“CHRISTIANS” AND THE SPIRITUAL PANDEMIC

MORALITY–THE POINT OF LIFE?

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? Is it to live a “good” life?  How would you define “good”? Is it to become a person with moral convictions? If so, where are you getting your moral ideas from?  

Morality, as seen in the world, is transient. It moves. It changes. Feelings are its driving force while facts are its arch enemy. For example, in some parts of the world, it’s okay to treat women as property. In a large portion of the world, slavery is good for business, specifically the sexual trafficking of children and women. How about abortion? Many believe it to be immoral for a woman to give birth to a child, which could interfere with her life plan. If life is simply about being moral, then it’s tough to define. 

What if there is more to life than becoming morally rich?  Well, there is.

WISDOM–GOD’S DIRECTION FOR LIFE

Genesis 1:26-27 explains that God, that is the triune God (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit), created all humans—male, female, every color, every nationality—in his own image. To be created in the image of God means you are created in the same shade of Him or resembling Him. Like a reflection in the mirror.  

Therefore, our purpose is to image the glory of God with our lives in the world.  Or as the Westminster Confession of Faith sums up so well: “What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” So, life has a purpose much deeper than morality. God gifts us life, so that we may be image bearers of his glory with it. But how?

Well, that’s where wisdom comes in. Yet again, the world has its thoughts about wisdom. For example, it’s wise—right now—to listen to another person’s accusations of hurt. To take them on as your own, especially if you are the accused. It’s not wise to ask qualifying questions. It’s also exceedingly humble for you to accept whatever that person says as fact. And it’s unwise to refute any of it because it’s their experience, not yours, and so you have nothing of value to add to the conversation. This is one example of the world’s wisdom–it’s labeled “Empathy.” To be sure, there are others. But this one is particularly harmful in our day.

SPIRITUAL PANDEMIC

So, in the middle of physical and cultural pandemics, we have a spiritual pandemic also: We have self-proclaimed Xians who have no understanding of God’s wisdom nor the desire to follow the Lord’s instruction.  

The church in America has raised at least two generations, and is raising another, of men and women who think morality is all there is to God–you can be moral, and God will accept you. Which has given way to universalism—the insane doctrine that states all paths lead to God. It’s also produced a rebellion against the Lord, which has led to widespread sexual gratification through many means, confusion about what is right and wrong, and so much more among those who used to call themselves Christians (also seen in some who still call themselves Christians). 

Why? Because the church and her leaders have proclaimed a watered-down, self-righteous, “be the best you that you can be” gospel for decades. It abandoned the one true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and now we are reaping its harvest—a multitude of fruitless trees with no roots, and Satan easily cuts down these pretentious trees with a long-handled sickle. 

America is in a dangerous place because the church in America is in a dangerous place. 

AM I INFECTED?

And lest you think this pandemic exists outside only, ask yourself some tough questions: “Where do I look for comfort and strength?” “Who or what do I trust for peace?” 

But don’t answer with your typical Sunday-school rebuttal. Truly examine yourself, your actions, your pursuits in life, and then you will be able to give an honest reply (Romans 12:3). 

Further questions include: “When was the last time I told someone about Jesus?” “When was the last time I talked to God in lengthy prayer?” Not those “If you bail me out, I’ll never do _____ again” prayers; rather, real prayer as a dependent child talks to their father. “When did I last read my bible in consecutive days?” 

Your answers to these questions and many like them reveal to whom and where you go for wisdom and what you think life is all about. Though the answers may be painful, Christ is ready to heal you and give you true life.

IT’S BEEN AROUND FOR MILLENNIA

Jesus faced a similar problem in his day. In fact, this problem isn’t new at all; it’s been around for millennia. Jesus asked this question then, and I draw your attention to it now: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” 

Dear reader, please hear my plea today: your life is intrinsically valuable and meaningful, but you can absolutely derail it with vain pursuits. Do not call him “Lord” and then have nothing to do with what he says. I plead with you to seek God’s wisdom and find true meaning for your life.

But let’s deal with the question. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I tell you?” The answer is mostly simple: Sin. Sin prevents you from following the Lord with your life. You may even call him Lord at times, but if you are okay with your sin and your heart is free to do whatever it wishes, then it isn’t Jesus who is your Lord, it’s yourself.

Pay attention to what Jesus says to those around him after he asked that hard question: 
“Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 
But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:46-49)

GOD–WEAK AND INCAPABLE?

When we survey the land of self-proclaimed Christians in America, in our cities, and in our churches, we should come away saying: It is not God who is weak and incapable, it’s Christians who are weak and unfaithful.  

Faithful Christians are unmoved and unshaken because their God is immovable and unshakable (Psalm 112). Do not be like the wicked who only hear the Lord; resolve yourself to become the blessed righteous person who follows the Lord. 

Listen, you have one life—one house to build—you can either build it on the foundation of Christ and him crucified, where it will stand mightily against the flood of Satan and his menacing sickle; or you can build it on your own selfish desires and melt away with the wicked. Either way, God gets the glory and his justice reigns supreme (Philippians 2:9-11)!  

But for all that is holy and good, please do not call Jesus “Lord, Lord” and refuse to follow his commands. True disciples of Jesus deny their selfish desires, take up their life daily, and follow him (Luke 9:23). The decision to follow Jesus or not will either cost you your life or it will cost you your eternity. We are called to give our lives up for the sake of Christ that we may find true life in Christ. The wicked hear the Lord, while the righteous follow the Lord.

THE GOSPEL VACCINE

If you have been going through life bearing the weight of your selfish desires and you’re tired of it, then come to Jesus, he is gentle and humble at heart. He will give you rest and a burden that is easy to bear.  He will give life to you (Matthew 11:28-29)!

If you are weak, remember what Christ says to the Apostle Paul after he petitions God three times to have the thorn in his flesh removed: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9a). Paul goes on to say, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9b-10). Feeling weak? Good. You are exactly where you need to be to experience the overwhelming grace of God at work in your life.

Finally, if you don’t know Jesus as Lord, I urge you to repent of your sins and believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ today. “Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).