Sloppy Christianity?
If God wanted to move within a church, would the church’s structure and traditions allow God’s Holy Spirit to move freely? Some traditions are healthy and keep us within the framework to walk “circumspectly.” However, there’s a fine line between respect for the sanctity and honor of the church and “freedom” and “liberty to walk in the newness of life. As Jesus said to the Pharisees, “why do you transgress the commandment of God by your traditions?”
What is the condition of the church in America today? Only 15% of churches in America are growing and only 2% of those that are growing are growing by conversion growth. The others are growing by “transfers” from another church. Only five percent of all Americans attend church regularly. Even in the “Bible Belt” only 35% of people attend church at all. Sixty five percent of Americans have donated to a place of worship. However, only 9% of evangelicals tithe. Sixty percent of Christians say that they are deeply committed to their faith. However, in the 1980’s only one of 200 who came forward in an evangelical crusade maintained their faith. Easy Christianity is “sloppy” Christianity.
We need to walk circumspectly, but legalism is not acceptable. Legalism says “I can make it on my own. I don’t need God’s grace and mercy.” Paul’s letter to the Galatians refutes the arguments for legalism. To stand against sloppy Christianity requires “moderation” or self control according to the Word of God. In 2 Chronicles 30:18-20, Hezekiah reinstituted the feast of the Passover. “For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.”
The keeping of the letter of the law is not the priority…rather, keeping our hearts right before God is the priority. According to 2 Chronicles 31:4. “Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.”
God doesn’t need the money. However the portion given to the church was so that both the priests and the congregation would be blessed. In Acts 6, when the Apostles called men to “serve tables,” the purpose was so that the apostles could give themselves to prayer and the teaching of the Word of God.
Sanctification and holiness are from the same root word. Sanctification is to set apart according to the purpose intended by the Designer. Sanctification is a deliberate, purposeful and intentional act of the will according to God’s divine design. To love is a choice to act to bless God by blessing his people. Love is not just an emotion according to the Word.
2 Chronicles 32:7-8 says, “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”
1 John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God little children and have overcome them: because greater is he that is within you than he that is in the world.
According to 2 Chronicles 32:19, “And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth which were the work of the hands of man.”
Men think that God is like them. However, Isaiah 55 says, “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so much higher are his ways than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts.” The disciples perceived the trials of this world from an earthly perspective. However, Jesus said, “know ye not that presently I could call down twelve legions of angels?” Jesus had 72,000 angels at his command. According to Romans 8, If God be for us who can be against us?
Jesus said that whoever sets his hands to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of heaven. Whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it but whosoever loses his life for my sake shall save it.
The so-called “American Dream” has watered down Christianity. The Christian Church in China prays for persecution in the American church. They know that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
The solution to sloppy Christianity is true discipleship. A disciple is a disciplined follower of his Lord Jesus Christ. You can’t serve God your way. You must serve God his way. Jesus said, you must die to self in order to live for God. “For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael