The new wave of Christianity is a message of the “palatable gospel”. It says, “we must make the gospel of Christ relevant to the culture, palatable to the lost, and gentle to the sinner.
Why does this even matter so much? Because we can so easily be deceived by this “good intentioned” plan if we aren’t aware of the dangers and the lack of truth that holds up the model.
I mentioned some terms for this new brand of Christianity last week, but I’ll give you a few more, just so you’ll know. Postmodernism, free-grace, and the emergent or emerging church. These terms are not well-defined lines; many will adhere to parts of the idea while rejecting others; some will fall in the extreme end of the camp–completely redefining Christianity.
The premise of the idea sounds great at first…”we live in a lost world and we should do whatever it takes to win as many as we can”. Pragmatism–that is, “doing whatever it takes”–has run rampant in the church. Entertainment-saturated services as extreme as motor-cycle stuntmen racing across the pulpit have created the need for more and better shows, and has turned Christianity into consumerism. If your church doesn’t have 4 flavors of latte in the lobby, you may lose a customer to the one who does.
The obsession has become numbers; the church has become a place to draw the lost and, pay attention here, TO MAKE THEM FEEL AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE. One must wonder where the original motive to draw the lost turns into building a bigger business.
There’s a major problem with this seemingly wonderful plan: it’s not God’s.
- Church is a place for “the gathering of the saints”. A place where God’s people are fed, equipped and nourished to then go out and spread the gospel. If a sinner comes into our church, he should either fall under conviction from the preaching of God’s Word and repent, or he should hate it. One or the other.
- We were not given instruction to “save” people. Only God can do that. We were given instruction to “preach the gospel” and make disciples. “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort…for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine…and they will turn their ears away from the truth”… 2 Tim. 4:2,3
- We are not told to make the gospel relevant because our culture isn’t “getting it”. This is not a new problem! Listen to these words from Ezekiel:
“And He said to me: ‘Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation…for they are stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God. As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse–for they are rebellious–yet they will know a prophet has been among them….But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are hard-hearted….When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.”
FOUR times in that passage God said, “whether they hear or whether they refuse”…it’s our job to preach truth, it’s God’s job to convict and soften hearts, open eyes, and save the lost!
If we really love God, and really love people, and really want to live as Jesus did, we must do what He said to do, and reject all the other lies! He never made the gospel non-offensive. He said, “Follow me…but it will cost you everything. They will beat you, throw you into prison, and maybe even kill you. You will lose your family, and your life.”
Let me emphasize: I am NOT leaving out our command to love. I am specifically addressing church practices, and the widespread watering down of the gospel. We love, as Jesus loved. But we don’t change the gospel.
Maybe we should be asking, What DID Jesus do?
6 comments
I have recently started reading your blog. I have been having some changes of thought and feeling about my role in our family and my role as a woman and have been interested in what you have to say. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I agree whole heartedly (sp?) with this post. I also feel that the word of God is being watered down to appeal to the masses. It’s like churches today are willing to lower the standards of Christianity so that no one should feel bad about the choices they make or the lives they live. I’m not saying that love and forgiveness should not be a central message in church…Jesus is all about love and forgiveness…it’s just that so many of my friends and family show up for church on Sunday in shorts and flip-flops, sing, listen to the band, hear a message then head out to brunch and go about their day feeling good that they “went to church” and that’s all it takes. I’m new to the gospel and new to the feelings I’ve been having, but even to the novice that doesn’t ring true.
I was thinking about this lately. Is part of the problem laziness? Do we not try to do everything we push and leave out of the week on a single day? Serve, worship, read the Bible, fellowship, pray and reach others?
Ashley
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/Jonash2004
Keep fighting the good fight. Anyone who states that the Bible is only about grace and conveniently “forgets” about the judgement towards those who go against the will of God must think that they are a whole lot more holy, righteous and loving than Jesus Christ himself. BTW, in my contact with emergent church people they tend to be anti-Bible quite frequently (in any verse, passage, etc. that does not conform to their ideas of how a loving God should be). Some of them have explicitly stated that you cannot be conservative and Christian but that it is okay to be pro-abortion,pro-practicing homosexual, etc. To me it sounds like a “church” based on the lies of the deceiver-not on the truth of God. I believe that the whole Bible was given to us, not just the easy parts. I pray every day that I might live up to at least a part of God’s Word. I know hope is found in Christ alone as illustrated by His Word. If one does not beleve the Bible is true, why waste your time reading it at all? Become a new-ager and go with your warm-fuzzy feelings as your guide to life, just please don’t say it is Christian or Biblical. Thanks.
What a coincidence. I just made a post about the same thing at my blog.
I agree with you completely and feel like I am the only Christian I know that sees these things. It is so frustrating.
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Matthew 24:15
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation,
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Has anyone considered that we may be in the great tribulation and that Satan has seated himself in the churches (holy place – the temple isn’t holy anymore obviously)doing things and teaching things that look great and sound great? Doctrines that are twisted perversions of the true gospel so much so that even the elect could be decieved by his works were that possible (which of course it isn’t.)
1Pe 4:17 For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?
This post is so true! I yell a hearty AMEN!!!!