Serving a God that is sovereign not fair. Meaning he is not a God of fairness but a God that is over all things and he makes us decision that are based upon his wisdom and power. Looking trusting in God is easy when the moments of life are easy or it is an emotional experience but were he fail the new believers is we don't teach them God is God in the bad just as he is in the good and therefore we create babies with source of a bottle to find nourishment. Is the totally against the norm of what Jesus said was a Christian when he said to "Take up from cross and follow me...." Denying yourself and following him. This is meant to deny everything that you are and everything that you desire and follow Jesus, trusting that he who lives inside of you will show you how to live. The rich man couldn't do it. And the modern christian in 2009 doesn't either. We never pick our bible up until the pastor says "if you have your bibles turn with me....to" We play religion and seem to think that we live a life that is ok in the sight of a holy God that can't look, be around, nor stand in the midst of sin.
Where is our confession of sins during the week? Prayer life? Scripture reading? Where is the relationship in the midst of our "religion" What are we doing to show we really are what we claim to be? And we wonder why people don't want to come to church or way people leave the church and return to the world. Are we any different then the sinner? What is the difference? Is are a difference? We have become so concerned about looking the part or looking like we are doing right, we have totally forgotten about the spiritual disciplines that make us what we say we are. Meditation when was the last time we did that? Not yoga, or MT, but taking time out of the day to focus on him and leave everything else go for just a moment. The modern Christian world is polluted with this ask Jesus for anything and he will do it or claim it and name it. Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain...yes he did, agree! But the next verse says that this does not happen without prayer and FASTING. HMMM....prayer and fasting two spiritual disciplines we so often fail to perform in our christian walk.
The modern Christian is brainwashed by the gospel that says that all you have to do is accept Christ and your life will at that moment change. This seeker friendly gospel that pulls people in based upon emotion and nothing more. This is the great lie of the modern christian world. That emotion will sustain you and that God will take away all pain from your life at the moment of salvation eliminating anything bad from happening to you because you are now "saved." But my bible says that it rains on the just and the unjust. Meaning God is sovereign and bad things happen to good people. I doubt you would win the argument with Job in convincing him that nothing bad happens to those who have accepted Jesus.
The problem is not the fact that people are coming to know God, the problem is that people are being told lies about the christian experience. Its not a magic formula or Gatorade that recharges your life, it is your life. Being a christ must BECOME YOUR LIFE. Being a christian is the process of becoming like Christ. You are in the process of being something that you previously were not, you are changed and transformed. Not just actions, but behavior and lifestyle must change. The problem with the causal christian and many new converts is they don't know how to go about that change. Why do they struggle with the demons of their past? Lots of times because they weren't taught how to overcome them and even worse they don't know that it is a problem because they haven't been told the truth. For the truth to set you free, you have to know what it is. People live in bondage because they don't know the truth of God's word and the christian experience becomes too hard because they are trying to live in out themselves, when it is God who must be the guide for true spiritual living.
This current state of the christian faith sickens those from generations before us. Why? Because our generation has become brainwashed with the name it claim it, prosperity gospel, believe God for anything and you will get it. Ask the rich man who came to Jesus and said what must I do to be saved and Jesus told him to sell it all and follow him. That is totally 100% opposite of the way that Jesus taught the gospel. We have taught people you can be saved but don't have to give it all to Jesus. "Salvation is a free gift come and find Jesus." No salvation is not free it cost you everything that you have!
True salvation means you give it all to Jesus, everything you are, everything you become, and everything you were is given to him. Why do we preach such a soft gospel when Jesus calls us to follow him and trust him. Our morality is based upon scripture not scholarship or people's opinions of the bible. What the bible says is right is right and what the bible says is wrong is wrong. Bottom line Jesus is the standard for living and without him there is no such thing as salvation. Jesus was perfect and yes we will never be perfect but he is the one who he look to for all source of goodness and without him our faith is all in vain. Base you salvation on the truth of scripture not the theology of modern christianity!
