As we have been looking at various deviant behaviours in the
professing church recently, I have become increasingly convinced
that -- from the human standpoint -- there is one major factor
which has exacerbated them above all others. I
am not speaking here about the work of the demonic realm, the
sovereignty of God in judgement, or the manipulation and infiltration
of churches by wicked men hell-bent on a corrupt mission. Those
certainly are major elements in the process of
ecclesiastic deviancy. But the demonic realm would never have
had as many levers to pull or buttons to press if another factor
had not been there in the first place. Neither would there have
been so much need for the judgement of God on churches if this
other factor had not been there in the first place. Similarly,
the manipulators and infiltrators would never have found as much
of a foothold in churches or the lives of professing Christians
if this other major factor had not already been in
existence. The factor about which I am speaking is the wholly
inadequate "conversion" experience of so many in the
Christian scene today.
The reason that so many feel the need to run around the world
seeking a "Second Blessing" or "Toronto Blessings"
is because they never had a proper First Blessing! The reason
that so many feel the need to run around the world looking for
"signs and wonders" is because they have failed to receive
the Wonder of Wonders -- the regeneration of the soul through
the power of the Spirit applying the finished work of Christ.
The reason that so many feel the need to run around the world
seeking numerous mystical "Anointings" from the men
and women who dispense them with a wave of their hands is because
they never had "an anointing from the Holy One" in the
first place! (1 John 2:20). As the Apostle John says:
"These things I have written to you concerning those who
try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received
from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach
you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all
things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught
you, you will abide in Him" (1 Jn.2:26-7).
The true conversion experience is the REAL blessing, and it
brings REAL assurance of salvation. The true anointing is an abiding
anointing. But where there has not been a real conversion experience
with an abiding anointing, there is no real
assurance. Consequently one has then to spend one's time convincing
oneself that one is saved by seeking progressively greater highs
and dynamic experiences and hyper-worship scenarios. Easy-believism
engenders enslavement to experience. That is why so many songs
have to be sung and repeated endlessly in easy-believist circles.
That is why worship doesn't feel worshipful unless there's a drumbeat.
That is why one has to keep on attending "Catch the Fire
Seminars" or "Holy Spirit
Weekends" in order to "recharge one's batteries".
That is why one has to surround oneself with the white heat of
huge meetings at which the weird and extraordinary keep happening.
That is why one has to FEEL good before one is convinced that
things really ARE good. Where the real internal, indwelling sanctifying
work of the Holy Spirit is not in evidence, then any evidence
that the Spirit is at work will have to be sought externally.
Hence, the role that bizarre manifestations have come to play
as evidence of the work of the Spirit.
And of what is all this indicative? In essence, a lack of faith.
Where there is no faith, or very little, a person walks by sight.
He or she gets hung up on the EXternals rather than focussing
on what is ETernal (2 Cor.4:17 - 5:7). And that, I
believe is what lies at the root of so many of the wayward movements
of today. Their interest is in those things which are earthly,
sensual and... yes... demonic (James 3:15). It is no surprise,
therefore, to discover that on the Day of
Judgement there will be MANY who will say to the Lord Jesus Christ:
"Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out
demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And
then Jesus will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart
from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Matt.7:22-23). Those
guys were heavily into religious
pyrotechnics. They were high profile activists for the Lord --
so they thought. They had "caught the fire". They were
into the externals big time. But they had never really bowed the
knee of their souls in the first place.
I wonder how many there are today who have undergone some psycho-religious
or mystical experience masquerading as "conversion".
They know nothing of the true Lord, and nothing of the true cross
(neither Christ's or the one they should
bear). But they know how to feel good. There are many others too
who have "made a decision for Christ" and superficially
"made a commitment" by feebly "inviting Jesus hearts".
But those man-centred actions do not in themselves constitute
Christian conversion. The people who underwent them may have a
pietistic interest in Christ; but they are more likely to be "almost
Christians" (cf. Acts 26:28) than full-blown believers --
unless later they experience the bitter-sweet-richness of true
repentance unto life.
It is only when one has been truly humbled by the overwhelming
sovereignty of God in conversion that one really knows the tremendous
power of God and the true dynamic creativity of the Holy Spirit.
It is only when one acknowledges that
salvation is all of God that one can truly grow in grace. A "conversion"
which is founded on a psycho-religious experience or which has
been machinated by a decision of the mind, or a mere "commitment",
or an invitation to Jesus to come through the door of one's heart,
is never going to provide an adequate foundation for the Christian
life. A superficial "conversion" will lead to a superficial
Christian experience expressed in superficial Christian songs
and boasting only in a superficial Christian triumphalism. And
that is what we have today, with most churches being a vast number
of kilometres wide but only a few millimetres deep.
The solution lies in the courage to evangelise in a biblical manner
-- preaching of the need for deep repentance and full-time discipleship,
regardless of the hostility and notwithstanding the cost. Biblical
evangelism doesn't sweat
over the quantity of conversions; but it is vitally concerned
about what it means to be a new creation and reap a "crop"
of fruit in the life of a soul. A true preacher doesn't constantly
serve up low-fat milk teaching; but he loves to preach about
"the deep things of God".
If you get the conversion right, the rest will follow suit. A
soul which has passed through the valley of deep repentance finds
itself gasping moment by moment at the supernatural artistry of
the work of God in its life -- not merely in
conversion and since, but even in the events prior to the new
birth and those which led up to it. Such a soul could never be
satisfied singing silly ditties which need endless repetition
in order to make them seem like half a song. Such a soul could
never be happy to hear what barely passes as a children's address
masquerading as an exposition of Scripture. Such a soul could
never countenance mumbling gibberish and then believe they've
done spiritual warfare with the devil! Such a soul could never
imagine that God wants them only to be totally healthy and wealthy.
Such a soul could never stand in a line waiting its turn to fall
down at the touch of a man's hand. Such a soul could never settle
for putting "jelly" at the heart of
"evan cal". (When I was a child... I ate jelly).
How many of today's foolishnesses have their roots in an inadequate
conversion! The sickness of the church has spread like an epidemic
because so many churches are populated with, and led by, men and
women who have been encouraged to
believe that their religion is Christianity, when it is at best
mysticism -- at worst satanism. Does that shock you? One doesn't
have to worship satan consciously in order to be a satanist. The
Pharisees didn't worship satan. They thought they were
God's people. But the Lord Jesus said to them: "You are of
your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want
to do" (Jn.8:44). They were satanists. And so are we if we
call ourselves Christians (God's people) and then indulge in a
plethora of antichristian activities -- frying anyone who dares
to express disquiet.
We must ask ourselves these questions:- Am I REALLY saved? Did
I REALLY repent, and do I go on doing so on a daily basis? Did
I experience the profound heartache of knowing how severely I
offended God before I came to Christ? Did I understand my own
contribution to Christ having his beard ripped off, being beaten
to pulp and then nailed to the Cross. Did my conversion come about
as a result of seeing that Cross in my mind's eye and realising
the shame and contempt which He underwent for the saving of my
soul. Did I get a true picture of hell in that anguished cosmic
cry:
"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me", and then
realise the outer darkness from which He saved me? Did I appreciate
that the snatching of my soul from hell like a brand out of a
fire is no laughing matter. Do I understand the full import of
James's wise exhortation to "Lament and mourn and weep! Let
your laughter be turned to mourning and
your joy to gloom" (Jas.3:9)? Do I treasure the fact that
to go into that deep valley brings strength to ascend the heights?
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will
lift you up" (Jas.3:10).
But there is nothing humbling about the experience of Christianity
offered by much of modern evangelism. It flatters us sycophantishly
by telling us that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our
lives, when we are really destined for
wailing and gnashing of teeth. It makes us into little gods by
telling us that we have free will and -- for fear of offending
us -- hides from us the awful fact of our bondage to sin and satan.
It wraps us up in an ersatz world of plastic religion,
encouraging us to feed ferociously on a starvation diet of crassly
sensual experience and Mexican Waves. It fills our mouths with
trite songs so as to shut them up from crying out the REAL questions,
like "What is truth?" or "What must I do to be
saved" or "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"
or "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and
avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" or "When
will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming,
and of the end of the age?"
So let us do all we can to encourage a return to the kind of evangelism
and teaching food which increases the stature and enlarges the
brain. How it must have been like that in the primitive church,
when Peter fearlessly rose to his feet and
lifted up his voice, and thereafter all those saved "continued
steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship" (Acts
2:14 & 42). Profound preaching leads to profound conversions,
which leads to a profound Christian life and an appreciation of
profound teaching.
Your servant, in Christ Jesus,