OVERCOMING COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY
ROMANS 12:1-8
I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY, THAT THIS SERIES HAS PROBABLY LEFT A FEW OF YOU SCRATHCING YOUR HEADS AND WONDERING IF THE PASTOR HAS TAKEN A DIVE OFF THE DEEP END. I ASSURE YOU THAT I HAVEN’T, THOUGH AT TIMES YOU MAY BE RIGHT TO WONDER.
THE FACT IS THAT WHILE YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH THE TERMINOLOGY DR. LARRY CRABB USES IN HIS BOOK, MOST OF YOU WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT DR. CRABB IS SAYING.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE WANT GOD TO DO WHAT WE BLIEVE TO BE RIGHT, WITHOUT PRAYING THY WILL BE DONE. WE ESSENTIALLY WANT TO BE IN CONTROL, AND NOT GOD. WE BELIEVE WE KNOW, EVEN BETTER THAN GOD WHAT IS BEST FOR US.
DR. CRABB TAKES US DOWN A DIFFICULT ROAD TO DISCOVERY. FIRST WE REALIZE THAT GOD IS GOD AND NOT US. OUR PLAN MAY BE GOOD, AND DONE WITH THE RIGHT INTENTIONS, BUT GOD MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT PLAN IN MIND, THAT INVOLVES GOING THROUGH SOME VERY DIFFICULT TIMES, TIMES WE WOULD NOT CHOOSE ON OUR OWN.
ONLY BY DIVING INTO THE STRUGGLE CAN GOD SAFELY LEAD US THROUGH IT TO A PLACE OF REST AND PEACE IN HIM. HERE IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE. MANY INDIVIDUALS NOT ONLY COME TO CHRIST, BUT HAVE DEEP EMOTIONALLY TRANSFORMING EXPERIENCES WITH THE SAVIOUR, WHILE ON THEIR DEATH BEDS. AT THE END OF THESE ROADS WE OFTEN SEE WHY GOD HAS CHOSEN TO ALLOW US TO FOLLOW THEM. GOD DOES NOT ABANDON US, HE DOES NOT JUST CREATE US AND LET US FEND FOR OURSELVES.
GOD NOT ONLY ALLOWS US TO TRAVEL DIFFICULT ROADS BUT IS THERE WITH US TO GUIDE AND HELP US, SO THAT IN THE END WE WILL KNOW THE PEACE THAT COMES FROM TRUSTING GOD TO GET US THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES.
PAUL WENT THROUGH SOME DIFFICULT TIMES BECAUSE OF HIS FAITH. HE DID NOT FLINCH THOUGH IN THE PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL. HE TOLD THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH:
PHILIPPIANS 4:11-13:
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
PAUL HAD LEARNED THAT CONTENTMENT AND PEACE WERE NOT FOUND WRAPPED IN THE GARB OF WORLDLINESS. PEACE AND CONTENTMENT ARE FOUND IN CHRIST.
LAST MONDAY, MY WIFE AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING AT THE MINTO FUNERAL HOME. A MAN WHO I HAD GROWN UP WITH, HIS MOTHER USED TO LIVE NEXT DOOR AND BABYSIT ME HAD FOR NO EXPLAINABLE REASON, DIED. HE WAS ONLY 46 YEARS OLD. ONLY FIVE MONTHS BEFORE THIS, HIS SISTER HAD DIED OF CANCER.
THE MOTHER SAID, “I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE OF THIS I CAN TAKE. WHAT WRONG DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?” WHILE WE REASSURED HER THAT SHE HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG, HER UNSPOKEN QUESTION HAUNTED ME. WHAT IS OUR GOOD GOD GOOD FOR IF I MUST GO THROUGH THIS.
THERE IS AN ANSWER FOR THIS, BUT IN ORDER TO GET TO THE TRUE ANSWER, WE MUST FIRST FACE AND OVERCOME A WRONG ANSWER THAT MODERN CHRISTIANITY BRINGS TO THIS QUESTION.
MODERN CHRISTIANITY TEACHES THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A SPIRIT OF ENTITLEMENT. NAME IT AND CLAIM IT, PROSPERITY GOSPEL. WE QUOTE BIBLE VERSES THAT SUPPORT THIS SUCH AS:
PSALM 37:4: Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
BUT IN CLAIMING THIS VERSE WE TAKE IT WOEFULLY OUT OF CONTEXT THINKING IT MEANS THAT GOD WILL GIVE US ANYTHING THAT WE ASK FOR.
DR.CRABB WRITES CONCERNING THIS VERSE:
“ AS WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE BRILLIANCE OF GOD’S THOUGHTS AND THE BEAUTY OF HIS WAYS, EVEN WHEN THEY MAKE NO SENSE TO OUR FLAWED UNDERSTANDING, WE WILL DISCOVER OUR HEART’S PASSIONATE DESIRE TO KNOW HIM BETTER AND TO TRUST HIM FOR THE GOOD HE IS DOING IN US AND LONGS TO DO THROUGH US.”
THIS SPIRIT OF ENTITLEMENT HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO A COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY FOR CHRISTIANS AND REVOLVES AROUND THIS STATEMENT:
“FOLLOWERS OF JESUS HAVE WARRANT FROM GOD TO ASSUME THAT HE WILL PROVIDE WHATEVER WE MOST WANT OT ENJOY AND TO PROTECT US FROM WHATEVER WE MOST FEAR TO LOSE.
SIMPLY PUT GOD WILL GIVE US WHAT WE WANT AND PROTECT US FROM WHAT WE FEAR. IT IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT GOD’S THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR ME, MATCH MINE, BECAUSE GOD AGREES WITH ME, NOT BECAUSE I HAVE GROWN CLOSE TO HIM. GOD IS NOT SOVEREIGN I AM.
JUST RECENTLY THE TIME CAME FOR LESLIE AND I TO RENEW OUR HOUSE INSURANCE IN MINTO. WE WERE PERPLEXED BECAUSE OF A BIG INCREASE IN OUR PREMIUM, SO I CALLED OUR BROKER ABOUT IT. I ENDURED LONG PERIODS OF ELEVATOR MUSIC, MUSIC I REALLY DON’T LIKE, TO THEN TALK TO THE BROKER AND AFTER ANSWERING HER QUESTIONS, WORKED OUT A MORE AMICABLE SOLUTION, WHICH SHE THEN SAID SHE WOULD COMMUNICATE TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
LESLIE AND I WERE HAPPY FOR A NUMBER OF WEEKS UNTIL I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE COMPANY STATING THAT OUR POLICY WAS ONLY PARTIALLY PAID AND THAT WE STILL OWED THEM MONEY.
I WAS SURE THAT THERE WAS A CLERICAL ERROR SOMEWHERE. LESLIE AND I PAY OUR BILLS PROMPTLY AND WOULD NEVER LET AN INSURANCE BILL LAPSE. I WENT TO THE PHONE AGAIN, DEALT WITH THE ELEVATOR MUSIC AGAIN, HEARD THE BROKER SAY “I’LL CHECK WITH THE COMPANY” AGAIN, BUT NONE OF IT MADE ME FEEL BETTER. IF OUR HOUSE BURNT DOWN WOULD WE HAVE INSURANCE TO COVER IT? I HAD NO PAPERS THAT SAID WE WOULD.
WELL MEANING CHRISTIAN FRIENDS WHO BOUGHT INTO THIS COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY OFFER GROUNDLESS ENCOURAGE MENT BASED ON SCRIPTURES TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.
EPHESIANS 3:20: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
THIS VERSE THOUGH DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD WILL RENEW OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND MAKE US COMFORTABLE. PAUL IS CELEBRATING THE TRUTH THAT GOD IS ABLE TO DO FAR MORE GOOD THAN OUR FINITE THOUGHTS LEAD US TO WANT FROM HIM.
NOTE IN THIS VERSE IT IS THE POWER THAT IS AT WORK IN US, TRANSFORMING US, NOT OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND TRANSFORMS US INTO A NEW PERSON BY CHANGING THE WAY WE THINK.
ROMANS 12:1-2:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
THE LIE OF COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY FEELS GOOD. FOR LES AND I IT WOULD SAY EITHER YOUR INSURANCE ISSUE WILL BE RESTORED AND GOD WILL PUT A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND YOUR HOUSE, OR HE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A BETTER, LESS EXPENSIVE INSURANCE POLICY.
THAT SOUNDS GOOD BUT GOD WANTS SO MUCH MORE FOR US THAN JUST THIS MISUSED TRUTH. GOD WANTS US TO SUBMIT TO HIM AND ALLOW HIM TO TAKE US TO MUCH DEEPER TRUTHS OF HOW HE CARES FOR US. THIS IS WHY HE WANTS US TO OFFER OUR BODIES AS LIVING SACRIFICES, AND BY TRANSFORMING OUR MINDS, NOT TO BE CAUGHT UP BY THE WAYS OF THE WORLD BUT TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD AND TO FOLLOW IT.
IN SHORT OUR HOUSE IN MINTO IS NOT THE ISSUE. WHETHER OR NOT IT IS INSURED IS SECONDARY TO US ALLOWING GOD TO USE THIS EXPERIENCE TO TRANSFORM OUR MINDS TO BE MORE LIKE HIM.
IS GOD GOOD? IS HE IN CONTROL? YES TO BOTH QUESTIONS? BECAUSE OF THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST AND THROUGH THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT WITHIN US, GOD PROMISED TO CHANGE OUR THOUGHTS AND WAYS, WHICH ARE FAR BENEATH HIS THOUGHTS AND WAYS. WE BECOME VISIBLE AS NEW PERSONS WHETHER OR NOT LIFE IS WORKING WELL FOR US. WE BECOME AS C.S. LEWIS PUT IT “LITTLE CHRISTS” WHO LIKE CHRIST HIMSELF, LIVE TO ADVANCE GOD’S LARGER STORY OF LOVE NO MATTER THE COST TO OURSELVES.
OUR HOUSE INSURANCE ISSUE FINALLY DID GET WORKED OUT FOR WHICH I AM GRATEFUL. HAD IT NOT, WOULD IT MAKE HIM ANY LESS GOD? CERTAINLY NOT.
LETS BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS. IT IS RIGHT TO PRAY FOR THE BLESSINGS WE DESIRE AND TO THANK GOD WHEN THEY COME. IT IS WRONG TO TRUST GOD TO AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDE THEM, WHICH IS WHAT COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY TEACHES. THERE ARE TWO REASONS FOR THIS.
1. GOD HAS NOT PROMISED TO GIVE US THE BLESSINGS WE UNDERSTANDABLY DESIRE THAT MAKE LIFE MORE COMFORTABLE.
2. WHEN WE CONFIDENTLY TRUST GOD TO PROVIDE CONVENIENT PARKING SPOTS WHEN IT IS RAINING, OR SNOWING,OR HEALING FROM CANCER WE AIM TOO LOW, WE SET OUR SIGHTS ON LESS JOY THAN GOD LONGS FOR US TO KNOW.
IT IS A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW BUT WE MUST TREMBLE IN SUBMISSION IN ORDER TO TRUST THE WAY GOD WANTS US TO TRUST. TO TRUST THAT WHEN OUR PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED THE WAY WE WANT THEM ANSWERED THAT HE HAS A MUCH BETTER PLAN TO BE FOUND. A PLAN NOT BASED ON THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD, INCLUDING OUR LIVES.
TREMBLING IN THE PRESENCE OF A GOD WHO MAKES NO SENSE TO OUR PROUD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT GOD SHOULD DO AND WHAT WE THIN HE SHOULD CONTROL OPENS OUR SOUL, TO TRUST THAT HIS THOUGHTS ARE WISE AND HIS WAYS ARE GOOD. THEN WE LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO REST AS WE TRUST THAT GOD, IN ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY, IS DOING THE GOOD WE MOST VALUE, IN US AND THROUGH US, EVEN WHEN ROCKS ARE HURLED INTO OUR LIVES. WHEN A MOTHER LOSES TWO CHILDREN IN FIVE MONTHS. WHEN WE WONDER IF OUR HIME IS SAFE OR NOT.
WHEN WE FACE TRIALS LIKE THESE, TREMBLING IN ANTICIPATION OF HOW GOD IS GOING TO ACT, BUT KNOWING THAT HE WILL ACT FOR OUR GOOD, IT IS THEN THAT WE SEE THE GOOD IN THE STORY GOD IS TELLING. WE GLIMPSE A VISION OF WHO WE’RE BECOMING: STABLE, STRONG, SENSITIVE DISCIPLES OF JESUS WHO SEE A BEAUTY IN THE COMMUNITY OF GOD THAT NOTHING IN THIS WORLD CAN MATCH. WE BECOME PEOPLE WHO AS JAMES SAYS:
JAMES 1:2-3:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
IT IS THEN THAT WE WILL OVERCOME THIS COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY WITH A PURE AND OVERFLOWING LOVE FOR THE SOVEREIGN GOD OF OUR LIVES. AS DR. LARRY CRABB WRITES:
“ONLY WHEN LIFE HAULS US BEYOND AN EASY-TO-MAINTAIN FAITH THAT GOD IS GOOD WILL WE DISCOVER A SPIRIT-GRANTED FAITH THAT KEEPS US STEADY DURING LIFE’S EARTHQUAKES.”
The New International Version. (2011). (Php 4:11–13). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
The New International Version. (2011). (Ps 37:4). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
The New International Version. (2011). (Eph 3:20–21). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
The New International Version. (2011). (Ro 12:1–2). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
The New International Version. (2011). (Jas 1:2–4). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
