6:28 AM
Wow, I'm an idiot. I'm not mad, but I am surely an idiot.
Here I was, spreading the message from James, Philippians, etc., that "faith without works is dead" -- a point I've seen with my own two eyes that the Church (in general; please allow me that one generalization and don't get stuck on it) often doesn't seem to understand in much detail -- and I wondered why more Christians weren't opening their eyes and saying, "Wow, I get it. How have I been missing that?"
Little did I know that one tool that Satan uses to make this piece of the Gospel ineffective is a simple label. Like that one on your mattress, only this one is unfortunately very effective.
If you take certain verses, within context, from James or Philippians or Luke or Mark that are regularly ignored and say, "Hey, guys, we've been missing this. We haven't been helping the needy like the Word says to do here," all the listener needs to do is to think, "Hey, doesn't the Emerging Church talk about helping needy people?!" and voila! People who talk about doing good things are "love gospel" nut-cases and Emerging/Emergent Church pushers (doesn't matter which one -- just pick a label and run with it).
(Sometimes people are thinking about the Emergent Church, but they don't know the difference. Since both begin with E-M-E-R-G -- which translates to "666" when deciphered correctly -- both are obviously bad.)
I've realized that my words may be falling on deaf ears with a little more than a smirk and quick, quaint dismissal.
Have a look at how the church is "winning the world for Christ." Do that and then tell me that it's sold out to Christ and no change is needed, either in heart or in practice.
Here I was, spreading the message from James, Philippians, etc., that "faith without works is dead" -- a point I've seen with my own two eyes that the Church (in general; please allow me that one generalization and don't get stuck on it) often doesn't seem to understand in much detail -- and I wondered why more Christians weren't opening their eyes and saying, "Wow, I get it. How have I been missing that?"
Little did I know that one tool that Satan uses to make this piece of the Gospel ineffective is a simple label. Like that one on your mattress, only this one is unfortunately very effective.
If you take certain verses, within context, from James or Philippians or Luke or Mark that are regularly ignored and say, "Hey, guys, we've been missing this. We haven't been helping the needy like the Word says to do here," all the listener needs to do is to think, "Hey, doesn't the Emerging Church talk about helping needy people?!" and voila! People who talk about doing good things are "love gospel" nut-cases and Emerging/Emergent Church pushers (doesn't matter which one -- just pick a label and run with it).
(Sometimes people are thinking about the Emergent Church, but they don't know the difference. Since both begin with E-M-E-R-G -- which translates to "666" when deciphered correctly -- both are obviously bad.)
In case I'm being confusing, what I'm saying is this: if I encourage Christ-followers to actually DO things that reach out to needy people and not just "help" in the traditional way (tipping God when the offering plate passes, for instance) it appears that some people may be labeling me as an Emerging/Emergent Church fanboy. This article at WorldviewTimes.com does a good job of summing up the two "movements," in case you're among the many who aren't familiar with the terms.
The benefits to this guilt by association are numerous:
- When we put a label something, it is far easier to dismiss it outright than it would be if we actually listened to what was being said and checked to see if it's in our Bible.
- When we assign something to a movement, we can call it a fad
- We can associate dangerous works like helping the poor with mysticism, ecumenism, monasticism, the home church movement (a movement that apparently somehow defies Hebrews 10:25), postmodernism, etc., call it a works-based attempt at salvation, and in doing so energize ourselves to continue on the way we've been going, without lifting much more than an offering envelope-laden hand
- We can become indignant that our denomination has been insulted by ragamuffin Gen-X'ers
- We can say that all of these crazy ideas are coming from the latest book by one of a handful of trendy authors, not from study of Scriptures, repentance and love for Christ and pleading to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
- We can pray for people's deluded souls in a more pious fashion
I've realized that my words may be falling on deaf ears with a little more than a smirk and quick, quaint dismissal.
Have a look at how the church is "winning the world for Christ." Do that and then tell me that it's sold out to Christ and no change is needed, either in heart or in practice.
