You Need More Than A Superficial Faith
Author Erwin McManus correctly reminds his readers that “to follow Jesus is to enter the unknown, to relinquish security, and to exchange certainty for confidence in Him.” Jesus’ original pre-requisites and high standards have never been altered merely to accomodate new generations of potential disciples. His precepts do not vary from one generation to another!
Sadly, many are diluting the message and reducing the requirements just for the sake of impressive statistics. Through the years many have attempted to simplify the faith to the extent that some of its most essential elements are being left out. Yet, people cannot benefit from a caricature of the Truth but only from the real thing.Truth alone sets one free!
Today, many are being inoculated with a small measure of the faith that they never catch the real thing. A diluted Gospel will help no one; an anemic faith will impact no individual, nor society. One cannot affect the world with a superficial, incomplete message. One must not reduce Truth’s demands just to attract people.
There have been doctrinal compromises to make faith more palatable, but these always fail. Moral adjustments have also been promoted, confusing divine mandates with human legalisms. Erroneous interpretations of Scripture are also offered, intent on justifying inapropriate behaviors, or in preventing rightful actions from happening.
The message of the Gospel remains an unavoidable stumbling block for any culture, to any society, at any time. Removal of that element would mean destruction of the saving message. Whenever that occurs, people perish! In fact, congregations often send people to hell just as much, if not more, than the world does!
Instead of making it so easy for people to accept Christianity, compromises must be avoided. People need to know from the outset what the faith is, entails, and requires before they commit themselves to it! It is not by making it easy that people will be attracted to it; it’s only when it is presented accurately, through the power of the Holy Spirit. One must tell it like it is, so others can hear it and embrace it as it is!
God’s eternal message needs to be contextualized to every new generation so it can be adequately understood and intelligently accepted. It cannot be reduced to achieve the same end! What God recorded in the pages of Holy Scripture remains relevant to every new generation, and it abides forever!
The local congregation should never be viewed, nor view itself, as a club where anybody can join just by paying expected dues. God demands genuine transformation and continuing growth, manifested through visible and lasting fruit-bearing on the part of members of each Community of Faith!
January 28th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Consistent inspired wisdom. Dr. Lyra, you really need to compile these writings into a book.