From Good News to False Religion

I am convinced that much of the church has, functionally speaking, become a false religion. How's that for a light-hearted hypothesis? Well, it may sound like some kind of knee jerk, "I'm sick of these people" reaction, but I swear it's not. Let me explain.

From what I see in my admittedly limited scope of contacts and resources, genuine understanding of the gospel, and reliance upon it, are rare commodities these days. I don't know at what point in history this turned, but the predominant belief system I see in the church today is one that has resulted in the church becoming eerily similar to most other religions by defining acceptance and/or maturity in terms of deeds done. And yes, the vast majority of the evangelical church would say that this is not their belief.

The climate of the church today is one in which people do not cling to the gospel as their only hope for life. Instead, people cling to rules, self-worth, knowledge, behavior, status, power, etc. to define their position with God. And, to be clear, this does not primarily consist of people who simply fail to constantly remind themselves of the gospel, rather it's people who have a fundamental failure to fully grasp what is meant by "salvation by grace".

One Master - The True Gospel
The gospel is not about the good we must do for God, it's about the good that God has done for us. It's not a doorway through which we pass, then maturing on to our own life of good deeds. We always have, and always will, need Jesus in every moment of every day.

"Gospel" means "Good News."
It's the good news that God has made a way.
The good news that Jesus, God's perfect son, died to make right what we had made wrong and, if you hate your sins and turn to follow Him, that He is now, and forever will be for you....your advocate.
The good news that, in Him, we have complete freedom.
The good news that we get to be adopted into His family.
The good news that our joy in Him begins now and is a foretaste of the world to come.
The good news that when He returns there will be a world without pain, death, or suffering, and that we get to enjoy it with Him.
The good news that He is our reward, and is the only thing that ever fulfills its promise to satisfy.
The good news that we have permanent acceptance based on nothing but Jesus.
The good news that we have nothing to prove and nobody to impress.
The good news is that He has done it all.

God has carried out every detail of His plan and our only task is to love Him for it....and how can we not?

How Did We Get Here?
I think, aside from the "minor" issues of poor preaching, leadership, and writing, we have other problems. The first problem is that we are a very logical people, and our logic is based on our sensibilities. After all, the gospel is foolishness to the world is it not? I Corinthians 1:21-25 says:

"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."

Deep down we know we are broken, and inadequate, but the gospel seems foolish and weak. And because of that, we seek to get right with God by means that we see as worthy. Our culture promotes the idea that you can pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, and that nothing is beyond your reach if you simply believe and work hard. The problem is that God says that's hogwash. He says we can never be good enough... NEVER.

Human wisdom aside, the other way we got here, and by far the most popular way, is by being idolaters. Idolatry is, for many of us, an old-school word which conjures up images of bowing down before hand-carved statues. But, that's not what idolatry really means. Idolatry is anything which we put in place of God for our hope and happiness. In the case of our salvation, that can be a variety of things but it often comes down to being good enough. Practically, this means that we believe that in order for us to be right with God, for Him to be pleased, we need to be strong, good, successful, mature, humble, kind, etc. The problem with this is that the gospel says the very opposite is true. The gospel is about God's strength in our weakness and foolishness, thus showing Him to be supremely good.

Incidentally, I believe this is why the majority of us are so uncomfortable with rebuke & admonishment. Proverbs 9:8 says that if you “reprove a wise man” “he will love you” and proverbs 15:31 says that those that “listen to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.” These verses indicate that the wise like rebuke!  I know... that sounds wrong. But why? And why is it so foreign to us? I don't know about you but I don't look forward to, or delight in, being rebuked. Well, I think the answer is directly tied to what I just described in those of us who try to be good enough. A rebuke is someone telling you that you aren't good enough. Telling you that you've sinned. So, if your system is all about being good enough, a rebuke threatens to topple the entire belief system, and even your very salvation. Understandably, when this is the case, instead of reproof working to our benefit, we run from it out of fear. Praise God that's not the gospel and that is why the wise embrace rebuke. They know that only by admitting their weakness, and casting themselves at the foot of the cross, will they actually grow in their relationship with Christ.

But a life of moralism doesn't just do harm to our relationship with God. When we attempt to look good enough, or to be good enough, we unwittingly attempt to disprove the gospel. How so? Well, if we are successful in being good enough then the gospel is proven to be a lie. We're not too weak. The gospel is suddenly unnecessary, and God is a liar, and the whole system collapses. I think that's vital to understand. Any attempt to prove yourself good enough is an attempt to prove God a liar. God says we are weak and incapable of saving ourselves and we best believe Him rather than believing in ourselves.

While being "good" is one major aspect, idolatry also rears its head in the church via people who are there for "other" reasons. What I mean is that there are a huge number of people in the church who have never been truly impacted by the gospel, but are there instead for other reasons. Some have traded in their "sins" for "righteousness." Someone who seeks power over others via the sin of sexual abuse can trade that in for seeking power over others by being a very devout, religious person. The Bible, knowledge, spiritual "maturity", leadership, monetary giving can be used to exert your "spiritual authority" over others.

Most forms of idolatry involve serving God in order to get something from Him, or through Him, rather than serving God to get more of Him. God is the treasure and if we state it any other way, then it's no longer Christianity.

I realize these "false gospels" aren't what very many of us would profess to believing, but it is what many of us functionally believe. Think about it. Does any of this sound like you or people you love?

It's dead religion and it leads only to despair and exhaustion. Chasing idols (Respect, prosperity, sex, power, human acceptance, etc.) will always leave you disappointed and exhausted because they cannot bear your weight! All it can do is create workaholics who can never quite do enough to be feel justified, parents whose children never live up to their expectations, and lovers who cannot find satisfaction.

Trusting in ourselves, and in our deeds, to satisfy God will only drive us to see Him as a cruel task master who can never be satisfied.

The gospel flips this all on its head by assuring us that God has accepted us, and that there's nothing we can do to make Him love us more, and nothing we can do to make Him love us less. Good deeds naturally flow out of the experience of this kind of love. When we seek God as the reward, and we have nothing to prove, and no bar to reach, then Christianity is exciting, freeing, and joyful.

You Got REBUKED!

At a recent church gathering, there was some mention of accountability as a positive aspect of community. Having come from a really conservative, unhealthily so, Christian background, in which accountability and rebuke were, at least for me, things to be feared. So, I have spent some time trying to recover the true meaning of accountability, and thus have some opinions on the matter. Yeah, I know...surprise!

I think it's natural to view accountability, and specifically some of its aspects, such as rebuke and admonishment, with suspicion and fear. And, in many ways, these feelings are justified. I say this because the American church has, for the most part, failed to employ a Biblical version of accountability. This typically falls into one of two camps: 1) Hands Off and 2) Gloves Off.

1) Hands Off - In this model of accountability, we observe people struggling in various aspects of their lives. This can be marital strife, addiction, pride, and other general idolatries and failures to trust God. In the Hands Off model, instead of lovingly assisting the person who we see struggling, we watch and hope someone else helps them, or we figure it's "between them and God". Hands Off is the default model for most Christians partly because of fear of conflict (which is really a misunderstanding of what accountability is) and partly because most of us have so few relationships that are deep enough and rooted in love enough to really justify acts of confrontation or admonishment. After all, admonishment and confrontation from someone who doesn't really know us is at best superficial, and at worst deeply hurtful. Unfortunately, often times the Hands Off model is practiced until things "go too far", at which point the "Gloves Off" model is deployed.

2) Gloves Off - In the Gloves Off model, when struggling is seen it is confronted aggressively. This typically means telling them to "man up" or "STOP IT", to motivate them with guilt or threats, or to challenge their 'Christian maturity' by accusing them of lacking faith or some other apparent Christian "requisite". In many cases, Matthew 18:15-17 (passage on "church discipline") is viewed with cold-hearted, dogmatic "instruction following", rather than in the light of attempting to rescue someone from themselves. When this kind of "instruction following" is employed, it's often done with complete disregard for feelings or for how well you know the person you are confronting.

"Uh hi, I saw you speak unkindly to your spouse and just wanted to say that you need to quit acting like an unbeliever. Have a nice day!"

In reality, Christian accountability is supposed to be done for the other person's good. It's simple and subtle, but we often get confused and act as though accountability is not for their good but for ours. Maybe we are annoyed, or apalled by behavior we observe, and we feel it's our "God given duty" to let them know they are wrong.

But, again, the problem with that is that accountability should be an act of love. Not an act of justice, revenge, or pursuit of "the truth" (insofar as "the truth" is just "setting the record straight"). It's not shaping the other person into your likeness, or your ideal, at your pace. It's shaping them into Christ's likeness at HIS pace.

In reality, this should look more like real friendship than a business transaction. In these scenarios, when you see your friend stuck in the throes of sin, you will choose to approach them about the sin, to empathize, to help them determine the root cause of their sin, and to show them how the Gospel answers that root cause. Then, you'll choose to stick with them, pray for them, and help them in any way that is truly beneficial, regardless of how quickly (if ever) they respond. It is usually not a quick meeting or two or a counseling session, but a continual walking beside and loving of a person.

And, as I've tried to describe before, loving doesn't necessarily mean simply trying to make them feel better or convincing them that everything is ok. Loving them means being real, and helping them to see areas of weakness which may be blind spots to them, praying with them, and talking specifically about the sin that is contributing to to their situation. Sometimes it can seem like a tough love, and other times it is the sacrificial love of helping to support a friend in their time of exaggerated weakness (I say exaggerated since we are always weak and in need of the Gospel of Jesus).

I hope you've gathered from this description that this kind of accountability is nearly impossible to do without a prior relationship of love. If you haven't already invested heavily with love in a relationship, then you probably aren't the right one to "help" direct that person. But, when this kind of relationship does exist, and accountability is done in love, then it will most often result in good. Yes, it can still be painful, but it's good. "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

One additional thing to keep in mind, so that you might love others more effectively, is to realize that, due to a variety of factors, many professing Christians believe an appearance of maturity, independence, and even sinlessness, is a good and necessary thing. And so, when you point out a sin or weakness in their life, they're likely to respond negatively. After all, you are challenging what they believe to be the very core of their Christian existence. Acknowledging your accusations may very well seem to them to be acknowledging that they're not good enough, or aren't worthy any longer or that they're not as good as you are. This is clearly an opportunity for you to speak gospel truth into their life. To "gospel" them by showing them that it's not about being "good enough" and self-reliance, but about reliance on Jesus. If the gospel is truly the key to their happiness, as it should be, then you'll be reminding them of their freedom from sin and they'll likely, in the long run, thank you.

Ultimately, true Christian accountability should point us to Jesus, to the cross, and will serve to help us to see where we have failed to believe truth about God.

Hearing vs. Listening

I find in myself, and in most people, a strong drive to be heard, respected, and cared for, but little, if any, drive to listen, respect, and care.

If you follow Jesus, or if you just desire the world to be a better place (as God intended it), then I have some good advice for you: listen. Not merely hear, but listen.

While it may seem silly to split hairs by distinguishing a difference between hearing and listening, I'm going to do it anyway. For the purposes of this blog entry, this clarification will be helpful. After all, you can hear what someone is saying, and even comprehend their words, without understanding their true meaning and motive, or even caring. That last part is vital. In order to really listen, you must care. And if you really care, then you should listen.

In order to care, and subsequently listen, we must put ourselves aside, let our thoughts and opinions take a backseat, and get to know their point of view. This doesn't mean that we cease to have thoughts and opinions, it just means that those thoughts and opinions should be secondary to the person to whom we are listening.

I think the reasons for most people's tendencies to hear, but not listen, are varied. But typically, they're one of the following:

1) The desire to prove ourselves valid, worthy, and lovable.

How this plays out in conversations is that we hear the other person's words, and we immediately want to respond with a story about ourselves, a counterpoint to their belief, one-upping whatever they say, or something of the sort. When this happens, we're so enthralled with ourselves or what we're going to say next, that we don't listen.

2) A genuine delusion that we're right and they're wrong.

In reality, it shouldn't be about "right and wrong". Instead, it should be about learning about the perceptions, interpretations, and values that have formed their view. Every person views things slightly differently. We each have been formed by various input in our lives. A great book on the subject, "Difficult Conversations", says it this way:

"Some of us are artists, others are scientists, others pragmatists. Some of us want to prove we're right; others want to avoid conflict or smooth it over. Some of us tend to see ourselves as victims, others as heroes, observers, or survivors. The information we attend to varies accordingly."

If we come at conversations from an angle of "convincing them we're right", we will likely fail to achieve that very goal.

3) Hesitance to "get involved".

We fear getting involved in people's mess, and thus refuse to dive deep with them.

4) Bad habits.

Our culture has trained us to stay superficial and to carry on conversations by batting a ball of superficial conversation back and forth:

Person 1: "I've always liked the Yankees."

Person 2: "I'm partial to the Red Sox myself."

Person 1: "The Red Sox are alright, but I really like the tradition with the Yankees."

Person 2: "That's cool."

Consider how this conversation can go if you listen to the person:

Person 1: "I've always liked the Yankees."

Person 2: "Really? Why is that"

Person 1: "Well, I really like the tradition involved with that organization."

Person 2: "What part of the tradition intrigues you?"

Person 1: "Oh, mostly all the great names that have been there over the years. DiMaggio, Ruth, Mantle. The list goes on and on."

Person 2: "Yeah? How long have you followed them?"

Person 2 is really listening and caring about Person 1... even in something small.

I'm sure there are more reasons we don't listen, but those are the big ones I've seen. So, in summary, here are some brief reasons, or motivators, for listening:

1) Caring - Genuine caring. Digging deep into their thoughts and hopes... what has formed and influenced them, rather than trying to prepare your next statement or idea while they're still talking. Whatever your motivation, caring for people should be a goal. “The first duty of love is to listen.” - Paul Tillich

2) Learning - Listening and asking good questions allows you to fully hear the other person out. After all, if you are humble, this is a great chance to correct your OWN views as well! "Big egos have little ears." - Robert Schuller

3) Building trust - People can usually tell if you're listening or not within a few minutes of talking. Further, after more time spent, people can tell just how serious and genuine your listening and caring goes. There are few, if any, greater obstacles to the gospel, and to relationships in general, than being known as a poor listener. On the flip side, there are few greater doorways for the gospel and for relationships than being a good listener. "There's a big difference between showing interest and really taking interest." - Michael P. Nichols

4) Influencing - After trust is gained, you can use effective listening to help shape and influence a person. Even when you disagree with someone, good, thoughtful questions can be a great way to subtly, lovingly, guide them to healthy conclusions. Though counter-intuitive, this can be MORE effective than pushing your point. "A good listener tries to understand what the other person is saying. In the end he may disagree sharply, but because he disagrees, he wants to know exactly what it is he is disagreeing with." - Kenneth A. Wells

This is a huge subject, much bigger than I'd feel comfortable inflicting on you in one blog post, but I hope you'll join me in studying to be a better listener. My suggestion? Next time you go to visit someone, go with the goal of not talking about yourself or your interests at all. Instead, try to really love them by thoughtfully paying attention, really thinking about what they're saying, and asking relevant and caring questions.

What is Your Life About?

Let's assume a relationship with God, and a desire for His glory, are the primary driving force of your life. I say good. But after that, what is your life about?

I think most people will find it easy to answer quickly, that the bulk of their life is about the "right things." But I'm asking, at a very practical, functional, day-to-day, level... What is the driving force behind your day-to-day activities?

Is it...

Gaining Knowledge?
Having status or perceived spiritual maturity?

Being "good"?

Following Church traditions?

Running (or attending) Church functions?Following Church traditions?

Having good quiet times?

Having a peaceful life?

I'd like to suggest that if it is any of the above, or if you're not sure, then you're likely missing the point. God's entire goal for the life of His people is this: Love God, and love mankind. That's it. Jesus Himself said it: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and Love your neighbor as yourself." And this isn't just a "New Testament concept". The entire Old Testament was about God's people, and their call to love God, and love the nations. Yes, it was a rarely successful mission, but it was the mission nonetheless. Commands to leave the corners of fields unharvested (Leviticus 19:9), to put a railing on your roof (Deuteronomy 22:8), to preach to hated enemies (Jonah)... all had the motivation of love behind them. And it is a call that becomes even clearer in the New Testament, thanks to Jesus.

If your time and focus is on items in that list, rather than on loving people, you may have a problem. The things in this list, though they can be good and valuable, are not eternal and are not, primarily, what God has called us to. If you're anything like me, finding spare time is next to impossible. Consequently, focus on one area (filling my life with church programs, for example) means less focus on another area (getting to know my neighbors, for example).

So, practically, what does this look like?

I think it'll look different for each person. But, at some level, it means getting out of your "personal relationship" mode (aka "just me and Jesus") and pursuing people. I can't emphasize that enough. Pursue people. Listen to them. Jump into the midst of their pain, problems, joys and sins. Invest heavily in people. God does not want us to waste our lives planning worship

services, organizing Sunday school, and attending meetings. Does that sound shocking? I think it is quite shocking for most American evangelicals, but it's true nonetheless. That's not saying God doesn't want Christians to meet. He absolutely does. He just doesn't want us to waste excessive time on it because, it's not the goal. People are the goal. Making disciples is the goal. Even our Bible study can be a waste of time if it terminates on us. The Bible should be studied to grow in love and wisdom SO THAT we can be better equipped, and more driven, to love people.

So, let's make our faith about love... shall we?