The Cost of Christianity

Transcription

1 The Cost of Christianity By Mark Mayberry 10/26/2014 INTRODUCTION Mainline Protestant denominations have been hemorrhaging members since the 1960s, in some cases up to 1/3 of their total membership. Declines have been especially steep among younger members. Why has this happened? Several factors can be cited: (1) Liberal religions have watered down the moral requirements of Christianity. Abandoning Biblical morality, these groups have followed a policy of permissiveness: supporting abortion rights, homosexual rights, lower standards of personal conduct, etc. (2) Liberal religions manifest an obsession with politics. If you were handed a hundred public declarations by liberal clergymen and a hundred newspaper editorials from the New York Times, you would be hard pressed to distinguish one from the other. The problems of crime, homelessness, human rights, animal rights, multiculturalism, etc. have replaced sermons on Biblical morality, sin and salvation. (3) Liberal religions focus on the social rather than the spiritual. When a church ceases to be a body concerned with the proclamation of God s Word, it may function for a while as a social institution. Yet, this appeal cannot last for long. In our busy age, most have no time for non-essentials. Several years ago, two sociologists, Roger Finke and Rodney Starke, authors of The Churching of America, : Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy, proposed an interesting theory about church growth. They argue that in the religious marketplace, churches grow in direct relationship to the demands they place on their membership. If a church requires high standards of faith and action, they grow. Those who ease such demands lose adherents. What is the difference between viewing an original painting by Rembrandt and buying an Elvis on Black Velvet picture at the flea market for $20? It takes training and education to appreciate real art. Afterwards, the payoff is enormous, at least in the form of aesthetic experience. Knock-off art is cheap and easy, making no demands. By taking the form of real art and using imitative techniques, it seeks to provide stimulation of aesthetic experience right off the bat. Yet, it is empty and barren. Roughly speaking, liberal religion is like knock-off art. It lowers its standards. Traditionally, a religious system is centered around an orthodox set of beliefs. Adherents are expected to subscribe to those beliefs, and follow some standard of conduct. According to the Bible, genuine religion seeks to reflect, not the world, but rather the Truth. Knock-off religions reflect

2 only the world: its current politically correct interests, its focus on the state rather than the individual, its desire to be free of troublesome moral obligations, etc. Historically, the mission of the church is to seek out and disseminate Truth. Tragically, many religious groups no longer believe in the concept of Truth. Having rejected the authority of God s word, everything becomes relative. Modern Protestantism is characterized by a nodemands, no-standards, no-requirements, no-guilt approach toward God. It offers a feel-good religion of sloppy sentimentality. Knock-off religion does an end run around Truth, providing a feeling of spirituality without the requirement of adhering to any Biblical standard. Mainline Protestant denominationalism is in decline. It is a problem of redundancy. There are many non-religious institutions in modern life that are ready and willing to offer the same benefits as liberal religion. The New Age movement promises the feeling of spirituality without the demands of serving God. Do you want to make friends? Go to the gym. A whole range of social-political organizations provide the intoxicating feeling of self-righteousness without having to sit through an hour-long service. By seeking to be relevant, modern churches have made themselves irrelevant. i Such groups try to do religion on the cheap. Lukewarm disciples take the same approach. Both are doomed to failure. True religion has exacting requirements. David recognized this principle when he said, I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing. (2 Sam , esp. vs. 24). Describing the demands of faith Jesus said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength (Mark 12:28-31). Let us, therefore, consider the high cost of Christianity (Luke 9:23 25; 14:25 33). 2 Samuel 24:18 25 (NASB95) 18 So Gad came to David that day and said to him, Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 David went up according to the word of Gad, just as the Lord had commanded. 20 Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants crossing over toward him; and Araunah went out and bowed his face to the ground before the king. 21 Then Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be held back from the people. 22 Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. 23 Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king. And Araunah said to the king, May the Lord your God accept you. 24 However, the king said to Araunah, No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Thus the Lord was moved by prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel.

3 Mark 12:28 31 (NASB95) 28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, What commandment is the foremost of all? 29 Jesus answered, The foremost is, Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. 31 The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Luke 9:23 25 (NASB95) 23 And He was saying to them all, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? Luke 14:25 33 (NASB95) 25 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. EMOTIONAL True Christianity demands emotional involvement. Jesus said, If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15). A recognition of the greatness of God s love causes us to live for Jesus (2 Cor. 5:14-15). His love is perfected in our lives through faithful obedience (1 John 2:3-5). John 14:15 (NASB95) 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 2 Corinthians 5:14 15 (NASB95) 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 1 John 2:3 5 (NASB95) 3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, I have come to know Him, and does not keep

4 His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: We must also love our brethren. This love must be deep enough that we truly share their joys and sorrows (Rom. 12:15-16). Paul felt a deep attachment to his countrymen (Rom. 9:1-3) and his brethren: his greatest desire was their salvation (2 Cor. 12:15). Romans 12:15 16 (NASB95) 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Romans 9:1 3 (NASB95) 1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 2 Corinthians 12:15 (NASB95) 15 I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? INTELLECTUAL True Christianity demands intellectual involvement. Knowledge enables us to discern the best course along life s pathway (Phil. 1:9-11), empowering us to walk worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:9-10). Therefore, we should diligently study God s word (2 Tim. 2:15). Philippians 1:9 11 (NASB95) 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Colossians 1:9 10 (NASB95) 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB95) 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. PHYSICAL True Christianity demands physical involvement. Paul made great physical sacrifices for the cause of Christ (Acts 20:18-21, 27). Facing and overcoming adversity, he proved himself as an

5 apostle (2 Cor. 11:23-28). We also must understand that our faith is not measured in words but deeds (1 John 3:17-18). Acts 20:18 21 (NASB95) 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them, You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:27 (NASB95) 27 For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 2 Corinthians 11:23 28 (NASB95) 23 Are they servants of Christ? I speak as if insane I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 1 John 3:17 18 (NASB95) 17 But whoever has the world s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. FINANCIAL True Christianity demands financial involvement. The poor widow who cast two mites into the treasury is an enduring example of sacrifice (Mark 12:41-44). So also are the churches of Macedonia (2 Cor. 8:1-5). We must give cheerfully, freely and generously in supporting the cause of Christ (2 Cor. 9:6-8). Mark 12:41 44 (NASB95) 41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.

6 2 Corinthians 8:1 5 (NASB95) 1 Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, 2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. 3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, 5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 2 Corinthians 9:6 8 (NASB95) 6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; CHRONOLOGICAL True Christianity demands chronological involvement. Jesus emphasized this truth when he said, We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work (John 9:4). Seize fleeting moments of opportunity before they are eternally lost (Gal. 6:10). Redeem the time (Eph. 5:15-16). John 9:4 (NASB95) 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. Galatians 6:10 (NASB95) 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Ephesians 5:15 16 (NASB95) 15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. CONCLUSION As you can see, the costs of Christianity are many and varied. True religion demands our all. The Lord Jesus Christ will accept nothing less than full and unconditional surrender to His cause. The Laodiceans reveal the folly of a half-hearted approach (Rev. 3:14-17). Instead, let us follow the noble example of Epaphroditus who was faithful in his service and obedience (Phil. 2:25-30). Revelation 3:14 17 (NASB95) 14 To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,

7 and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, Philippians 2:25 30 (NASB95) 25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 29 Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me. i Many ideas in the introduction were adapted from an article by David Klinghoffer, Kitsch Religion, National Review, June 3, 1996, p