John F. McArthur
concludes his book “Faith Works – the Gospel according to the Apostles” (a)
with the following quote:
“Today’s ‘Christianity’
is in a state of disarray and decay, and the condition is deteriorating year by
year. The truth of God’s Word has been watered down and compromised to reach a
common denominator that will appeal to and accommodate the largest number of
participants. The result is a hybrid Christianity which is essentially man-centered,
materialistic and worldly, and shamefully dishonouring to the Lord Jesus
Christ. This shameful degeneracy is due in large part to the erroneous gospel
that is presented by many today around the world”
The slogan “I
love my church” fits exactly into this context with its emphasis on “my church”.
The focus of love and dedication is no longer Christ the Lord, but “my” ‘Christian’
club that allows me to live out my lifestyle without offending me. My club
offers me professional music, theatre, entertaining speakers, positive thinking
messages and a community where I belong and can receive recognition and praise.
My club offers me all this and the promise that since I have accepted Christ as
Saviour, God loves me, makes no moral demands on me, He is looking out for my
best interests, will prosper me and
gives me the assurance of heaven awaiting me when I die. Is it no wonder that “I
love my church”?
And that
part where Christ is Lord? Well maybe that will happen to some members over
time, first and foremost we are seeker friendly – measuring the success of our
leadership by the number of members in our club and the number of participants
and new visitors on a Sunday.
To be
successful at this we do not want to offend anyone by taking about sin, the
need to repent, the Judgement that is to come. We just separate sanctification out
of the equation – and we meet our obligations in this regard by offering
courses for those who are more interested in that type of stuff.
If the
Gospel has been watered down in this way, then we are viewing a system where
the Grace of God is pedalled for profit. (2 Corinthians 2:17)
Where are
the days that the Holy Spirit was present in Meetings to “convict the world of
its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” (John 16:8) If
He is allowed in our meetings today, His role is been mainly reduced to giving
us goose bumps. In some special situations He may even come and heal someone of
some body pain.
“I love my
church” tends to ignore the scripture that warns us against such thinking: “For
whenever each of you says, “I am of Paulus”, and another says, “I am of
Apollo”, behold, are you not carnal?” (1 Corinthians 3:4) – but then maybe the
shoe fits?
Jesus
Christ is head of the Church – He said “I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18)
Jesus
Christ is Lord! Today and now and for all eternity. His Church are those that
listen to His Voice and obey Him!
We are called to love Him 'Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' (Matthew
22:37)
I conclude
with a quote from Tozer (b):
“Now what is to accept Christ? Well, let me define it for you a little more closely. Acceptance of Christ is to form an attachment to the person of Christ; to the person of Jesus Christ. It's not to fall in love with a tender-faced Jesus. It is to realize that this tender-faced Jesus is also Lord and God! That God has made Him Lord over all things and Head of the Church and that He has the keys of death and hell and that He will sit upon the throne judging all mankind and that God has given all power into His hand - this mighty Lord Jesus! It's to form an attachment to Him that is revolutionary, reversing and transforming the life. If your Christian conversion did not reverse the direction of your life; if it did not transform it then you're not converted at all, you are simply a victim of the 'accept Jesus' heresy!
For me to accept Christ means that I am to accept Him in every part of my being and that I am to form an attachment to Him, an emotional, an intellectual, a volitional attachment which is complete, leaving no part of the life unaffected. If He cannot control you, He cannot save you. And if He cannot control all of you, He cannot control any of you!”
Let us
depart from lukewarmness as we heed the Words of our Lord:
“Do not
seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the
vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do
right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.” (Revelation 22:10 - 11)
Sources:
(a) http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Works-Gospel-According-Apostles/dp/0849908418(b) http://www.neve-family.com/books/tozer/AcceptChrist-1.html
