21st Century Laodicea: Come on in! The Water is Shallow and Tepid
I have recently read Romans and John Owen’s great work from 1565, On The Mortification of Sin. Owen, the learned Puritan, wrote it in the midst of helping Oxford recover from the ravages of the English Civil War in his role as Vice Chancellor.
I felt that Owen’s sharp and precise exegesis combined with a study and meditation probed narrow and deep as down a cavernous well. He thirsted for a treasure buried deep like a cold, underground stream. In contrast, we postmoderns wade toes at our leisure in inches of a lukewarm kiddie pool, easily accessible, but not satisfying for bathing or drinking on a hot summer day.
Owen’s seminal verse was Romans 8:13: “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Owen states the stark reality, unadorned: the wages of sin is death and if our habit of life is in accord with the sinful nature we can expect to perish in God’s judgement. Paul urges us to “examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith,” and says, “unless you have believed in vain.” In Romans 2 Paul warns the church and the Jews that it is not the hearers of the law or those who know the law that are justified, but those who do the law.
Today we are very quick to assure anyone who has made a profession of faith. The Puritans waited for fruit and confirmation of faith over a period of time before even accepting a “professor” as a church member. The crucial phrase in Romans 8:13 is “by the Spirit.” It is only the Holy Spirit that can truly cure us and rid us of stubborn sin habits. Only He can transform us substantially and permanently. Although we cannot obtain perfection in this life, we should still aim for no less. “You shall be holy for I am holy.” And I Thess 5:23-24: God will sanctify us entirely and present us blameless at the coming of Jesus Christ.
Be killing sin by the Spirit
We are a distracted, shallow, uniformed, uninspired generation, and our kids are noticing and going anywhere else but the church to find their purpose in life. Where is the zeal, the evangelism, the radical love of the New Testament in our lives? It is time to return and revive this type of New Testament Church in Action Today. We should face the indictment of Laodicea in Revelation 3, “Because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Does that sound like a secure place to be? John Owen warns us early in his book, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.”
The Puritans waited for fruit and confirmation of faith over a period of time before accepting...?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea to me. I know of one church that requires regular attendance for a whole year PLUS several weeks of membership classes before one can join.
Sounds like a lot, but it would weed out those who are not serious about their faith.
That's right, Ginger. They waited for people to show character and deeds in keeping with being transformed by the gospel before welcoming them to church membership. I first seriously took this fact to heart when reading a biography of Jonathan Edwards by George Marsden.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I can't agree with you guys here. Who are we to judge what constitutes "fruit and confirmation of faith"? I know some people who are really good actors... I won't go on to judge, since as I said, we can't. And then there are those who are very quietly Holy; whose fruit may be ripe, but not boldly evident. The Puritan's waiting idea was nice in theory, but, especially now days, not very realistic.
ReplyDelete@LFaith: Not suggesting we know a person's heart, so you are right on that count. But God calls us to judge those inside the church I Cor. 5:12 (we shall judge angels in heaven I Cor. 6:3) on some occasions. It is particularly a responsibility of leaders to judge the spiritual condition of their flocks, not for the sake of putting them down, but for the safety of their own souls. How shall we know them? We will know them by their fruits (their actions) Matt. 7:16
ReplyDeleteHere is the context of Paul's admonition to judge those in the church:
ReplyDelete1Co 5:1 Everywhere it is heard that fornication is among you, and such fornication which is not named among the heathen, so as for one to have his father's wife.
I did a little prayer and study before I just spouted off my thoughts this time. I always want to go back to Matthew 7:1 that states "Do not judge...". And the story in Joshua 22 where a war was almost started because people judged prematurely. There seems to be just as much scripture against judgement as there is allowing for. I think I will humbly back down from this argument for now (at least partly); with a strong reminder that if we are going to judge to be sure to do so scripturally - with witnesses, right circumstances, allowing opportunity for change, through leaders, and only those in the church (which gives me a whole new opening for my initial argument but I won't go there tonight), etc. Does that sit better with everyone now?? :)
ReplyDeleteLet us also remember Galatians 6:1, when referencing a believer's responsibility toward his brother. This truly is a beautiful description of God's loving approach to "judging" among the brethren. Here, just in the way the apostle frames the use of the language, you sense the compassion behind the heart, motivating love into an action, for the sake of the other. So that it is not from self-righteous pride, a warning is given to look into one's own self before attempting to "help" his brother. "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted." This still sets well with Matthew 7:1-5 in what Jesus then was speaking to Jews that were still under the law. At the time of Paul's letter to the Galatians, he was speaking to Gentiles under grace. I also like the verses prior to 6:1. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh...If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another." Galatians 5:17, 25 & 26. Lori, you made your point well. It comes to simply this...unless it is Spirit-led, the motive behind it will always be fleshly/carnal, because God's communication toward us is always truth, seasoned with much grace! Praise Him for such magnificent love!
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