I want to share something with you that has been on my heart and mind recently. It has to do with the apathetic nature of christianity, as a whole, that seems to be prevalent throughout our country. Do not get me wrong, I believe God is doing amazing things in this country through people that are fully committed to Him. But as I look around and I see the kind of "christianity" that is being pumped out of much of the popular evangelical circles, I just see a lifeless, narcissistic, religion that is extremely humanistic in nature. What do I mean by this? Basically, narcissism is birthed out of a humanisitic worldview. Humanism centers around man. It says that the chief end of man is the happiness of man. Therefore narcissism means that you are egotistic and self-infatuated with YOURSELF. What I see is a "christianity" that focuses on the qualities or characteristics of a life given to Jesus as they appeal to man in an unregenerate state. What I mean is that we focus on (which aren't all bad) love, happiness, peace, success, monetary blessings, joy, blessedness either in this life OR the life to come. We so focus on the joy of heaven as it appeals to man. (I know I am probably confusing you but bear with me) Basically, I believe most people do not believe they are going to hell. Much less deserve to go to hell. So we have unregenerate man walking around, not believing he's going to hell, pursuing the things, mentioned above, on this earth in a narcissistic way through his Humanist worldview to satisfy his insatiable thirst for self satisfaction. Then we tell him hey, you may not get that stuff now, but let me tell you a way that you can get it in heaven. All these things you are pursuing are in heaven. Through Jesus! We use Jesus and His gift of Grace as a way to appeal to mans fleshly desires. Then we have this view and anticipation of heaven as a place awaiting us where there is happiness, peace, and eternal joy (and there is!!). But do you see how a humanistic worldview has crept into the way we think about Christ? Therefore we live our lives in the "security" of a decision or prayer we prayed one time and look forward to an eternal life that is full of all the things we want and desire here. Maybe I am not making sense to you, but I have really been challenged as to what I believe and live for. Let me explain: As I write this, as you read this, we deserve to burst into flames and burn in hell where the worm does not die!! We deserve this every breathing moment of our life. From the moment we were born until this moment we deserve damnation forever and now more than ever before. This is why salvation can only come from the Father through faith in Jesus. My eternal destiny is not contingent on a decision I made. It is not contingent on "Jesus living in my heart as my personal saviour". My brothers, our salvation is based on the ETERNAL GRACE of GOD!!!!!! His Grace draws you, His Grace saves you, His Grace keeps you!!! While I live in this flesh, ever deserving of eternal wrath and judgment, I am kept by the loving and saving and sovereign grace of the Father through Jesus Christ. This is why we talk about living for holiness. Because if we see the Grace of God in our lives as Paul did....we too would beat our bodies and make them our slaves! Not sure if this makes sense, hopefully we can get into this some at Bible Study!! See you all there!!
My exhortation: "Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their distress and to keep oneself undefiled (unspotted) by the world" James 1:27
Listen to this sermon: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=10180222445
May the Lord paste Eternity on your eyeballs!!
1 comment:
Amen!
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