[013] A Message From A Poem - Academic Christianity

[013] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ACADEMIC CHRISTIANITY

If you did a survey in universities and places of higher learning, and in liberal theological colleges in our days, you would find very few Christians. The mind of man today is bent on humanism and the search for rationalism in an existential existence.

God knows all about this, and is the reason He got Paul to write these words –

{{1Corinthians 1:18-19 “The word of the cross is to those who are perishing FOOLISHNESS, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God, for it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”}}

{{1Corinthians 1:23-25 “but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and TO GENTILES FOOLISHNESS, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”}}

Clever man fails when he hits a brick wall. When a Christian hits a brick wall, he says, “Over to You, Lord.”

What I seek to do in this poem is to look at those who think they are Christians but have never made a profession of faith; never given their lives to the Lord Jesus in repentance.

The higher criticism movement that began in Germany is a destructive move that wishes to wreck Christianity under the guise of being academic Christianity.

Jesus said decisively – {{Luke 13:3 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish,”}} But clever man in a false profession of faith seeks to argue that away. It is all academic Christianity, all in the head, and nothing in the heart.

This has resulted in dangerous men and women in positions of lecturers, or professors in some denominational and theological colleges who are not Christians and these promote liberalism and WOKE humanism. They are academic in mind, but not in faith.

I hope you see the relationship of all this in the poem.

ACADEMIC CHRISTIANITY

Academic Christianity!

“What is that?” you may ask.

A pretence, it is, of Christian faith -

Pretence behind a mask.

Strong profession may be hotly claimed!

What right is that to bask?

===============================

Does hang profession, honestly,

And hold up under scrutiny?

Not lived just academically,

But well supported biblically?

===============================

Academic Christianity!

Dwells in unproven realms.

Tribulations in the storms of life,

Profession overwhelms!

Academic Christians find in trials,

Alone, they hold the helms.

===============================

Faith-profession, upon such sand,

During stormy trials, shows its brand!

Without the hand of God was planned!

Had no foundation on the land!

===============================

Those sincere, who look to God in need,

A true possession know.

Their secret this - God’s gift they possess,

Of faith, that they might grow.

They know how real is God’s salvation.

Christ’s love through them can flow.

===============================

Yes, the secret is possession;

Not vain or empty profession.

Jesus Christ is our confession;

He, through life, is our progression.

* * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * *

Academic Christians fail the grade.

True confession never have they made.

Jesus, for sin, full payment has paid.

Be saved today, while judgment’s delayed!

14 March 1998 R E Ferguson 9-6-9-6-9-6 and 8-8-8-8. Last 9-9-9-9