Too Much Placation?

Josh November 26th, 2005

It is of popular opinion that the Church should adapt to the culture around Her. Many say we must make the message of Christ more relative and relevant. We must adapt so that those who are turned off by the Old Time Religion might be able to bare the gospel instead of bore from it. To the credit of those who opine such there has been a mass exodus from that stuffy religion which preaches against sin and demands repentance as necessary parts of salvation. Instead, they say, the gospel must be palatable and appealing; thus, those under its hearing will be “more open” to respond favorably (”To whose favor?” I ask.) rather than be forced through the exit of the Church doors so that they might find peace of conscience and slow heart rate. I, being the forehead-of-flint man I am, beg to differ…

We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God’s grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible.  - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

I’ve often thought about the inclusiveness of God. Spawned by some disagreements thrown my way, I’ve asked myself a few questions. Is God all inclusive? Does He change His character, His essence, His holiness, wrath, mercy, or justice to draw peoples unto Himself? Was Jesus a pushover? Did he pathetically beg and plead for people to follow him or did he make an imperative statement saying, “Follow me”?

Jesus, in fact, did not change, nor did he soften His message to reach people. He was not compelled to draw people to Him based on something they said, did, or thought, but simply for the Father’s good purpose and will. You say, “Well, Josh, that’s just harsh.” I sometimes feel that way too, but then I realize that God’s ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. On this realization I have to humble myself before Him and surrender to the Truths in His Word. For me to attribute His actions as being harsh, by my fallen, sinful, man-made definition of such characterizations cannot be truth. No, I must depend on the biblical definitions of God’s love, justice, holiness, wrath, etc. for answers.

This is something that has made terrible inroads to the Church. Not just those “liberal” churches. No, no. It’s in the churches we’ve grown up in. It’s in the churches where many sincere, godly, well-meaning people we love attend. They find themselves unsure of this new “methodology”, if you will, but they don’t know what to do when it’s put before them on the plates. It is imperative that we realize we must take the Gospel back from this pragmatic, felt-needs (only), palatable-modified ideology that has so pervaded the Church in recent years. God grant us repentance for not fighting the good fight.

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