declared it was God’s will. God was leading him to divorce one woman and marry another. Don’t blame him, my friend insisted, he was only doing God’s will.

Of course, God never calls people to sin. He abhors sin. Whenever we use ‘God’s will’ as a means to justify sin, we play a dangerous game. Not only does the sin separate us from God, but the justification blasphemes the Holy Spirit by suggesting He told us to sin.

2] Nobody is perfect. It is true. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. In fact, the Bible tells us that even our most righteous deeds are as filthy rags before God. But that reality doesn’t mean we ought to accept sin in our lives. We should not justify disobedience to God by declaring we are wired to sin. ‘That’s just the way God made me’ is not an appropriate response for explaining our inclination to sin. God calls us to lives of holiness that honor Him.

A recent encounter highlights the danger of adopting a ‘nobody is perfect’ philosophy to dismiss the pursuit of godliness in our lives. While sharing the gospel in a rough part of town recently I met an intoxicated pimp. I explained to him I was out praying for people and sharing the good news of God’s love. On hearing this he replied he was a Christian as well.

Surprised by the remark I asked him what that meant. He informed me that he loved God and regularly evangelized the call girls working for him. As for his immoral business and propensity for alcohol, well he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) change those things. Holiness was a bridge too far. Since perfection was unattainable he was free to pursue sin whenever he wanted.

Most would agree such a blatant abuse of God’s grace is categorically wrong. Yet I wonder how many of us practice a similar approach to faith but in a less dramatic manner? Do we make allowances for sin in our lives because “nobody is perfect?” Do we overlook selfishness, greed, and anger in our hearts with the same indifference as the inebriated pimp?

3] That’s legalism. A favorite retort for rationalizing sins of omission, the legalism argument is compelling because it prevails in so many churches. And it is dangerous. Legalism produces religious zombies who go through the motions of faith without having a real, dynamic relationship with Christ.

That said, we frequently ascribe to legalism behaviors we admire and embrace in a secular context such as discipline, diligence, and determination. Too often we defend spiritual laziness, inconsistency, and indifference with a nod to legalism. Instead of exercising ourselves in the faith and pursuing spiritual maturity with persistence we accept spiritual sloth as an acceptable alternative to avoid the pitfalls accompanying legalism.

Countless Christians rarely read the Bible, invest little time in prayer, and have never discipled anyone. Many resist allocating time to worship God daily, ignore opportunities to be generous, and seldom memorize Scripture. Few dismiss the value of these actions. In fact, most agree these undertakings draw us closer to God and strengthen our faith. But we fail to do them because misplaced priorities, worldly distractions, and unsound doctrine have left our faith in a state of ennui.

To reconcile this disparity between God’s expectations and our reality, we trumpet the danger of legalism. Pursuing spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, and Scripture memory is wrong, we declare, unless we do so with unbridled enthusiasm. And since we lack the requisite enthusiasm we must avoid the actions altogether. In doing so we parade ourselves as paragons of spiritual virtue when in fact we are spiritually stagnant. We ought to pursue these manifestations of faith with the same rigor and resolve we do our careers and our passions, even if at times it is a forced effort.

4] God wants me happy. This is a frequently employed rationale when we want to act selfishly. Do I choose the career with lots of worldly perks or a vocation that honors God? Do I spend a princely sum upgrading my perfectly functional kitchen or donate the funds to a ministry that cares for Christian refuges? Do I use my vacation time to relax on a beach or spend a portion of it serving victims of a recent natural disaster? Do I invest my annual bonus on a new toy for my enjoyment or helping destitute believers in third-world villages struggling to survive?

Instead of adopting the sacrificial model Jesus taught and lived, we often choose the option that gratifies. To avoid any guilt or angst over the decision we contend that God wants His people happy, satisfied, and comfortable. We ignore any biblical evidence to the contrary and in doing so reveal the truth of Jeremiah’s observation that “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.”

I encourage you to examine your life and see if any of these deceitful justifications of sin influence your decisions, your behavior, or your worldview. If so, ask God to remove them from your heart and prevent them from deceiving you any longer. Instead ask Him to allow His Word to rule your choices and conduct. If you do, your life will never be the same.

Culture, Faith

Winning the Culture Wars.

Leave a comment

Evangelicals and conservative Christians are apoplectic with last week’s Supreme Court ruling and if you have to ask which one you’re not paying attention. Using social media, pastors, leaders, and laity alike decried the ruling and insisted it represented another chink in America’s moral armor. Some even claimed the decision would expedite God’s imminent judgment on the nation.

Widely embraced by evangelicals and orthodox Christians, the heart of this message has flourished for decades and always blames society for the unraveling of the nation’s moral fabric. From the secularization of public schools, the explosion of the abortion industry, and the filth of Hollywood, to the radicalism of colleges, growing antagonism toward God, and the celebration of hedonism, many Christian voices insist America’s pending downfall is due entirely to increasing immorality outside the church walls.

Tellingly, Christians often fail to consider the possibility (or likelihood) that the church owns as much responsibility for the nation’s moral decay and God’s pending judgment as does secular society, perhaps more. Despite this, the church and individual Christians have contributed significantly to the dramatic shift in our country’s values. In fact, absent our complicity the nation would not have fallen so fast and so fully into the moral abyss it now finds itself, nor would it be in jeopardy of experiencing God’s immediate correction.

In what ways are we, as Christians, complicit? We have created classes of sin and determined that some sins are worse than others. The worst sins are those that offend the church and pious Christians. Such sins are widespread in society and easily identified as the cause of God’s anger. They represent all that is wrong in the world. But for these sins, we insist, our nation would be ready for Christ’s return. The church quickly and forcefully condemns these sins and describes them as scourges to society.

In contrast, another class of sin fails to raise the church’s ire. Though denounced by the Bible they thrive in our hearts and our sanctuaries. We wink and nod at these sins, giving little more than lip service to their eradication from our lives. We ignore the manifestations of these sins in our church leaders and ourselves. They are de facto acceptable and go unchallenged.

An excellent example of this class of sin is pride. Officially the church and serious Christians agree it must be uprooted from the heart and cast out. Sermons are preached against it and universal agreement exists that it offends God. Many Christians even know Scripture that highlights its danger – for example, ‘pride goes before destruction.’ Nevertheless, it endures and flourishes in the Christian heart and within church walls: in the pulpit, the choir, and in the congregation.

Doubters need only listen to language used by ministers, worship leaders, and lay Christians alike. ‘I’ and ‘me’ predominate, with a special emphasis on the work Christ is doing them. The celebration of self within the Christian community has reached epidemic proportions and shows no signs of slowing. Of course, spiritual narcissism hides behind a mask of false modesty, feigning humility while feasting on self-exaltation.

Another excellent example of this class of sin involves idolatry. We know it is wrong. Pastors openly preach against it. The Bible strongly condemns it. Yet it survives and thrives in our hearts and churches. Our love for the world, its treasures and pleasures, and all it has to offer is difficult to deny. It is obvious to our non-Christian friends, neighbors, and colleagues who love the world unashamedly and see that same love in us.

So how do we avoid cognitive dissonance without admitting our hypocrisy? We simply tell ourselves we don’t love the world, its treasures and pleasures, and all it offers. Despite evidence to the contrary we insist our love for Jesus knows no bounds. And if the overwhelming majority of our time, income, and energy is spent chasing the world and everything in it, we rationalize away the implications of that fact by declaring that God wants us to enjoy ourselves, have fun, and be happy. Nothing wrong with that even if such pursuits define us, consume us, and remove any doubt as to what we’ve made lord of our lives.

If we are serious about preventing moral bankruptcy from ruining the nation, we must keep in mind several important truths. First, genuine change always begins with a transformation of the heart. Always. Imposing morality by judicial edict or legislative fiat never produces substantive, enduring change. It only masks the real problem: sin. Only Jesus removes the stain of sin and empowers authentic and permanent transformation.

Most believers understand this truth and yet still focus a disproportionate amount of time and effort fighting cultural wars at the statehouse and in the courtroom instead of in the prayer closet. This misplaced priority needs to change if we want America’s moral landscape to change. The issue is primarily a spiritual problem and we ought to wage the battle using spiritual weapons such as prayer, service, intercession, and evangelism. Ignoring these disciplines all but guarantees the nation’s moral implosion.

Let’s also recall that God was willing to spare Sodom if as few as ten righteous were found therein. Wouldn’t He apply the same principle with us? I imagine so. Rather than fretting over the sins of others, then, let’s instead redouble our efforts to live righteous lives that honor God. If enough followers of Christ do so we may yet see the nation spared from approaching wrath. Rejoice then, that God gives us an opportunity to stand in the gap for our nation.

And remember, the die is not yet cast. There remains time for the nation to reverse course and avoid the ruin that awaits if we continue down our current path. Doing so, however, will require Christians to take the lead. We must recognize our responsibility for the situation, confess our sins (individually and collectively), repent from our iniquities, and rekindle our love for the Lord. We ought also pray for God’s mercy, intercede for the nation, and pursue Him with single-minded purpose. If we are unwilling to follow this prescription, then we have no right to criticize the culture for its failures. We will be as responsible as secular society for the nation’s collapse. More so in fact, because we had the chance to stop it but chose to remain ensconced in our sin instead.

Faith

Loving God With Just Words.

Leave a comment

A friend tells his fiancé he loves her with all his heart and soul. He insists she’s the most important thing in his life and he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Ironically, nothing in his life validates those adamant claims. He spends very little time with her on any given day. Seems there’s always something distracting him. The golf course is calling his name. His buds want him to go fishing. He needs to put in long hours at work. There’s something interesting on television. His family asks him for dinner. Turns out, he only spends an hour or two a week with her.

When she asks to spend more time with him he refuses. He explains that if things are going to work out with them she needs to accept the fact that he wants balance in life. She should not expect or demand more time than he already gives her. After all, he asserts, a couple hours a week is quite generous. He is a busy man with lofty goals and countless interests. She can’t expect him to sacrifice any of his activities just because he loves her. For her to expect that is very selfish.

Perhaps even more surprising is that when they are together he always seems distracted, as if he really doesn’t want to be there. It appears he’s simply checking a box to say he’s spending time with her – but his mind is elsewhere. He doesn’t adopt her interests as his own and avoids doing the things that make her happy. He refuses to attend the ballet, explore antique stores, or help with her garden. He says those things are boring and she shouldn’t insist he cultivate an interest in anything she likes.

Most curious of all is how little affection he shows for her in public. He declines to hold her hand as they walk, pepper her with kisses when sitting outside, or put his arm around her if anyone’s watching. What’s more, he hides his love for her whenever he’s around people who don’t like her ethnicity. He’s embarrassed to admit to strangers his deep and abiding love for her because they may think he’s nuts, or a loser for loving someone so different as she.

Sadly, he spends very little of his income on her. He insists they go Dutch when sharing a meal at a restaurant. He’s never bought her flowers. Not once. For her birthday he buys cheap costume jewelry and an item of used clothing from Goodwill. His stinginess isn’t a reflection of his poverty. He actually earns a significant income and showers himself with all kinds of man toys. He owns two cars, a motorcycle, snowmobile, and the latest electronic devices.

Rather, he believes she should be happy he gives her anything at all. He insists that true love does not require generosity. He notes that it’s his money and she should not expect to enjoy the fruits of his labor simply because they are madly in love. He tracks what he spends on her and says it is a very lavish five percent of his income. What more could she want?

I talk to him and point out the disparity between what he says and what he does – that the immense love he claims to have for her is not corroborated by his actions. It seems to me a significant gulf exists between his professed love for her and the reality of how he treats her. In response he stares at me blankly. What I say makes no sense to him. He dismisses my observation with a wave of the hand and informs me his love for her knows no bounds, his commitment to her is unending.

He explains that what matters are his words – not his actions. He need not prove his love by spending precious time with her, showing affection in public, showering her with gifts, or proudly proclaiming his love for her to others. His love is genuine, he declares, because he says it is – and any evidence to the contrary is irrelevant. He takes great umbrage at my suggesting otherwise. Who am I, he demands, to pretend to know the depths of his heart and the authenticity of his love for her. I clarify that I’m not suggesting I know his heart, only that his actions paint a very different picture than his words.

I wonder how many of us treat our relationship with God the same way my friend does with his fiancé. We claim to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength but do our actions validate that declaration? Do we, like my friend, insist it is enough to say we love God and then live as if we barely know Him? Do we contend that investing a couple hours a week is sufficient for building a healthy relationship with the one we call Lord? Do other things in the world easily distract us from Him? Do we inform God that He ought to be satisfied with whatever He gets from us and He ought not expect anything sacrificial? Like my friend, do we believe that true love does not transform our lives?

If we’re honest with ourselves, I suspect many of us have adopted an approach to our relationship with God that mirrors my friend’s approach with his fiancé. We want God to ignore our actions and the facts, and simply believe what we tell Him. If He prompts us to consider any inconsistency between the two we express offense and tell Him it’s not His place to demand more of us. But it is His place and the Bible informs us God wants our love evidenced in action not simply words.

The Pharisees wanted to love God with words alone and Jesus severely rebuked them saying, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me” (Matthew 15:8-9a, NKJV). The ancient Israelites suffered the same problem. Through Ezekiel God told them that they, “pretend to be sincere…but have no intention of doing what [God wants]. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money. They hear what [God says], but they don’t act on it!” (Ezekiel 33:31-32, NLT).

In both instances God explains there are consequences for loving Him in word but not in deed. Those who claim to love God but whose lives lack corroborating evidence are as bad as those who reject Him outright. He makes no distinction between the two.

Take time this week to examine your life. Does it validate your claimed love for the Lord? If not, ask Him to reveal what steps you should take to cultivate a deeper, more intimate and genuine love for Him that is consistent with your declaration. You’ll find that such love not only transforms your life but also produces unimaginable joy.