Mar 25 2009
Real Christianity - Chapter Three (Part 1 of 2)
This chapter entitled, “Inadequate Conceptions of God and of Christian Behavior” continues to support Wilberforce’s premise that many so-called ‘Christians’ do not take their Christianity seriously. While we have seen many correlations between William’s day and ours, I have also wondered if the American church is not farther down the slippery slope of degeneration. Wilberforce’s opening statements in chapter three further support my concern.
Chapter three begins with a list of doctrines the author says most Christians know but take for granted. Review the list which follows and see if, like me, you are not left wondering how many ‘Christians’, today, even give mental assent to all of these Scriptural truths. For that matter, how many churches accept and teach all of these doctrines?
1- God loved and gave (Jn 3:16)
2 - God willingly became man
3 - Jesus was despised and rejected (Is 53:3)
4 - He was wounded and bruised for our sins (Is 53:5)
5 - He bore our guilt (Is 53:6)
6 - His death purchased our life (Phil 2:8)
7 - He is seated at God’s right hand interceding for His people (Rom 8:34)
8 - Through Christ we come boldly to the throne (Heb 4:16)
9 - God gives the Spirit to those who ask (Luke 11:13)
10 - If the Spirit does not dwell in us, we are not God’s child (Rom 8:9)
11 - The Spirit impacts and changes our lives (Col 3:10; Phil 1:11)
12 - Being in Christ we are eternally changed (Col 1:12)
13 - Heaven is our home because of Jesus
If we truly believe these statements, as number eleven affirms, they will impact and change our lives. How can you tell if you really believe this? Ask yourself, are you experiencing joy - not necessarily happiness which is based on your circumstances, but joy which is based on your relationship with God?
Wilberforce said most Christians scarcely believe these truths because we don’t see our need - we don’t sense our sin. Because we do not apprehend our need, we do not value the cure. As long as we do not value the cure, grace is meaningless.
Again the author looks to our lives to prove his point. What do you talk about? Where do your conversations head? When you sit down to dinner? When you gather with friends for a pleasant evening or a day at the beach or in the woods? Evaluate! Are you discussing trivia or do your conversations turn to the things of God? Wilberforce contends, as a general rule, we do not talk about God.
William goes on to further reinforce his point by pointing to three widespread inadequacies. He says we have an inadequate appreciation for Christ, an inadequate appreciation of the Holy Spirit, and an inadequate conception of Christian behavior.
Our inadequate appreciation for Christ stems from our treatments of Scriptural truth. Instead of seeing it as impacting our lives, we treat truth like a legend of little consequence. Furthermore, many so-called Christians are ‘Sunday Christians’. We live like pagans Monday through Saturday then put on our ‘Christian’ outfit for an hour or two on Sunday.
Because we have an inadequate conception of the Spirit’s work we do not make use of the Spirit’s power to grow in our sanctification. Instead of striving diligently to ‘work out our own salvation’, refusing to be controlled by our feelings, and seeking to implant and cultivate moral virtues, many Christians tend to be confused about the Spirit’s role in their life.
Our inadequate conception of Christian behavior has led to many false professors. These false professors bring shame upon Christ’s name with their hypocritical behavior. Taken to the extreme, these people have been the leading persecutors of the world and the church. Nonetheless, the actions of false professors does not negate Scriptural truth.
In part two we will delve further into the author’s premise, looking at his three key points.
