Shape shifter Christianity

:…love His laws and work to understand their beauty - while at the same time giving grace to those around us working out their faith as we all struggle in different areas. ..

We have to face it, we are acustomed to a Christianity that is almost formless, like a shape shifter from some sci fi movie. We have such a distorted perception, that if we saw someone actually discipling a new believer, would we think, legalism? But this is what we are commanded to do. Paul wrote… The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4:9 It sounds ok on paper, but if you heard an elder speak this way, what would you think?

Unfortunately too many times, when there has been a more solid shape to modern Christianity, it has been from a moralistic tradition of men and not shaped by Gods commandments. This might fit in with Gregs sub points from the other day. Maybe all the ladies with the same hairdo, the men throwing Jesus out on his ear for making wine…"the nerve of that guy..."

Kingdom of God, kingdom of man, both sides will make disciples. Both sides are consistent. But only one side has been consistent with its declared faith. Anywhere in the world that has been pagan, no gospel light shining, those disciples will be tattooed up and will be cutting the flesh, life will have no value etc. Paganism is consistent, it will lead to a death culture. (It is a historical aboration that here,even with the gospel light, believers are being tatted up?!?)

From the Kingdom of God side, we have been about 150 yrs or more minus Gods sovereignty and His Law and that has left us without something to disciple people towards. The new, (or old) typical Christian does not really have his pagan thought process’s disturbed at the core. The modern church has not had a vision of where she should be going or engaging in. So most of the church , as if connected by gravity, is in a low altitude orbit just above the pagan culture. After wanting to see men saved, it quickly becomes a hodge podge commitment to ideas that have half the calories of the world at large. Less filling, but still tastes great.

All this to say, Amen, yes we need to be gracious with those working out their faith, but they should not be told to listen to their hearts. It did not work for Eve. And she was sinless. "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jer 17:9

Just like I hope that no one is raising their children this way. We are given clear instructions to raise children to love and fear God, to teach his commandments to them. This is where God has said to start. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. Eccl 12:13 So it should always be.....What does Gods word say?

At some point new believers need to know that they have some makeup work to do. It might not be the starting place. It is those Christians who have spent a lot of time in the evangelical amusement parks that may have a harder time with it. We all have believed the myth that the law was given so people could try and work out their salvation. (So who wants to touch that failed mess?)

The fact that most believing Christians might respond negatively to Gods Law should not lead us to set it aside or hide it. It is not meant for beating people over the head with either. Even though many of us older believers are scrambling to learn what has been ignored and are now, like my friend, on our hands and knees in the dark trying to find the bullets to put into the gun as the thief is trying to break in.

It is healthy that today, we can read about what the reformation led too. And have speakers from all manner of denominations, and we can hear them paint a picture of Christian culture and we can look at each other and go “hey that’s where we are going!” And it is not into a lower orbit. A common denominator is acknowledging Gods Sovereignty and His law. He is Lord!

We don’t have it all figured out, but what does Gods word say? Lets start there.

Douglas Wilson remarked something to the effect that we must bring in the refugees from our culture. But no one should be an apostle for the culture.