Ohhhhh Bob. I can't believe you (1) wrote this drivel, and (2)
actually believe it to be true. Because it does not equate with reality. It
does, I will admit, equate with a fantasy illusion of Christianity or the
Kingdom realized in fact and not just faith or even worse at sinless
perfectionism (instant sanctification) upon being born again. And what a guilt
trip it puts on any Christian (elect of God) who has had a bad day, has been
cranky, felt so totally unmotivated --- do you really want them to doubt their salvation
or security in the Lord because they "grumble, gripe, gossip, banter,
bark, bite, beat, batter, and...butcher"?
Most of the Christians I have known over my 40+ years as a
believer have been people with all sorts of failings, emotional and psychological
problems -- brokenness from the deep hurts of life. And they came to the church
because they heard there might be hope there. And they came to Christ to find
healing. But for many of them.... it is a healing that takes years to grow into
(if they ever really mature in the Lord at all). And some never do. Some keep
doping themselves and drinking themselves and ___________ themselves (pick your
sin and insert it in the blank) until they die without ever having realized --
except maybe once in a while in bits and pieces -- something of what they
glimpsed in the gospel would be their restoration and renewal in redemption.
And to be frank, even those who seem the most self-motivated, self-actualized
believers.... get them alone in their darkest times and you will see they are
far from the "got my s**t in one bag" facade they put on to the
world.
Peterson: "I don't like motivational speakers for two
reasons. First, it's often just a slick way to manipulate people. Second,
more important, you don't have to motivate Christians."
This is a crock (the italicized words above). Among
the tasks in my calling as a pastor is to motivate the saints... to encourage,
admonish, beseech, coach, challenge... them to let God conform them to the
image of His Son -- and to give them the truth that sets them free ... mostly
that the past does not have to shackle them in the present, because the plans
God has for them are not for harm but for good... to give them a hope and a
future. (When I pronounce forgiveness following our prayer of confession I say:
".... I declare to you in the name of Jesus Christ we are forgiven; the
past is gone, the future is open and filled with hope, and we are freed to live
life abundantly today and give God the glory).
Buuuuuuut Christians - authentics not
posers - more than less - have so much love for Him that compels love for His
that there's not much room left to be cranky.
Where have you been serving all these years? I have known posers.
I've seen them over and over over the years. Some of them grow out of it. Some
.... I suspect, but can't make the final judgment -- that's God's department --
were never born again. Yet they are all in the church. And even the authentics
have had dry periods -- wilderness experiences -- times when the best they
could do was pose (by which I mean, do the "Christian" thing -- go
through the motions -- despite not feeling like it because of the weight they
are carrying as they struggle with their relationship with God) and in this
group I count myself from time to time.
We like to grumble, gripe, gossip, banter, bark, bite, beat,
batter, and...butcher.
It's our nature.
Uh, that's why He said we must be born again and from above.
Now you are talking gospel. But still... until the Lord's return
or I get to glory.... I join Paul in crying out, "Who will deliver me from
this body of death?" And that includes my sinful (totally depraved)
inclination to grumble, gripe, gossip, banter, bark, bite, beat, batter, and...
butcher.
I don't mean this as dumping on you or chastising you -- but I
suspect that at times you begin rhapsodizing in the world of this blog and get
a bit off track.
Let me share with you two of the secrets I learned about pastoring
in particular, but actually just being a Christian generally: (1) I can't
expect Christian behavior from non-Christians -- this sets me free from
self-righteous judging of those sinners; and, (2) I can't expect mature
Christian behavior from babes in Christ, no matter how long they have been
believers -- which sets me on the trail of encouraging them to move on from
milk to meat in my ministry.
Perhaps a third secret is found in a stone laying in a spot where
drops of water have fallen upon it for say, 10,000 years so far, and have made
an indentation... and realizing that in another 100,000 years or more it will
have worn a hole all the way through. This lesson frees me from expecting to
see magnificent and glorious transformations in the lives of my people
following each sermon I preach or each Bible study I teach... or blog I might
write... and also frees me not to beat myself up because I still have not
achieved complete (or anywhere near it) conformity to the image of Christ in my
own life.
I suppose all this is to say, please be careful of what you write because
it is easy to say things that "ain't necessarily so" no matter how
good they sound.
All the best,
Bill
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