Finger Thinking 052412

“We are like trees, which, though alive, cannot put forth their leaves and fruit without the influence of the sun.  They are alive in winter as well as in summer; but how different is their appearance in those different seasons.”  John Newton

Have you ever felt as though the Lord was “far from you?”  Have you had times when He seemed silent if not disinterested?  Has prayer ever seemed like you were yelling down a dry cistern?

We all have these times and we need to learn that they are, though uncomfortable, normal.  Though they may be symptomatic of some sin or temptation that is not always the case.  For us to expect our affections (feelings) to always, in every situation, to be elevated is to set ourselves up for disappointment.

Though God is never far from any of us, He is not always perceptible.  Though our affections may be low this is not necessarily a reflection on our spiritual state.  We have, and are bombarded with solicitation to, put more value on our feelings than on the truth.  This is perhaps one of the saddest facts of our Christian experience.

It is sad because we have come to expect if not demand that our affections be enlivened as a sign of our relationship to Him.  In seeking to meet this expectation we have brought into our walks certain methods and means that the world supposes to be of benefit and value.  Worship, whether communal or private has become more entertainment than, well, worship.

When we expect to have our affections lifted in worship then our affections become to focus of our worship.  We seek to meet our desires and not discover His.  We seek to get something and not give.  In other words we come selfishly seeking Him to provide us with what we think we need to have a true worship experience.  As I said, we are the focus of our worship.

Many times I have had brothers and sisters  rave about a worship time only to discover that their enthusiasms was due to what they experienced.  I have simple test.  When this happens I ask them what about the service was so special.  What I get in return in a commentary on how it made them feel.  I them ask them the points of the sermon.  I get some vague response, again focused on their feelings.

Almost exclusively they communicate that a “good” worship experience is one from which they leave uplifted and excited.  Rare indeed is the comment that they left humbled and convicted.  This too is sad, very sad.

I know, much has been written about “consumer Christianity,” and I refer you to the works of A.W. Tozer and/or Oz Guinness for a clear explanation.  But the fact that we approach worship focused on our expectations as opposed to His makes the point.  Very few contemporary believers are willing to tolerate a plain, simple and biblical worship service.

It is not a call for Revival that is needed.  Rather is it a call for Repentance.  We must repent – deeply – the synthesis of the word and the world in our worship.  Israel we continually chastised and disciplined for exactly what the church is doing today.  Mixing the word and the world is mixing the worship of the one true and holy God with the worship or idols – specifically the “self.”  This is plainly seen in the church’s preoccupation with social and cultural issues instead of growing in righteousness.  Personal holiness has taken a backseat to personal preference.

In this self-serving approach to worship a funny thing happened.  A lot of people (unbelievers) who would never have entertained the idea of going to church suddenly found that church had changed into something they could attend.  Some may well have come to salvation but many more simply found a place where they could exercise what I call “inspired unbelief.”

Let me ask you this:  How is it possible for an unbeliever to attend a service worshiping a God they don’t believe in and feel uplifted?  How is it possible for an unbeliever to attend a worship service and feel like they belong?  How is it possible for an unbeliever to gather with believers and feel a “part” of the fellowship?

The damning answer is that we have forsaken the truth for the sake of the self.  

Consider the words of Oz Guinness:

All of the tools and insights of modernity are dangerous, but not when they are overtly hostile to Christianity, because people say, “That’s hostile! That’s against us. I don’t like that.” And we resist it. They are the most insidious when they are beneficial.  I often use the little illustration: One hundred years ago if you wanted to start a new church, you would have consulted with others in the fellowship, and you would have prayed and asked the Lord to guide. Today, you can just run your demographic statistics through, use your telemarketing, and within three months you can have a booming church. Without realizing it, there is no need for God, and that’s the danger. If the church is not growing, we will use marketing. If we are not helping people, we will use psychology.

Or A.W. Tozer

To be specific, the self-sins are self-righteousness, self-pity, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love and a host of others like them. They dwell too deep within us and are too much a part of our natures to come to our attention till the light of God is focused upon them. The grosser manifestations of these sins–egotism, exhibitionism, self-promotion–are strangely tolerated in Christian leaders, even in circles of impeccable orthodoxy.

They are so much in evidence as actually, for many people, to become identified with the gospel. I trust it is not a cynical observation to say that they appear these days to be a requisite for popularity in some sections of the church visible. Promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as to excite little notice….

Repentance not Revival is what is needed.  The Body of Christ must – must, where she has succumbed to the seduction of the world, confess that sin and repent.  Where “self’ has been and is being exalted to the detriment of biblical truth and order she must confess her sin and strip herself of every iota of the world’s trappings.

We have – much like the church at Laodicea, become unwilling to be hot or cold, unwilling to get off the fence.  We are unwilling to identify sins of the church as much as we are unwilling to identify the sins in the church.  

I have to admit that it was perhaps with good intentions that the church began to become sensitive to the needs, desires and comfort of the unbeliever.  Compassion is a good thing.  But worship is not evangelism.  What can we call it when an unbeliever is deceived into thinking they are a believer and stands in a worship service praising a God they do not know with their focus on their “self?”

When truth – the whole council of God – is tailored to suit the affections of unbelievers is ceases to be truth.  Without the truth, there is not freedom from sin, no hope of salvation.

Once there were men and women who would publically stand for the truth, even die for it.  Once biblical doctrine formed the boundaries and expectations that defined the church. 

Oz Guinness:

If you're always changing the faith, eventually you have some new, trendy faith. It's no longer the faith of our fathers and mothers. There's a real break in continuity. This brings with it a loss of identity. Eventually people are believing things that have little decisive Christian content. What are they really believing? It's just the world's beliefs dressed up.

So what does all this have to do with our affections (feeling) concerning god’s presence?  A tree needs the sun and the rain but a tree has to have roots planted in good soil.  The soil is essential.  You may grow tomatoes in the air but you’ll never grow an oak tree.

When you “feel” God is far from you it is the truth of His word you must trust in.  He has not moved, you just, for whatever reason (and you need to investigate it) feel He has.

But – and this isn’t easy to write; It may well be that God is far from you ; that the god you seek and serve is not the God of scripture but rather a poor, sad facsimile.  It may be that the salvation you “experienced” was merely an experience.  It may be that you have been deceived and surrendered to the gospel of the self and not the Gospel of the Savior.

Paul warns Titus:

Tit 1:9-16  He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.  (10)  For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.  (11)  They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.  (12)  One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."  (13)  This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,  (14)  not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.  (15)  To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.  (16)  They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Here a line is drawn.  Here a commission is given.  Here the duty of every believer and especially those in leadership is made plain.  When Oh, God and who Dear Lord will obey.

When, for the sake of truth and God’s glory, do we begin to graciously but firmly begin to call into question the teachings of those who pervert, twist and/or abandon the biblical truth?  Yes, there are areas where opinions may vary but there are more where they may not.

You are either His or not.  You are either a sheep or a goat.  Will we sit back and allow false teachers or (and I’m being generous here) brothers and sisters in error to continue to deceive believers and unbelievers concerning the truth.

I am filled with sorrow because I really believe that those who do hold to sound biblical doctrine, those who do worship the God of scriptures are willing to sit back, preach to the choir and allow this deception to go unchallenged.  I call it being smug in the truth as well as being heartless for the erring and lost.

If we cannot or will not call those who claim to be our brothers and sisters in Christ to repent of their compromise – what validity do we have with the unbeliever?  If, within the circle of so-called-Christianity there are none standing for the truth and opposing its perversion then what does that say to the unbeliever about our commitment to and faith in the truth.

Yes, I know – doctrine divides – but if they are not of us then there is nothing to divide.  Oh yes, let just let them go to hell feeling real good about themselves.

There are those who are false believers (for whatever reason) – do they not need to know?  Will we smirk in our little enclaves of truth at all those silly people sucked into the twisted truths of the likes of Joel Osteen and Beth Moore?  What does that say about us?  What does that say about our faith?  What does that say about the truth?

Dr. David helped me through a conundrum by pointing out that, “There are and have been lots of guys named Jesus, but there is only one Lord and Redeemed.”  Well, a lot of folks have placed their faith is a guy named Jesus – but this Jesus they believe in does not appear to be the one who was Lord and Savior.

Enough – I’ve exceeded my limit and begin to digress.  But it breaks my heart to consider thousands who may think themselves believers who are merely deceived and hence their state is in question.