Easy Believism
By Kirk Boswell
(Inspired by the Two Ways article by Mike Ratliff)
http://mikeratliff.wordpress.com/
To the reader, I apologize in advance for the roughness of this post. You see, I know what I want to say, but I’m not exactly sure how to say it. I have had a serious problem lately with the church and the “easy believism” that is being taught to the congregations. I am also having a hard time with myself, and the lack of sincerity I feel in my soul. In this age of seeker sensitive churches, the gospel has been lost. Want to be told how much Jesus loves you over and over? Go to church. Don’t know what John 3:16 says? Look at the bumpers of the cars in the church parking lot.
I know what you’re thinking, here goes Kirk ranting again. Well, maybe I am. Why? Because I’m tired of half-truth, watered down, politically correct rubbish being preached to me. You say God is love. Yes, He is. But God is also a vengeful and jealous God. God doesn’t show His love by condoning our sin; He shows it by pointing it out to us, and giving us a way out in the person of Jesus Christ. Yet we justify ourselves in our own eyes wallowing in the mud and muck so in love with our sinful ways that God has to drag us away from them kicking and screaming. Why am I upset? Because I have just described myself. “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?(Matthew 16:24-26 ESV)
Am I the only one who finds it difficult to deny myself? I hate the very flesh I live in. Paul says it perfect in Romans 7:15-20
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17So now( it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.(ESV)
Many of the things I do, I know better. Yet I continue to do them anyway. According to Paul, it’s the sin that dwells within me. That really doesn’t make me feel any better. I feel like the most selfish, spoiled, sinner in the world at times. I proclaim the name of Jesus, yet I wallow in sinful ways? How can this be? How can I truly love Christ and live for Him if I am still drawn to sin like a moth to a lantern? I pray and beg God to forgive me every day and to remove this sinful nature from my heart. You may be thinking by now that I must be hiding some deep dark secrets, but I tell you it’s more to do with what I don’t do than what I do. Have I given my life completely over to Christ? Or only some parts of it? Have I laid it all at the Saviors feet? Do I rely on prayer and fasting for all of my decisions, no matter how great or small? If I were to answer with anything but no, I would be an absolute liar. This bothers me to no end. Jesus says in Matthew 10:38-39 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38-39 ESV)
I know Jesus has done His part. I also know that in this flesh I will never be completely without sin. The thing is though, is that I want to be as much like Jesus as I can possibly be. However, I can’t get past my own selfish sinful nature to really even try. I know what I must do, and by the grace of Almighty God I will do it. For it is only by His grace alone that I can even acknowledge these short comings. I would bet if you’re still reading this a lot of what I said about my life applies directly to you as well. If not, then you have no need to continue reading. So I ask the question: Does not drawing closer and closer to God every single day bother you? Or are you a happy go lucky singing praises and content with the sin that you feel you are free in Christ to commit over and over? Do you lament over your sinful nature or do you feel at ease with perceived grace? Please read carefully Romans 6:1-4
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
It is clear that grace does not allow us to freely sin. Yet repentance and brokenness is rarely preached these days. You see the god most people worship is a false god created in their own minds out of their own image. Why? Because that’s what they desire in their hearts. Why wouldn’t they? Make up the rules as you go. Throw in some John 3:16 and Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.” And now you have your very own hybrid bastardized version of Christianity. Am I being harsh? Sorry. It needs to be said. I do not want to be deceived, by a preacher or by my own heart. So many professing Christians I know, yet their lives reek of the mire of this world(as does my own). They say Jesus does not want us to be miserable, we are free to do all things in moderation (I’ve used that one quite often myself). They are somewhat correct; Jesus does not want us to be miserable. He desires that we have life and have it more abundantly. However, scripture explicitly warns us not to be of this world, for the things of this world are enmity towards God. This world is dieing, as is everything in it. And let’s be honest, we use these excuses to justify being worldly don’t we? I do. The Bible says that we are to be a separated and peculiar people. Are you? Am I?
1 Peter 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light(KJV)
Notice in the above verse where it says we have been called out of darkness into marvelous light. Yet we continue to desire to entertain darkness in our lives. I’m not looking for everyone to agree with what I am writing, I just want you to be honest with yourselves. I’ve been brutally honest about myself in this post. I have failed miserably and have fallen way short of the glory of God. I however, realize this and plead before the mercy seat of Christ. What about you? Do you bemoan your sinful ways or do you carry on as though nothing is wrong? Praying lackadaisically Lord forgive me of my sins before you sit down to eat. Now is not the time to be lukewarm. We must repent and humble ourselves before our Lord. Quit “playing” church and seek Him with all your might. You can’t trust your heart, you have to trust Jesus and Jesus alone. For Jeremiah says the heart is wicked and deceitful among all things, who can know it? Time is running out. Satan is deceiving like never before, lulling us into a drunken stupor, having us to sleepwalk and be caught up in our selfish lusts and desires. it's time to wake up believers, we have slept long enough.
(Inspired by the Two Ways article by Mike Ratliff)
http://mikeratliff.wordpress.com/
To the reader, I apologize in advance for the roughness of this post. You see, I know what I want to say, but I’m not exactly sure how to say it. I have had a serious problem lately with the church and the “easy believism” that is being taught to the congregations. I am also having a hard time with myself, and the lack of sincerity I feel in my soul. In this age of seeker sensitive churches, the gospel has been lost. Want to be told how much Jesus loves you over and over? Go to church. Don’t know what John 3:16 says? Look at the bumpers of the cars in the church parking lot.
I know what you’re thinking, here goes Kirk ranting again. Well, maybe I am. Why? Because I’m tired of half-truth, watered down, politically correct rubbish being preached to me. You say God is love. Yes, He is. But God is also a vengeful and jealous God. God doesn’t show His love by condoning our sin; He shows it by pointing it out to us, and giving us a way out in the person of Jesus Christ. Yet we justify ourselves in our own eyes wallowing in the mud and muck so in love with our sinful ways that God has to drag us away from them kicking and screaming. Why am I upset? Because I have just described myself. “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?(Matthew 16:24-26 ESV)
Am I the only one who finds it difficult to deny myself? I hate the very flesh I live in. Paul says it perfect in Romans 7:15-20
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17So now( it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.(ESV)
Many of the things I do, I know better. Yet I continue to do them anyway. According to Paul, it’s the sin that dwells within me. That really doesn’t make me feel any better. I feel like the most selfish, spoiled, sinner in the world at times. I proclaim the name of Jesus, yet I wallow in sinful ways? How can this be? How can I truly love Christ and live for Him if I am still drawn to sin like a moth to a lantern? I pray and beg God to forgive me every day and to remove this sinful nature from my heart. You may be thinking by now that I must be hiding some deep dark secrets, but I tell you it’s more to do with what I don’t do than what I do. Have I given my life completely over to Christ? Or only some parts of it? Have I laid it all at the Saviors feet? Do I rely on prayer and fasting for all of my decisions, no matter how great or small? If I were to answer with anything but no, I would be an absolute liar. This bothers me to no end. Jesus says in Matthew 10:38-39 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38-39 ESV)
I know Jesus has done His part. I also know that in this flesh I will never be completely without sin. The thing is though, is that I want to be as much like Jesus as I can possibly be. However, I can’t get past my own selfish sinful nature to really even try. I know what I must do, and by the grace of Almighty God I will do it. For it is only by His grace alone that I can even acknowledge these short comings. I would bet if you’re still reading this a lot of what I said about my life applies directly to you as well. If not, then you have no need to continue reading. So I ask the question: Does not drawing closer and closer to God every single day bother you? Or are you a happy go lucky singing praises and content with the sin that you feel you are free in Christ to commit over and over? Do you lament over your sinful nature or do you feel at ease with perceived grace? Please read carefully Romans 6:1-4
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
It is clear that grace does not allow us to freely sin. Yet repentance and brokenness is rarely preached these days. You see the god most people worship is a false god created in their own minds out of their own image. Why? Because that’s what they desire in their hearts. Why wouldn’t they? Make up the rules as you go. Throw in some John 3:16 and Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.” And now you have your very own hybrid bastardized version of Christianity. Am I being harsh? Sorry. It needs to be said. I do not want to be deceived, by a preacher or by my own heart. So many professing Christians I know, yet their lives reek of the mire of this world(as does my own). They say Jesus does not want us to be miserable, we are free to do all things in moderation (I’ve used that one quite often myself). They are somewhat correct; Jesus does not want us to be miserable. He desires that we have life and have it more abundantly. However, scripture explicitly warns us not to be of this world, for the things of this world are enmity towards God. This world is dieing, as is everything in it. And let’s be honest, we use these excuses to justify being worldly don’t we? I do. The Bible says that we are to be a separated and peculiar people. Are you? Am I?
1 Peter 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light(KJV)
Notice in the above verse where it says we have been called out of darkness into marvelous light. Yet we continue to desire to entertain darkness in our lives. I’m not looking for everyone to agree with what I am writing, I just want you to be honest with yourselves. I’ve been brutally honest about myself in this post. I have failed miserably and have fallen way short of the glory of God. I however, realize this and plead before the mercy seat of Christ. What about you? Do you bemoan your sinful ways or do you carry on as though nothing is wrong? Praying lackadaisically Lord forgive me of my sins before you sit down to eat. Now is not the time to be lukewarm. We must repent and humble ourselves before our Lord. Quit “playing” church and seek Him with all your might. You can’t trust your heart, you have to trust Jesus and Jesus alone. For Jeremiah says the heart is wicked and deceitful among all things, who can know it? Time is running out. Satan is deceiving like never before, lulling us into a drunken stupor, having us to sleepwalk and be caught up in our selfish lusts and desires. it's time to wake up believers, we have slept long enough.
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