Comfortable Christianity
Ξ March 27th, 2007 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Doctrine, Christian Living |
Let me say at the outset, that this is more of a vent than a message. Sure, venting can be cathartic and even wind up being more useful than a lot of prepared articles, but just so you are warned ahead of time, this is going to be a different article - and it may be useful to no one but me. Having got that off my chest, I’ll proceed.
I imagine many writers and/or speakers are driven to present on issues that are affecting them at the moment. Often, it isn’t realized that an author is driven by things that are directly impacting him. I have heard it said that those that preach the hardest against certain things are often either the worst offenders in those things - or at least have great weaknesses in those particular areas. That is not to gainsay the Spirit of God at work in a man. But scripture says that no man knoweth the things of man but the spirit that is in man and no man knows the things of God save the Spirit of God. So, in many ways, it is a great necessity that those that speak, write and preach on what they do are often driven to do so by what may seem self-centeredness (they are going through something so they have to speak on that). This is where discernment is of the utmost importance. Jesus was “qualified” to speak and minister to us on earth in part because He experienced all we do. He was touched with the feelings of our infirmities and was tempted in all points like as we yet without sin. The preacher who ministers a word today may well be led by the Spirit of God, but you can bet that what he is speaking about is a matter of immediate importance to him personally. Sometimes because it is a crisis of conscience that he struggles with, and sometimes because of conviction of the Spirit of God. Be careful, then, how you judge those in places of authority and those that teach. They receive the greater judgment because they are responsible for so many hearers.
What, then, should we say about nice, neat, academic, prepared sermons? While this is not the main focus of my message, it leads into what I want to express. These sermons are those that are amply researched, often rewritten and proofread countless times to ensure that there is no grammatical error, no unintended expression and certainly no deviation from orthodoxy. All this is well and good, but what does it engage? What does it entrench? What aspect of man does it address? You see, while many churches are witness to these kinds of sermons that serve mainly to show off the minister’s literary skill, the same thing is liable to happen in churches where the ministers speak in a more motivational style or in churches where the sermon is outlined but the minister simply “flows” with the tenor of the message. Even in churches where the minister has a topic in mind but doesn’t prepare any notes at all. You see, the churches have come to a place where the Word of God as expressed in Hebrews 4:12 is all but absent. I have not been to most churches but I do know that we have come to a place where the goal of Christianity, in the main, is to make people comfortable with themselves. Yes, there may be preaching against sin and in favor of holiness. Yes, there may even be calls for repentance and restoration. All these are wonderful, but there is something largely missing (and you must realize I can only speak in generalities as I do not have personal experience in every church in North America). The messages and the teaching may be correct, it may contain accurate statements, it may even be entirely composed of accurate statements about relevant spiritual issues, but - as someone I greatly respect in the faith has said - it was good, it was right, it was true and it was sound, but it was NOT the Word of God.
In more reserved churches, the sermon is an essay composed and read by a learned man. In churches with more energy, the sermon is filled with emotional pleas and exhortations. In churches that are a little of both, the sermon is intellectual with a hardness that demands men follow after holiness but cannot equip them adequately to do so in the way God desires. We speak to the mind. We speak to the heart and we even speak to the soul and the conscience - but the problem is that it is “we” that are doing the speaking. The mind may be fed interesting facts or laws or it may be chastized - but it is not cut down with the Sword of the Spirit. The heart may be thrilled with the ecstasy of hearing about what the Lord has done or singing wonderful hymns or songs of worship or it may even be saddened by hearing of others that do not follow the Lord and the hardships they face. But all this is vanity unless the heart is quickened to believe on Him who knows it full well - and to recognize its own inability to please God. The soul and the conscience may be challenged to understand and to either take heart or to abase itself that the Lord may fill and nourish the inner man. But all this is done, by enlarge, by man’s words and intimations instead of the Spirit of God subtly but firmly halting all of man’s self-will and allowing that man to submit in quietness to the firm but loving Hand of the Almighty One. You see, a Comfortable Christianity has set in. It is a christianity that is comfortable for one reason and one reason alone - the flesh retains a measure of control. Not self-control, but control of surroundings. The flesh wants to reign and it can even reign when it seems to be abased. Just as the self-flagellations of medieval monks was a puffing up of the very flesh it may have seemed to be putting down, so too is it all too easy for us to accept things that may seem to be the Word of God, when those words are just man’s imitation of what he thinks the Word of God is expressing. The difference is immense. We are most comfortable when we have control of our surroundings. The Spirit of God - the God of All Comfort - shows us that true, Godly comfort is only had when the surroundings are left to themselves and we possess self-control which is one of the fruits of the Spirit of God.
The mark of a move of the Spirit of God is usually so subtle that it isn’t recognized at first. The flesh fights it naturally, and it is only when the minister patiently persists in presenting the call of the Spirit that the hearer eventually becomes aware that he is indeed resisting the Spirit of God at some deep level. It is a resistance that is not emotional, but it can bring about an emotional response just as an acquiescence to the Spirit of God is not emotional, but can evoke emotion that is so deep, that it becomes apparent that it is not even from our own selves. The Christian church of the Western World is increasingly walking the path of the idolatrous - whose God is their belly - and the things of God that transcend intellect, emotion, and desire have been sidestepped.
There have been a few times that I can remember when I have been aware of this wooing of the Spirit. Those times are unique. When they occur, there is no doubt that it is not something of man. The minister did not bring it about and my own mind didn’t concoct a feeling. It is undeniably “other”. And as the flesh pushes against the Spirit’s work, there must come a recognition of that war so that the flesh can be restrained. The only job of the hearer is to restrain the flesh and let the Word and Spirit of God have its perfect work. But we don’t want to do this. We want to reason what seems logical or find some way to sidestep the confrontation. If we are honest with ourselves in this moment, we cannot do either. Emotion and intellect have been bypassed. And it is well - for they are part of the flesh that deceives and cannot please God. Neither are wrong, but neither can do what the Spirit of God must do. THEN (and only then) once the work has been done, there is a marvelous change wrought in that man. A change so beyond understanding that he cannot understand how his mind and his heart can be so quiet yet so joyous. His flesh can be so minimized yet he is at peace - the peace that passeth all understanding is his because he has allowed God to work.
But until we have ministers that patiently present that which God speaks - until the flesh of men is subdued in the teacher - the hearer finds nothing to fight against and the flesh is given the preeminence. This is, I believe, why we have so many men preaching health, wealth and lives of ease - because the flesh is allowed to have sway. There is nothing wrong with health, wealth or comfort. These are all gifts to be received with thanksgiving - but they are just that - gifts. Even life itself is a gift. But to exalt these things is to put the gift above the Giver - idolatry. There is a great treasure to be had in Jesus Christ. One which never enters into the heart or mind of man but by the Spirit of God. This treasure is beyond all that is seen and is hardly affected by outward poverty and tribulation. In fact, the times it is affected by hardship is when it is made stronger and greater. You will hear no sweeter praise nor more powerful worship and understanding of God than when you meet a man who has suffered immensely for the gospel of Jesus Christ. In general, you will find that in anyone who is walking in full submission and obedience to the will of the Heavenly Father.
We have these treasures in earthen vessels but we naturally give preference to the vessel instead of the treasure. The Christian church today (again, generally) has it inverted. The only way this is going to change is if the Word of God is allowed to have its sway. No great work on man’s part is needed. Only to restrain the flesh in all aspects of its existence. Not to punish it nor to glorify it but to restrain it. Taking up our cross is one of going into a seemingly anonymous existence. The flesh loves pain and tribulation if it can be recognized for it. That is not what Jesus requires. Laying down our lives one for another means not only sacrificing time and resources, but giving up recognition. We are told, when we give a feast, to invite the lowest of the low. The poor, the sick, the lame - all those that are unable to repay in any way - then we will have treasure in heaven. Otherwise, we already have our reward. This is not a comfortable way - but it is the only way one who has the Spirit of Christ can operate. It is the way that he must go if he is to live. His flesh must be left out of the picture and have no recognition. Such a lonely death - just like the Saviour’s.
We need a revival of discomfort and spiritual dissatisfaction.
