Posted on 09/07/2020 7:14:02 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A few months back, some guy began flirting with my 19-year old daughter via her Instagram account. This is (unfortunately) pretty common, but much to my delight she does a great job with slamming the door in their face.
However, this particular guy was more persistent than usual and wouldn’t back off. His tenacity led my daughter to use her excellent technical sleuthing skills to find out exactly who he was.
Turns out the guy was a married youth pastor.
My daughter found him, his church, his wife, and other details. That presented us with the dilemma of whether we should contact his church and wife and inform them of the guy’s problematic pastime.
The experience also led my daughter to open up to my wife and me about the continuing disappointment she has with other supposed Christians. She and my older daughter have stopped going to church because they found those in the young adult groups to be far less kind, welcoming and authentic than those in their secular college crowds.
We got story after story from her of young Christian guys going on mission trips who end up attempting to molest the girls in their group. Witnessing first-hand episodes of drug use, outlandish lying and deception and similar behaviors from their peers (and their peer’s parents) have both my girls thinking that people in the church cannot be trusted in any way, shape or form.
Not exactly a pick-me-up kind of tale, huh?
But wait – aren't we told that Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven? That if you ever find the perfect church, you shouldn’t join because you’ll spoil it (said Billy Graham and Charles Spurgeon)?
We say these things in hopes of convincing non-Christians that they shouldn’t let mistakes they’ve made in their life keep them from pursuing Christianity nor expect perfection from Christians when evaluating the faith. After all, the Bible tells us we all have a sin nature that causes us to fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) and that, even after being born again, the same sin nature remains active and causes us to do wrong (Rom. 7).
But what if our critics are more right than we like to admit? What if hypocrisy and a spirit that is anything but Christlike typifies the Church’s behavior these days?
Studies done by David Kinnaman and his Barna group, which you can find summarized in books like unChristian and You Lost Me, show that the best argument against Christianity isn’t the problem of evil or any other apologetics-styled objection. Instead, it’s the lives lived out by professing Christians.
It’s what caused the German philosopher Nietzsche to say, “I might believe in the Redeemer if his followers looked more redeemed” and Gandhi to declare: “I like Christ, but I don’t like the Christians. The Christians are so unlike their Christ.”
We read in Scripture statements like, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17) and “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).
If this is true, why is it that the “new things” and “newness of life” in professing Christian’s lives either seem completely absent or appear so seldom?
It’s at this point that many church leaders throw out the ‘church isn’t perfect’ line in hopes of blunting the accusation. Frankly, I’m tired of hearing it.
We’ve gotten to the point where this excuse uses Paul’s admissions of struggling with sin in Romans 7 like some kind of permission slip; it goes beyond admitting that we sin to almost justifying persistent sinful behavior. Plus, it does nothing to address the very real problem of incongruent behavior that exists between Christ and His Church.
I’d like to suggest a couple of possible root causes for what Kinnaman and others observe along with some cures for the issues.
I believe the biggest source of this problem to be the fact that today’s Church is 9-months pregnant with unbelievers. I say this not judgmentally, but rather because I used to be one.
There’s nothing wrong with unbelievers being in Church. But, there’s everything wrong with them staying unbelievers.
So many who sit in the pews think that because they believe in God, they’re saved and safe. So, you believe in God, do you? Big deal.
The Pharisees believed in God and Jesus rhetorically asked them how they would escape the sentence of Hell (Matt. 23:33). James told his readers if that’s all they possessed then they had nothing more than the demons (James 2:19).
When you combine a reluctance from the pulpit to offend audiences about the truth of their sin with nothing more than a general acknowledgement from that crowd that God exists, you have everything needed for a false faith, false assurance, and a life that in no way will live out the teachings of Christ because, simply put, it lacks the power to do so (e.g. Rom. 8:7).
Instead of services that resemble a comfy group Youtube session, the Church needs straightforward teaching that speaks the truth in love about sin in a way that makes an unbeliever’s conscience and soul uncomfortable to the point where they seek help. Only then will the unbeliever in the pew become a true Christian and start exhibiting the fruit and changed life that confirms a true conversion has taken place (James 2).
Lately I’ve noticed a very bad trend in my own life. When frustrated or angered, in the heat of the moment, I’ve started to let foul language fly.
This hasn’t been something with which I’ve ever really wrestled, and it’s bothered me greatly because Jesus said: “the mouth speaks that which fills the heart” (Luke 6:45). After some contemplation, I think I know what’s going on.
My wife and I have been consistently streaming various drama series that, while containing good story lines and acting, are overloaded with bad language. I’m convinced my new problem with expletives is related to that which I’ve been constantly letting in my ear-gate.
The battle with our fallen nature is real. Paul confirms this when he says, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Gal. 5:17). Ingesting a constant, bad diet through the eyes, ears, wrong relationships and actions will result in ungodly habits forming, just like the old Church proverb says:
Two natures beat within my breast
The one is foul, the one is blessed
The one I love, the one I hate.
The one I feed will dominate.
This is why we’re told: “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it” (Gen. 4:7). Disregarding this truth and immersing oneself in the world is a recipe for disaster where Christlikeness is concerned.
Look how fast it happened to me.
The letters of Paul are full of admissions about the struggles with sin and our spiritual war. But let’s not forget that the same Paul who wrote those things also wrote:
Paul didn’t let the reality of Romans 7 keep him from pursuing the goal that is in front of you and me each morning: Christlikeness. In fact, Paul was so confident of his behavior that he exhorted others to mimic him.
Would you feel comfortable right now doing the same?
No, the Church isn’t perfect, but if we’re not careful, we’ll use that reality as a green-light to sluff off sin and before you know it, you’re a married youth pastor who makes sexual advances over the Internet to 19-year old girls.
And that’s one tragic place to be.
Robin Schumacher is an accomplished software executive and Christian apologist who has written many articles, authored and contributed to several Christian books, appeared on nationally syndicated radio programs, and presented at apologetic events. He holds a BS in Business, Master's in Christian apologetics and a Ph.D. in New Testament. His latest book is, A Confident Faith: Winning people to Christ with the apologetics of the Apostle Paul.
Sorry but purges of people who soil the cloth must be complete and without nuance.
I have always told my children not to confuse religion with God. In the New Testament, Jesus seems like he must continually correct things being said by his disciples, and they were listening to him every day. What would Jesus have to say to today’s religious leaders, who are more than two thousand years removed from his presence?
Amazing that scripture predicted this and warns us always to be on the lookout for it.
BKMK.
Why is that a dilemma? To let him continue is to enable his ongoing abuse.
Church discipline, one of the marks of a true church.
“18 This [f]charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.” 1 Timothy 1
Don’t sin by forsaking the assembly just because there is no discipline in the church. Either promote that it find a church that does. They exist.
You’ve gotta deal with problems, of course, but if you focus on sin, Satan has you where he wants you because sin, condemnation, guilt, and shame are his playground.
We are no longer under the law (Romans 6:14) and it is the law which produces sin (1 Cor 15:56). We are under grace which is God’s way (and the ONLY way) of defeating sin (Rom 6:14).
Jesus perfect work did away with sin and condemnation once and for all (Heb 9:26, 2 Cor 5:18-21).
1 John 3:4–8 (ESV): Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
Don’t let on you know who he is. Return his messages with appropriate Bible verses every Sunday.
In his very day he had to deal with their failed "expertise", because they already "knew" and had decided everything, such as:
1. Only God can forgive sins
2. "Son of God" is a claim of deity
Ergo, he was "obviously" claiming to be God and needed to be destroyed because he was turning people away from the faith (the establishment).
Guilty of going directly to the people, and getting stuff done directly without the middlemen and trusted names in news - opening the eyes of the oppressed, healing and comforting them, and giving them hope and reason to get up and go.
Now there's a man to lead the way up and out -- having a real Can-Do positive spirit of a big dreamer. Impossible? Ha! Let me show the way is the message he kept trying to get across...
But oh no...
His attempts at reason and his prompings to inspire the self-serving teachers to rethink their positions were not going to change their minds, because consensus settled dogma kept the folks in line. And besides, there would go all the power and influence of the "big names".
Same as it is today, which is why a big surprise with the big reveal coming soon.
Egypt by any other name is still Egypt.
Time for a mighty rescue! If people really wanted to leave the place of bondage, they'd get up and walk out the door and join the Messiah. Great guy!!! He's got plenty of fun and rewarding projects for everyone, designed especially for everyone's particular talents and interests. It's no work at all if it is love.
That's his operating manual, the Book of Love. It teaches how to seek the good. The Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of Good.
How to spot the people determined to head to the other way? They refuse to *yield*. Not only are they demanding the right-of-way and must be first, they yield (produce) nothing. No yield. Empty suits.
Compare the dove, who returned to Noah with a freshly plucked olive leaf the first chance she got to produce something.
Instagram? Hand-wringing over Instagram flirting? Yikes.. let the dead bury their own dead.
Instagrave.
And that only applies if you repent and seek Christ. Christian grace is no license for antinomiansism. Romans 6:1–2 (ESV): What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means!
Unfortunately a personality type exists in humans which holds hypocrisy to be a far greater sin than the sin itself. Christianity tends to draw people who intend to keep sinning, but wash their actions clean by displaying a shiny new coat of public redemption. It’s not the hypocrisy that I mind, but the prospect of immersion in, and endorsement of, this level of corruption.
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.2 Cor. 5:18-19.
Our ministry before God regardless of what man says...
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.2 Cor. 5:20.
Our status before God regardless of what man says...
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that now we have become the righteousness of God in Him.2 Cor. 5:21.
I don’t see that those verses contradict a thing I said.
If Protestant Christians claim that their doctrine,”sola scriptura” states the Bible is the sole authoritative source of God’s Truth and that the teachings are clear for each person, then why are there so many different versions and interpretations of God’s Truth?
God desires unity of His followers to believe in His revealed Truth and accept His love for us, but allows each person with their ‘free will’ to either choose God and follow His way or reject God and follow the ways of the world. Often it is easier to do ‘our will’ and not God’s will.
Churches are supposed to lead us to God, share God’s Truth and to help sinners repent, do penance and do God’s will. Do they? Or do they give us false promises (man’s truth), false information and not God’s Truth? Yes, they may quote verses and parables from the Bible and share some of God’s teachings, but do they make false promises about salvation? Do they make false promises that ‘faith alone’ is all that is needed?
Are protestant churches based on man’s doctrines
and not God’s Truth, based on heresy and rejecting the Church that Jesus founded?
Many protestant churches attempt to do good, but is good sufficient, if they reject God’s Truth? Yes there are sinners in all churches and organizations and if all of us rejected sin, then there would be peace on earth. Otherwise, we will suffer from the effect of sins during this life until we are judged and can join God in Heaven. We need to remember that the path is hard and the gate narrow.
As true followers of Christ, we need to accept God’s Truth and His love as a community of followers, The Body of Christ, members of Christ’s true church with our love for God and neighbor.
You’ve gotta deal with problems, of course, but if you focus on sin, Satan has you where he wants you because sin, condemnation, guilt, and shame are his playground.
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But isn’t that the problem that the author is speaking of? Hordes of contemporary, believing Christians aren’t feeling “condemned”, “guilty”, and/or “shamed” at the Christian faith they are professing. My sister and brother-in-law are weekly church attendees, they send their kids to a Christian school, and they also attended a Gay Pride event as volunteers. Are they not to fear because Christ (as Paul says) has made them Righteous via his death? It’s not a noble idea. It’s repulsive.
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