Bold Christianity: "The Jesus You Can't Ignore"

"The way Jesus dealt with His adversaries is in fact a serious rebuke to the church of our generation. We need to pay more careful attention to how Jesus dealt with false teachers, what He thought of religious error, how He defended the truth, whom He commended and whom He condemned—and how little He actually fit the gentle stereotype that is so often imposed on Him today.

Furthermore, His attitude toward false doctrine should also be ours. We cannot be men-pleasers and servants of Christ at the same time."
~ John MacArthur ("The Jesus You Can't Ignore")



In the ever-growing sea of "How To" books out there targeted towards the Christian (or spiritually minded "seeker"), there are a few that actually focus on the true biblical model for the Christian life rather than what Jesus can do for you. I've been reading a lot of John MacArthur books lately and I must say they are a refreshing break from the feel-good, best-life-now, purpose-driven books that are tickling the ears of so many Christians these days. His topics are controversial but his approach is purely biblical. Everyone of his books have caused me to go deeper into the word and evaluate where I am in my own spiritual walk.

Don't get me wrong; there's nothing wrong with a book that encourages you or motivates you to get more out of life. The problem is, how much of what we read actually aligns with what the bible teaches? Sure, we can find a verse to support just about every man-made method for improving your life but, we need to be asking ourselves, "is this the heart of God's message to us or is this just another self-help book sprinkled with verses taken out of context to fit the author's agenda?"

What I'm drawn to in MacArthur's books is the way he conveys a point from the biblical context and not just from his own life experiences. The focus is not on him nor is it about taking scripture and twisting it into something in order to build self-esteem. In fact, the focus is not on ME at all but rather, the basic principles of the Christian faith. Things like the Gospel, the Cross, discipleship, true repentance and salvation. Reading his books won't necessarily cause you to feel good about yourself but they will convict you and awaken you to the truth of God's word. Anything that sends you back to the bible and inspires you to further examine your heart & motives is a very good thing.

In his book, "The Jesus You Can't Ignore", MacArthur explores more on a common theme in several of his books; truth. Not just any truth but the truth according to Jesus Christ. In this day and age of post-modernism, moral relativism, tolerance and a growing emphasis on re-thinking God and the bible, we can be easily distracted from the core biblical principles like truth and recognizing false teaching. This is not a topic that is very popular in many churches today but one that Jesus and the Disciples spent a good deal of time teaching on. If we are supposed to be followers of Christ, doesn't it make sense that we should be passionate about the truth He taught? We should know how to defend this truth and recognize when it is being distorted, diluted or twisted.

Over at his blog, "Possessing the Treasure", Mike Ratliff has an excellent review of not only this book by John MacArthur but, why this topic is so important to everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I think you'll find this to be one of those topics that will reengage you in your walk to be a bold servant of Jesus Christ.

((read Mike's review here))



~ktf~
John

HOW TO DESTROY A CHURCH

"The ways of destroying the church are many and colorful. Raw factionalism will do it. Rank heresy will do it. Taking your eyes off the cross and letting other, more peripheral matters dominate the agenda will do it-admittedly more slowly than frank heresy, but just as effectively over the long haul. Building the church with superficial ‘conversions’ and wonderful programs that rarely bring people into a deepening knowledge of the living God will do it. Entertaining people to death but never fostering the beauty of holiness or the centrality of self-crucifying love will build an assembling of religious people, but it will destroy the church of the living God. Gossip, prayerlessness, bitterness, sustained biblical illiteracy, self-promotion, materialism-all of these things, and many more, can destroy a church. And to do so is dangerous: ‘If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple (1 Cor. 3:17).” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
~ D.A. Carson ("The Cross and Christian Ministry")

This quote is a reminder to all of us that the local church is supposed to be a representation of Jesus Christ. The message of the Cross should be the primary function of every church which means, preaching the Gospel and discipling believers to share the Gospel outside of the church. When the church becomes known for its entertainment value, social programs, trendy "How To" messages or when people go there simply because everyone else does, that church has lost its purpose.

Church is about worshipping, glorifying and honoring God. It's a place for true followers of Christ to gather and praise Him; to learn more about Him. It's where the Word is taught and the Gospel comes alive through Holy-Spirit inspired preaching. The local church should be open to everyone and judgmental of none but never catering to or compromising for the world in order to make itself attractive to the so-called "seeker". Every church that claims to follow Christ ought to be focused on the Word and not what the latest marketing study determines is culturally relevant. When the church devotes its energy towards promoting itself in order to appeal to the unsaved person, something is wrong.

"If they don't hear the truth, cool music won't help. If they don't see the light, PowerPoint won't help. They're blind and dead. Our task is to go on preaching not ourselves, not our manipulated message, but repentance and submission to Christ Jesus as Lord." ~ John MacArthur ("Hard To Believe")

Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). That alone should be the core mission statement behind every church; in their teaching, preaching, outreach and programs. We don't need to soften the message to make it easier for the unsaved world. We don't need to make the Word exciting to get their attention. Church doesn't need to be entertaining in order to lead people to the life transforming power of the Gospel. If people see God and His word as boring, the problem is not with the church but the soul of that person. Every true follower of Christ will hunger for the Word. Church should be a place of reverence for God where His Word is treated as Holy. The Sunday message or experience should be about theology not psychology. If the Word is preached rightly, hearts will be softened, eyes will be opened and lives will be transformed.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." ~ Romans 1:16

We need not dress-up the Word or church to make it appealing to the unregenerate world. Who are we to think that we know how to reach people with our silly methods, programs and research-proven topical series forms of entertainment? Has the local church forgotten who draws people to God? Have they forgotten what it is that humbles a heart and leads people to their knees in repentance? God doesn't expect us to attract people; He simply expects us to be obedient in teaching His Word. He is quite capable of doing the rest.

“No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” ~John. 6:44

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ~ Matthew 28: 19-20



~ktf~
John

Man-centered Religion -vs- The Gospel According to Jesus

"Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." ~ 1 John 2: 15-17

"YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND." ~ Matthew 22:37




According to Robert Schuller (Crystal Cathedral) who many prominent church leaders have modeled their church movements after (Purpose Driven, Seeker Sensitive, etc.)...

Man-centered theology:
(quotes from Schuller's book, "Self-Esteem: The New Reformation")

"This master plan of God is designed around the deepest needs of human beings- self dignity, self-respect, self-worth, self-esteem."

"Success is to be defined as the gift of self-esteem that God gives us as a reward for our sacrificial service in building self-esteem in others. Win or lose: If we follow God's plan as faithfully as we can, we will feel good about ourselves. This is success!"

"Once a person believes he is an "unworthy sinner", it is doubtful if he can really honestly accept the saving grace God offers in Jesus Christ."

This self-centered gospel goes completely against the Gospel according to Jesus which is really all about dying to self, taking up our cross and submitting fully to Him as our Lord and Savior. Rick Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Life" starts out with reminding us it's not about us however, the underlying theme in the book and his later teachings are somewhat void of the real Gospel message of repentance, submission and obedience. Instead, there is a strong emphasis on moralism; do this and God will make your life better.

The Biblical Gospel is Christ-centered; not man-centered. It's about turning from our sinful, self-centered way of living and submitting fully to the life transforming power that comes from God's grace.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ~ Matthew 16:24-26

This was not an optional request directed only to Christians. This was Christ presenting the Gospel to all who sought to follow Him and be saved. Definitely not an easy message then or today. Christianity does not make sense to the unregenerate world. "Dying to self" is a tough concept to swallow in this day and age of "me, me, me". Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 1:18 that the Cross is foolishness to the lost. It simply doesn't make sense if not for the grace of God opening our eyes.

The problems we see today in the world can be traced directly back to a man-centered attitude. It started in the Garden and continues even in churches today that have watered-down the real Gospel in order to be attractive to men. It's about tolerance and being culturally relevant to the point that many churches look, sound and act just like the world.

None of this should come as a surprise...

"Dangerous times will come, for men will be lovers of themselves."
~ 2 Timothy 3: 1-2

We need to recognize that our very nature is to focus on self. It's not an easy thing even for the most mature Christian to deny self but, when we spend time in the Word and understand the fullness of God's mercy, grace and love for us while we were yet sinners, then it starts to make sense. The Cross is more than someone dying for us; its everything. Christ is all we have! It's not enough to simply believe in Him. It's not enough to say we know Him. In the end, what really matters is that He knows us. The more we elevate Him in our lives, the less we will depend on self.

~ktf~
John