“Having absorbed the world’s values, Christianity in our society is now dying. Subtly but surely worldliness and self-indulgence are eating away the heart of the church. The gospel we proclaim is so convoluted that it offers believing in Christ as nothing more than a means to contentment and prosperity. The offense of the cross has been systematically removed so that the message might be made more acceptable to unbelievers. The church somehow got the idea it could declare peace with the enemies of God.”- John MacArthur
I found this picture and quote on our pastor's blog. The message on Sunday was from Genesis 11, not a favorite passage for most people. "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves..." Gen. 11:4. He summed up what the tower meant--human pride, over-reaching, and self-deification.
We should never make a truce with the enemies of God: worldliness, self-indulgence, love of possessions and money, and a quest for a life of ease and comfort. Jesus said, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:26.
4 comments:
I also believe that in that we forfeit happiness. We have chosen to live a simple and at the same time poor life. We both have advanced degrees, but the way we are using them doesn't bring big money or even security. We have chosen to use the gifts we were blessed with as well. Live off the land we are given, and be frugal.
I believe that there is a very skewed Christianity today. It makes it hard to tell others you are a Christian. I often will say I'm a follower of Jesus Christ who died for my salvation instead of saying I'm a Christian.
Today I took my girls to the evaluator who confirms we have fulfilled state law in our homeschooling. (Required in our state.) The evaluator lives in a very wealthy area of town, in the most gorgeous of neighborhoods I think I've ever seen. Beautiful homes and land. For all of one or two minutes I left my car in front of the house next door to allow another car to pull out of the evaluator's driveway. Some man ran out of his house shouting at me to move my car off his lawn! I wasn't ON his lawn! He ranted on and on. I was in shock! Money does not bring happiness or contentment! This man has everything material wealth can buy and is obviously a very miserable person. And who would want to live next door to him? I'll keep my little rancher and my friendly neighbors and be content where we are!
I don't think it is just materialism that is killing Christianity in this country. External forces (including the news media) for some reason seem to want to squash Christianity. We have become so politically correct in this country in our attempt to include and not offend anyone that we seem to be taking away the rights of Christians to profess their faith. We have taken away prayer in the public schools. We can't say Merry Christmas or Happy Easter. We can't have a manger in a public place or display the Ten Commandments in front of a courthouse. There is talk of taking "In God We Trust" off of our money. The president goes to a Catholic college and covers up the cross and the college allows it and he proclaims that we are not a Christian nation. I am not sure where this country will be in 50 years. I don't think it will look anything like the country we knew as kids.
J
J- So sad and so true. What will the world be like for my girls? How will they hold on to their faith in a society bound and determined to take it from them?
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