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Tue May 23 08:02:34 EAST 2006

The New Gospel: Appealing But Not Revealing

By Jim Elliff

It cannot be overstated that the most pressing issue in the American church
at present is the prevalence of unregenerate church members within our
ranks. When the current surveys of American life place those who call
themselves believers in Christ about the seventieth percentile and climbing,
conservative Christians ought to finally awaken to the immensity of the
problem. Deception is pandemic. It is as if a modern Constantine
christianized the masses while we were asleep.

Spurgeon said, “Everyone has a religious spasm or two.” More “spasms” have
been taken to be true conversion in our day than perhaps in any other day of
our existence as a nation, notably within evangelicalism. We have never
looked fatter. But our corpulent appearance is like cotton candy: when you
melt it down, there is not much to it. Now we find ourselves struggling over
the meaning of conversion. But we have not done our homework early enough
and the problem is already out of hand. In message and method we have, in
fact, often erred. The sowing of bad seed has produced massive crop failure
yet unprecedented statistics. It is getting harder to find wheat among the
tares.

It is the complicity of the evangelical church in this deception, either
through misinformed enthusiasm or love for repute, that is the most
disturbing. We have poured over materials on methodology for bringing people
in and used our theology books for doorstops. We have entertained more
cleverly than ever before and made the outside world feel good again about
the idea of church. We have been quiet enough about sin to make it worth
their while to show up repeatedly and perhaps even to join. We have taught
them how to act Christian without conviction, to praise God without loving
holiness, and, as one has said, to say “Amen” without saying “Oh me!” Is it
any wonder that when our converts leave the services, they take the pastor’s
hand and say, “It surely is fun to be in this place” rather than “Surely God
is in this place”?

I am not saying that God disallows laughter and fun in our lives or that
Christians cannot come together to enjoy each other. But I am saying that
seeking the face of God turns us in a definite direction which cannot be
confused with entertainment or superficiality. Our approach to worship in
the States has not only entertained us but unfortunately has presented to
unbelievers around us a view of God that is not true. It is a fatal flaw.

There is a product, I am told, called “Near-Beer.” I am not a beer drinker
and have never personally seen a can of this variety. I assume it is a type
of drink that tastes like the real but lacks the effects. Perhaps a similar
way we have created a “Near-God.” Can we not say that the God we have
created is somewhat like God in appearance but without the effect? He is a
“chummy” God without the “bite” of holiness. He indulges and never
inconveniences. He forgives and never disciplines. His name is Savior but
not Lord, except as a title of respect.

Our appeals to the unconverted naturally flow out of our views. We invite
them to a happy life without passing on the direct message from the true God
that he “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30) and that he
categorically declares “...without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb.
12:14). We are preaching a one-sided gospel. Should we not press home the
fact that “Lord” is not just a title but has been carefully defined by Jesus
in Luke 6:46 when he said, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do
what I say?”

Just how far do we accommodate the sinner before we compromise the gospel?
Whatever this relationship is between “being all things to all men” (which
seems to draw more people up to conversion) and holding up the standard of
holiness (which seems to drive them away), we know that all true evangelists
experience the push and pull of it. Such a pattern can be found in Christ’s
ministry. He brought them close by food and miracles and then scared them
off by the demands of discipleship and the stark nature of the truth itself
(Lk. 14:25-33). That is, he scared off all but the called.

The disturbing thing about the American church in general is that our
mentality about evangelism does not reflect Christ’s. We often correctly
lead the unbelievers up to the door of salvation but then reconstruct the
door wide enough for them and their rebellion. We cannot stand for the truth
to create resistance. We have a hard enough time with our image anyway.
(Nobody wants to be a leader in the Church Loss Movement!)

For our American churches, the absence of two defining negatives should make
us think something is awry:

1. Few, if any, hate us for the right reasons.

Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If
you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do
not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why
the world hates you.“ (Jn. 15:18-19).

Now I am not saying that we are not hated at all. But for the most part, we
are hated for our clownish behavior on some T.V. programs, our constant
fleecing of the people, our nineteenth century traditions, and our notorious
sins and hypocrisy. We assume that outsiders know much of what appears to be
Christian is not really so...but do they?

We have become despised for a few political and social reasons. This is as
it should be. It illustrates the point. Conservatives have taken a stand on
abortion, for instance. It is of extreme importance. But how many people
have hated the church for godliness in our everyday lives? Yet Paul said,
“...everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted...” (2 Tim. 3:13). For such separated living, “they heap abuse on
you,” Peter states (1 Peter 4:4b). We must live at peace with all men “if it
is possible” (Rom. 12:18), but godliness increases the friction often faster
than we can oil the friendship. We can thankfully escape the provocations of
legalism, but godliness, like it or not, remains a rebuke.

2. Few, if any, are offended by the message we preach.

Polite and clever homilies may comfort sinners, but they do little to
convert sinners. We are in danger of making everybody feel so good by our
messages that they no longer perceive a need for regeneration. Do outsiders
need salvation (that is, deliverance from the penalty and practice of sin
and its judgment) or merely sanctified “how to’s” on becoming more
successful? Such messages are appealing but not revealing.

Let me restate this: Our message has paled and become effeminate because it
fails to expose the dilemma of the human condition in any convincing way and
virtually forgets the judgment to follow. We have preached in such a way as
to cause people to say, “Saved from what?” All that is left is to appeal
exclusively on the basis of the proper (indeed, pleasing) psychological
adjustment Christianity gives to life. To the degree we move the fulcrum in
our presentation so as to give the weight to the psychological benefits, to
that degree we remove the offense. No wonder the people want it. It ruffles
no feathers. “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound
doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a
great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2
Tim. 4:3). The biblical answer to this predicament is to “preach the
Word...correct, rebuke, and encourage—with great patience and careful
instruction” (2 Tim. 4:2).

Let’s face it: our gospel is offensive. The cross and faith are offensive
because they take meritorious works and send them packing. Repentance and
the call to holiness are offensive because man prefers to run from the
light. The narrowness of the door is offensive because it sours people on
God’s open-mindedness. God’s sovereignty is offensive because humans like to
call the shots. No wonder Paul was straight with Timothy from the outset and
said, “...join me in suffering for the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:8b). It makes sense
now why he said, concerning faithful gospel expression, that “it has been
granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to
suffer for him...” (Phil. 1:29). If you are looking for a challenge, join
up. Giving the true gospel in its pure form is like feeding liver to a
preschooler—no way!

When is the last time you heard or spoke the gospel in such a way that the
people said, “This is a hard teaching—who can accept it?” and then watched
them turn on their heels and walk out? Yet that is what they did to Christ
(see Jn. 6:60-69). This was not an isolated experience for the greatest
evangelist. This persistent clashing of words and world-views continued
unabated all the way up to the cross! He brought a sword, not peace.
Self-manipulating such violent rejection of the gospel for the sake of
proving one’s spiritual verve is unthinkable. Yet we must ask the question:
Could it be possible that we have improved the gospel beyond what Jesus ever
knew? Can we now outsell the Master?

But this must be seen: On that day, when Jesus “lost his crowd,” twelve men
did stay behind (though Judas for his reasons). They said what every true
believer says: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal
life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6:68-69).
And that is the amazing thing. The gospel which is always offensive,
mitigating against the fallen nature of man, this holy gospel which is
always repelled by the world, found willing admission. Here we find the
exception. Here we see some who find this resisted Gospel
irresistible...indeed, in it alone they say they find life!

I think we have missed the idea of the gospel. It is not a big flypaper to
catch busy executives and unsuspecting children. The objective is not just
catching men but glorifying God. We have not said all of what the gospel
means when we convince people that our way makes more people genuinely happy
than theirs. These gospel words go down hard, and, correctly stated, often
seem to be utterly foolish. They appeal to no one except those who are
prepared by God. Christ plainly stated: “No one can come to me unless the
Father has enabled him” (Jn. 6:65).

Is it not time to speak as viscerally as Paul did, holding back nothing, but
lovingly and accurately setting forward the offensive cross? He didn’t give
them what they wanted: he gave them what they needed. We can risk such
boldness as well. “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to
Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the
power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:22-24). Do not worry: the
called will find the cross appealing even if the world cries foul.

Must we expect small numbers and churches that are martyrs’ hospitals? Yes
and no. Yes, if God so chooses, if God allows the spirit of the age to
prevail. No, whenever God grants any measure of awakening, however widely,
so as to open hearts “en masse.” God has His seasons for each and His
reasons for all. 

Have we no longer a category for spiritual giants who have been true to God
without all that registers as signs of success in corporate America? Think
through our history. There have been sturdy men in shaken times (have there
not?), tender men in calloused times, revived men in reviling times.
Compelling men in repelling times. We have honored them and the God who made
them. We stand upon their shoulders.

Now even though most giants of Christian history would appear short of the
goal on church growth charts due to the absolute strictness of their gospel,
in all our emulation and reverence for them, there can be no excuses on our
part for a lack of zeal or freshness in evangelism. We must not try to reach
less people in order to prove our doctrinal correctness. We are not called
to be “soft men in fine raiment,” refusing to soil our hands in the business
of knowing and loving sinners just because the gate is narrow.

On the other hand God will not permit the preaching of a half-gospel in this
wholly pagan age out of deference to the sinner. The gospel remains a
serrated and sharp knife, killing, not just wounding, sinners before the
balm is applied. It is not our prerogative to let divine opportunity go
unused; nor do we have liberty to dribble out gospel half-truths.

A primitive and unaltered gospel must be preached; the pure and potent God
must be known. There must be no more sitcom sermons. We must not reduce the
foolishness of preaching to the foolishness of man. Our services can no
longer be staged plays to entertain or even moralize in comfortable
categories only. We cannot continue to forget sin and hell and repentance
and justice and conviction and holiness as if we are more sophisticated than
Christ. We must ask again, “What are sinners supposed to feel in the
presence of a holy God?” 

Copyright 1994 Christian Communicators Worldwide, Inc.
201 Main, Parkville, MO 64152 USA
Permission granted for not-for-sale reproduction in exact form including
copyright.
Other uses require written permission. Write for additional materials.

Charis, 

Mike Abendroth 

"Make us choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to
be contented with half truth when whole truth can be won.  Endow us with
courage that is born of loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scorns
to compromise with vice and injustice and knows no fear when right and truth
are in jeopardy."

 - West Point Military Academy Cadet Prayer 

HYPERLINK "http://www.bbcchurch.org"www.bbcchurch.org 

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