Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it,
and the man who is prepared to lose his life will preserve it.
- Jesus Christ
In the modern world, we've enjoyed living in a pampered age for decades. Even since the rapidly deteriorating time and seasons, heralded by 2020's sociopolitical era, life for billions has been remarkably good.
When it comes to modern Christianity, all the more. Not only have we been surrounded by unprecedented prosperity and technology, but we take pleasure in spiritual blessings galore. So much so, we have plenty of reasons to say, "we are rich and have need of nothing."
Then again, that's exactly the very deception the glorified Christ warned was the downfall of Revelation's last of seven churches, Laodicea. Believers representing not only existing Christians in that day, and a tragic mindset throughout church history, but the final church age. Which may well be our own.
Should such things be true, might God have much to say that most refuse to hear? Are we willing to develop "ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches" before things worsen irrevocably?
The word discipline holds a pair of challenging meanings. All the more so for modern Christianity. The first deals with obedience, a term that has been drastically redefined, having fallen out of favor in today's world. The second concerns itself with a variety of different aspects of self control. Addressing our thoughts and feelings, strengths and particularly our weakness. On an individual and collective level. Including what we believe and how we choose to live.
These dual facets of discipline might be summarized as:
1. The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.
2. The ability to control one’s feelings and overcome one’s weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it. Including nearly all physical and spiritual aspects of life.
Such terminology raises questions. Are we in greater need of one or both forms of discipline? If so, to what degree?
The Biblically honest answer is yes. Very much so. With little or no time to waste.
A contention as accurate as it is evident. Yet one billions of believers choose to somewhat or completely ignore. Nevertheless, there are a variety of ways to illustrate this point.
The first is an obvious, though frequently minimized aspect of the Kingdom of God in our daily experience. Beginning at spiritual birth, being "born again" or more accurately, "born from above," all genuine Christians are required to grow as they follow Christ. A spiritual process much like that of physical life. There are spiritual newborns and infants, toddlers and preschoolers, elementary and high school students. Even college and graduate students.
As with earthly parents and teachers, different stages of spiritual life equate to different forms of Divine love and comfort, education and discipline. Unlike the physical model, spiritual maturation is not linked to time. Christians can grow, or refuse to, throughout their church years. Five, ten or even fifty years sometimes reflects faithful spiritual development, yet more often than not represents only a single year or two of progress repeated over and over again.
Another, more telling model, is that a of the Church militant. Modern Christendom can be accurately divided into two groups. Those taught to work and play, pray and worship, fellowship and live as largely distracted civilians; or those recognizing the Biblical mandate to become Kingdom citizen soldiers.
While you won't find it taught in many if any of today's seminaries or churches, Conflict Theology is actually the underlying context of Scripture. Widely recognized for nearly two thousand years, the modern world long ago changed course, sailing far from puritanical definitions of repentance and morality, faith and discipleship, sanctification and holiness. The result has been the nearly wholesale substitution of assumed salvation for repentance, presumption for faith and inappropriate worship for sanctification.
So much so, the Cruise Vs. Battleship analogy is an apt metaphor. If Christianity’s a cruise ship, sailing merrily from here to Heaven, then certainly Christ’s costly atonement is more than sufficient passage. The cross of Jesus is indeed all anyone could ever need. If however, Heaven and Earth are at war with fallen angels and devils, Christianity is a battleship and we must follow our Commander and Chief’s example and directives by daily shouldering our own.
Even if Christianity could be likened to a pleasure cruise, given Churchianity’s collision course with so many modern temptations and deceptions, up to an including immorality and the blood red mountainous iceberg of abortion, in certain respects might even many well intended ministries be reduced to simply arranging deck chairs on the Titanic?
So is Christianity a cruise or gunship? We must decide. And do so quickly and carefully. Military directives and drills, cramped quarters and sea rations, would be absurd on a pleasure cruise. So too, civilian itineraries and activities, opulent suites and sumptuous banquets, would be anathema during a time of war.
See QC's Water World Parable: Cruise Vs. Battleship.
As stated, the definitions of discipline apply to nearly all aspects of life for individuals and families, societies and entire generations. Yet the most salient and serious example is that of soldiers in active combat. Which Christians throughout history, and even more so in the Last Days, are warned to become throughout Scripture:
- "But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them. For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate morally weak and spiritually-dwarfed women weighed down by [the burden of their] sins, easily swayed by various impulses, always learning and listening to anybody who will teach them, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 3:1-7 AMP
- "God’s Spirit specifically tells us that in later days there will be men who abandon the true faith and allow themselves to be spiritually seduced by teachings of the devil, teachings given by men who are lying hypocrites, whose consciences are as dead as seared flesh." 1 Timothy 4:1-2 PHILLIPS
With Christendom divided into hundreds of denominations, offering many Christs, a variety of church models and versions of the gospel, it would seem Paul's prophecy has been fulfilled. And then some.
Yet even the best of modern Christianity may have much to learn. For many decades, the increase of temptation and deception, has resulted in a devilishly cunning strategy of incrementalism that over time has all but uprooted millennia of spiritual and sociological gains. Including the inversion of morality and the holocaust of abortion, militant homosexuality and transgenderism... Both outside and inside Churchianity. Part and parcel of the dramatic and disastrous deterioration in the times and seasons in which we live, and those vastly worse clearly evident on the horizon. Evidence of the spirit of the Antichrist terraforming the entire planet in preparation of Divine judgment and Great Tribulation. See Conspiracy Facts.
Given the Bible's meta message of Conflict Theology, all creation is at war against or alongside its Creator, there is no neutral territory. Thus from a spiritual perspective, the responsibilities and duties, privileges and promises of actual, rather than almost Christians, concern themselves with Kingdom citizen soldiers.
Modern Christianity excels at certain aspects of ministry and inappropriately intimate worship, rightly extolling the Cross of Christ while all but ignoring our own. We glory in the promises of God while marginalizing the Bible’s more numerous conditions, when not refuting them altogether. Our members are largely unable to quote more than a handful of Scriptures in a row, if that, rarely stopping to pray even ten minutes a day.
We know little of a soldier’s commitment or training. Enjoying the world, or at least many of its finer things, we convince ourselves we can have our cake and eat it too; that the poverty and humility of Christ, and that of His apostles, as well as of persecuted disciples throughout history, were costs others bore, providing our one way all expense paid passage aboard Christian luxury liners, rather than a draft summons to follow the teaching and example of Jesus and all the authors of the New Testament. A call to renounce civilian affairs and to man our battle stations in the armada of the Kingdom of God.
And why would we? Was not the guarantee of salvation by the cross of Christ a marvelous and unconditional free gift beyond compare? Have we not devoted a substantial part of our lives to Jesus and the tenets of modern Christianity? Have we not given of our minds, hearts and wills? Have we not converted much of our thoughts, words and lifestyles? Have we not redirected many of our aspirations, attitudes and actions? Have we not invested significant portions of our time, talent and treasure to fellowship, discipleship and evangelism?
In many respects we truly have, and in return secured testimonies of the gospel’s lift frequently blessing, often changing ourselves , family and friends. At least to some degree.
Hundreds of millions of modern Christians can attest they are far from who they once were, yet we are equally far from the radical disciples and entirely new creations we are called to become. Nevertheless, preliminary transformation equates to only partial fullness of the Spirit, in light of Christ’s command to cultivate all the Kingdom’s Fruit and Gifts, such as dependably and miraculously healing the sick. Taken together, our oversight and neglect equates to failure to become the glorious beings we are meant to be. Hence Jesus’s lament, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Why? Because too few chose to fully answer His call.
Without the fullness of the miraculous Fruit and Gifts of the Spirit, there can be little to no Power Evangelism and Discipleship; the very foundation and hallmark of 1st Century Christians. Ordinary men and women who’s costly and absolute dedication and complete transformation produced the glorious New Testament and brought the Roman Empire, then the world’s greatest military, political and religious culture, to its knees.
Exactly the kind of Prophetic Christians so needed today. All the more as the times and seasons quickly deteriorate and "you see the Day approaching." Understanding Earth is a besieged planet, such men and women invest their time, talent and treasure recruiting, training and deploying Biblically astute Kingdom citizen soldiers. They spend their lives wresting humanity from the grip of Heaven's angelic rebellion. An insurrection that, having marred the history of eternity, has and continues to reshape our own. Through Bible study and strategic prayer, radical discipleship and disciplined sacrifice, they don the full the armor of God. They understand we "wrestle not with flesh and blood" when struggling to rescue others from Satan's wisdom and demonic resistance, who, again, as "the god of this world" holds mankind "captive to do his will." Inside and outside of modern Churchianity.
With all the above in mind, we must give greater heed to the directive of the Holy Spirit through the author of the Book of Hebrews:
- "Let us go forward, then, to mature teaching and leave behind us the first lessons of the Christian message. We should not lay again the foundation of turning away from useless works and believing in God; of the teaching about baptisms and the laying on of hands; of the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment. Let us go forward! And this is what we will do, if God allows." Hebrews 6:1-3 GNT
All the more reason to re-evaluate our current levels of both forms of discipline in realistic hope of doing far better.
As noted, because Conflict Theology is the very context or metamessage of Scripture, it follows that both aspects of discipline are most viable in regards to militarized spirituality. That is, from the perspective of Kingdom citizen soldiers. Understanding Earth is a besieged and enemy occupied war zone, lets examine a few New Testament passages that make little to no sense from any other standpoint.
Initially addressing 1st century persecuted Christians, Peter imparts the following directives:
- "Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh [and died for us], arm yourselves [like warriors] with the same purpose [being willing to suffer for doing what is right and pleasing God], because whoever has suffered in the flesh [being like-minded with Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [having stopped pleasing the world], so that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living for human appetites and desires, but [lives] for the will and purpose of God." 1 Peter 4:1-2 AMP
- "The end and culmination of all things is near. Therefore, be sound-minded and self-controlled for the purpose of prayer [staying balanced and focused on the things of God so that your communication will be clear, reasonable, specific and pleasing to Him.]" 1Peter 4:7 AMP
- "But remember the earlier days, when, after being [spiritually] enlightened, you [patiently] endured a great conflict of sufferings, sometimes by being made a spectacle, publicly exposed to insults and distress, and sometimes by becoming companions with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy and deep concern for those who were imprisoned, and you joyfully accepted the [unjust] seizure of your belongings and the confiscation of your property, conscious of the fact that you have a better possession and a lasting one [prepared for you in heaven]." Hebrews 10:32-34 AMP
- "For it is the time [destined] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not respect or believe or obey the gospel of God? And if it is difficult for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the godless and the sinner? Therefore, those who are ill-treated and suffer in accordance with the will of God must [continue to] do right and commit their souls [for safe-keeping] to the faithful Creator." 1 Peter 4:17-19 AMP
A destructive habit, one most skillfully addressed by Søren Kierkegaard, of whom Wikipedia notes was a 19th century "Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher." A fondness for doctrinal error about which Kierkegaard famously writes:
- "The matter is quite simple. The bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament."
Nevertheless, there is at least a subtle connection between Søren and Peter's passage. It's the habit of trying to have our cake and eat it too. Of embracing Christianity in its cheeper forms, over and above the costly grace of whole life sanctification and radical discipleship.
A honest handing of both passages from Peter reveal greater, more challenging aspects of his intent. For example, why does he warn, "And if it is difficult for the righteous to be saved..." This flies in the face of modern doctrine, teaching and worship were much is rightly made of the costly cross of Christ, and little to nothing of our own.
Perhaps Peter's recalling Christ's teaching on the subject during His Olivet Discourse of last day events, as in the verse, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved."
Paul issues similar warnings, from "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," to "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."
Time out! Is Paul saying we should "fear and tremble" over the status of our salvation? That after all he had believed and accomplished, the great apostle Paul could loose his salvation? In a word, Yes. These are explicit warnings that accentuate Christ's harsher sayings and teaching on Godly fear. As well as that of His apostles on the virtue of fear. Again, the author of Hebrews agrees:
- "For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God’s children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all]. Hebrews 12:6-8 AMPC
- "So then, as the Holy Spirit says, “If you hear God's voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God, as they were that day in the desert when they put him to the test. There they put me to the test and tried me, says God, although they had seen what I did for forty years. And so I was angry with those people and said, ‘They are always disloyal and refuse to obey my commands.’ I was angry and made a solemn promise: ‘They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest!’” My friends, be careful that none of you have a heart so evil and unbelieving that you will turn away from the living God. Instead, in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn, you must help one another every day, as long as the word “Today” in the scripture applies to us. For we are all partners with Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at the beginning. This is what the scripture says: “If you hear God's voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God.” Hebrews 3:7-15 GNT
- "Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God’s wonder and grace didn’t seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased. The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—“First the people partied, then they threw a dance.” We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them. These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else." 1 Corinthians 10:1-12 MSG
- "Write to Laodicea, to the Angel of the church. God’s Yes, the Faithful and Accurate Witness, the First of God’s creation, says: “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless. “Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see. “The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God! “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors! “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches." Revelation 3:14-22 MSG
Here and elsewhere we are put on notice that we are responsible to honestly acknowledge and appropriately respond to the spiritual warfare raging around us. To grasp and learn from historical mistakes. To never assume salvation, confusing presumption for faith. Rather to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. To take a break from congratulating ourselves for lukewarm faith, long enough to attest the perilous nature of our condition. Lest old proverbial warnings becomes our tragic reality:
- "For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn, There’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break, but by then it’ll be too late to help them." Proverbs 29:1-2 MSG
- "From the least to the greatest, each is eager to profit; from prophet to priest, each trades in dishonesty. They treat the wound of my people as if it were nothing: “All is well, all is well,” they insist, when in fact nothing is well. They should be ashamed of their detestable practices, but they have no shame; they don’t even blush! Therefore, they will fall among the fallen and stumble when I bring disaster, declares the Lord." Jeremiah 6:13-15 CEB
- "Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. Hebrews 12:1-2 MSG
“Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of “remembrance” you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe. If you give no thought (or worse, don’t care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you’re running the risk of serious consequences. That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.” 1 Corinthians 11:27-32 MSG
“Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.” 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 MSG
Paul reinforces the fact that our presumption annoys and grieves God to the point of either hindering the genuine Gifts of the Spirit, including that of miraculous healing, or worse, actively moves God’s hand against His own.
From the teaching of Jesus, particularly His harsh words and judgments against His churches, and throughout the entire New Testament, a meta-message emerges. The Holy Spirit is not to be trifled with.
Consider again the communion reference. Few Catholics and only half the Protestant Church even allow for the fact the earthly and eternal life and death are present in communion. Hence Paul's, and ultimately the Holy Spirit's warning, "That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave."
Again, the clarion message here is that our presumption grieves God to the point of either hindering the genuine gifts of the Spirit, including that of miraculous healing or worse, actively moves God’s hand against His own people.
Hopeful Remedy
Consider for a moment a handful of verses from James chapter 5 through which hope in the power of effective, fervent and righteous prayer is derived. For in them we have not only an overlooked litmus test for Biblical church leadership, but a guaranteed cure for what ails us:
- "Is anyone among you sick? He must call for the elders (spiritual leaders) of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual]." James 5:14-18 AMP
Here we see no hint of cessationism. Nor the failure of charismatics. What we do see are simple and straightforward instructions clearly indicating that elders are required to be able to offer the kind of prayer in faith that equates to miraculous healing and subsequent forgiveness of sins.
Yet how many can on do so on a routine basis? Almost, if not absolutely, zero. Hence, among other things, the need and wisdom of Covid-19 sheltering in place and shuttered churches, social distancing and masks, deadly vaccines and endless boosters."
How many are ready to admit the truth of such passages and our inability to fulfill their requirements? About the same.
Herein lies the horns of our dilemma. Here is the true crises and opportunity afforded by the massive global suffering of COVID-19, not to mention every other intractable disease and disability. Yet who will respond appropriately? To do so and gain the power of Elijah to which James referred would change everything. People would pack churches and tear the roofs off houses to gain access to the true Christ of Biblical Christianity who's miracles and forgiveness was once again fully accessible.
Modern Christians would love and fear the Lord. Spiritual gifts would be plentiful and multitudes would fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” The virtue of Godly fear would be restored. Sin and profanity would be judged and corrected, as in the tragic yet telling case of Ananias and Sapphira:
- "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed." Acts 5:11-16 NIV
Still, for a multitude of reasons, we delay. Furthermore, fearing failure, we build bulwarks of justifications to excuse our powerlessness. Even Charismatics settle for crumbs when it comes to the miraculous. When comparing our record against that of the Gospels and/or Book of Acts, we content ourselves with a healing here or there. Almost as if the exception proves the rule.
Limiting the Holy Spirit through unbelief and/or doctrine is costly. Both here and in eternity. Relegating the Third Person of the Trinity to all but mythical status in modern Christianity first mistake. The same error the Book of Acts declares that Ananias and Sapphira made.
The Ruach Elohim, Hebrew: רוח אלוהים meaning the Breath, Wind or Spirit of God is one of the many names and descriptions of the Holy Spirit. Growth in understanding and sensitivity to the The Third Person of the Trinity is not only essential to Biblical Christianity, but is the source from which it springs.
From the Incarnation to the words and works of Jesus, the Holy Spirit played a leading role. From the birth of the Church at Pentecost, to the inspiration of Scripture, the Spirit of God's Fruit and Gifts, Power and Presence have been the cornerstone of Christendom. Even so, for a variety of reasons, no member of the Godhead has been more often misunderstood and marginalized.
By definition, the Trinity is the most complex and complicated entity and subject possible. It is also the single most defining doctrine of Biblical Christianity. Along those lines, the famous John Wesley once noted, "Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the Triune God."
While true that only God can fully understand God, a comparison of the three states of water provides a useful, albeit oversimplification of the Godhead:
Wikipedia explains the following. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (Latin: Trinitas, lit. 'triad', from Latin: trinus "threefold") holds that God is one God, but three coeternal consubstantial persons or hypostases —the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit—as "one God in three Divine persons". The three persons are distinct, yet are one "substance, essence or nature" (homoousios). In this context, a "nature" is what one is, whereas a "person" is who one is.
The Fourth Lateran Council (1215) adds: "In God there is only a Trinity since each of the three persons is that reality — that is to say substance, essence or divine nature. This reality neither begets nor is begotten nor proceeds; the Father begets, the Son is begotten and the holy Spirit proceeds. Thus there is a distinction of persons but a unity of nature. Although therefore the Father is one person, the Son another person and the holy Spirit another person, they are not different realities, but rather that which is the Father is the Son and the holy Spirit, altogether the same; thus according to the orthodox and catholic faith they are believed to be consubstantial."
A less technical, quick reference may prove helpful:
1. The Father: Begets. Leader of Godhead. Sets the times and seasons. Great White Throne Judge.
2. The Son: Begotten. As Christ experiences and completes the incarnation, humility, ministry, passion, crucifixion, atonement, resurrection, ascension, intercession, second advent, millennial reign. He is the creator of new heaven and earth. Judge and head of the Church.
3. The Holy Spirit: Proceeds. Leads into all truth. Empowers through the impartation of Divine nature and power via Fruit and Gifts.
Far from simply a force for good, or a lessor part of the Trinity, in many ways the Holy Spirit is the architect and sustainer of Christianity. From start to finish. He is the originator of Scripture and the implanter of Christ in Mary's womb. The descending anointing at Jesus' baptism and His guide in the wilderness. He is the inspiration of the words Christ, empowering His signs and wonders. He raises Christ from the dead and is Pentecost's explosive heavenly fire. He is the indweller of Christian believers. He is the first fruits of Heaven and the seal of promised glory.
It is this Self Same Holy Spirit with which we principally have to do. In His hand is the rod of correction and reproof applied to the Church. In His mouth is the whistle of the Coach and the commands of the Drill Instructor. As Jesus declared in His last communique to all seven of Revelation's churches, “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.”
Which Story?
So what's the principal problem? God's voice is far from the only voice modern Christians are listening to.
We all want to be happy. Those who aren’t want to believe they soon will be. Those who are want to believe it will always last. To this end, the whole of mankind pursues a kind of waking dream. When circumstances are favorable, it’s easy to relax and enjoy life. When conditions are challenging, happiness is more difficult to imagine.
For this and other reasons, we are all telling ourselves a story. We each develop an inner monologue. A running account of not only our present, but past and anticipated future. Drawing from experience, we craft an image of ourselves. A tale of our relationships and place in the world.
Nature abhors a vacuum. So too the super-natural. As quantum physical/spiritual beings, we yearn to understand and be understood. Searching for relevance, our souls crave company. Both of the seen and unseen variety. We’re attracted by and attractive to kindred spirits telling homogenous stories augmenting our own sense of individual and collective reality. Migrating and/or herded into increasingly larger groups, distinction and personality can be suppressed and/or obfuscated. Even through the auspices of coalitions with diametrically different presentations.
In 1985, Neil Postman juxtaposed two very different dramatizations, George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, to highlight just such a scenario:
- “What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egotism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture…”
- “…today we live in a society in which spurious realities are manufactured by the media, by governments, by big corporations, by religious groups, political groups… Very sophisticated people using very sophisticated electronic mechanisms. I do not distrust their motives; I distrust their power. They have a lot of it. And it is an astonishing power: that of creating whole universes, universes of the mind. I ought to know… It is my job to create universes… And I have to build them in such a way that they do not fall apart two days later… The matter of defining what is real—that is a serious topic, even a vital topic. And in there somewhere is the other topic, the definition of the authentic human. Because the bombardment of pseudo-realities begins to produce inauthentic humans very quickly—as fake as the data pressing at them from all sides. Fake realities will create fake humans. Or, fake humans will generate fake realities and then sell them to other humans, turning them, eventually, into forgeries of themselves… It is just a very large version of Disneyland.”
- “Reality is kind of a fiction, in a way. That isn’t to say that facts aren’t real. That experiences aren’t real. That outcomes aren’t real… The reality that we live in day to day is an amalgamation of what we see and what we don’t see. And the seen and the unseen create the world that we dwell in. Because the world itself is too complicated and too vast for us experience. We have to apply filters in order to function… And it’s those filters and how we form them, that creates the reality we dwell in.”
- “…it puts a responsibility on each of us to insure that we don’t fall pray to the seductions of, the word is homophily, you know, how we love our own. Birds of a feather flock together. And it’s so easy. And it creates a seamless bubble. We’re wired to create bubbles.”
Simply put, we are all telling ourselves a story. While insulated in a bubble. A bubble in which we are not alone.
Seemingly fantastic, the Bible reveals the company we keep can be of both the seen and unsee variety. Like mysterious and unknown dark matter and dark energy, together comprising 95% of our Universe, it may be argued that while not observable, the existence of spiritual malevolence is nevertheless quantifiable. Such physical evidence supports the viability of Scripture’s metaphysical assertion.
There has never been, nor ever will be, another like Satan. By cunning or might, he incited Heaven's one and only angelic rebellion. By temptation and deception, he choreographed the fall of mankind. By dominion and craft, he holds title as the "god of this world" and "prince of the power of the air." As the "father of lies" and cosmic insurrection, Satan is the architect and embodiment of Conflict Theology. Which in turn provides the very context of Scripture.
Even so, the Devil's remaining time in Heaven draws short. Soon war with Michael and his army will result in the expulsion of the Dragon and his angels. Liberated, Heaven will rejoice! Yet Scripture warns , "Doom to earth and sea, For the Devil's come down on you with both feet; he's had a great fall; He's wild and raging with anger; he hasn't much time and he knows is."
The Bible's full of passages detailing the havoc caused by the great and fallen Archangel once called Lucifer or in Hebrew הילל בן־שׁחר Helel Ben-Shachar. Like the gravitational force of dark matter and energy, the effects of his ancient angelic rebellion and current campaign of temptation and terror, encompass the entire Earth.
There are hundreds of Bible verses directly and indirectly referencing Satan's significance. Specific passages in the New King James Version include the usage of the name Lucifer (1), Satan (54), Devil (34), Dragon (13) and Evil One (5). Additionally, Scripture's use of words such as temptation (13), deception (6), pain (43), death (428), evil (491) and sin (1153) can be indirectly attributed to the architect of disobedience.
The Bible explains that both personally, and as a species, mankind faces the deadly foe of sin on three fronts. Sin within, resulting from individual and inherited fallen natures. Sin above, in the form of devilish and demonic temptation and deception. And Sin about, the collective and cumulative effect of sin within and above. In regards to sin from above, the New Testament is quite adamant:
- "And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels." Ephesians 6:10-12 MSG
- "God’s Message yet again: “Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, The tried-and-true road. Then take it. Discover the right route for your souls. But they said, ‘Nothing doing. We aren’t going that way.’ I even provided watchmen for them to warn them, to set off the alarm. But the people said, ‘It’s a false alarm. It doesn’t concern us.’ And so I’m calling in the nations as witnesses: ‘Watch, witnesses, what happens to them!’ And, ‘Pay attention, Earth! Don’t miss these bulletins.’ I’m visiting catastrophe on this people, the end result of the games they’ve been playing with me." Jeremiah 6:16-19 MSG
Biblical Examples
Still the original problem persists. Churchianity's been taught to believe everything's fine. All the more given our natural inclination to judge ourselves by those around us. Compared to our fellow modern Christians, we're doing well. Compared to billions far more worldly and worse, we're doing great!
Yet compared to our full potential we're doing poorly. Without the fullness of the Spirit, we continually fall short of our mission parameters; an acceptable state aboard a cruise ship. A disastrous state aboard a battleship.
So where are the biggest areas of weakness in regards to welcoming the rigors of discipline in the arenas of obedience and training? These break down into elementary, intermediate and advance issues. Foundational issues include learning and adherence to the basic requirements of salvation and following Jesus, Bible study and prayer, worship and fellowship. For churches, identifying their gospel among the current seven church models would be a good start. Prayerfully developing correct Biblical instruction and lifestyle choices can provide an initial litmus test.
Having illustrated the fact that even we Christians are all telling ourselves a story, a question arises. How accurate is our narrative to Scripture's requirements? The following graphic emphasizes that knowingly or not, all who have heard the story and claims of Christ are somewhere to be found on the continuum from inappropriate to appropriate response. To which most believers rank ourselves more highly than we ought:
When asked about Christ's growing popularity and authority, John the Baptist explained, "He must increase, but I must decrease." Far easier said than done. Failure to abide by the Kingdom's diminishment principal accounts for most, if not all sin. Outside and inside modern Christianity. Quantum spiritual physics such as those who give receive, who suffer rejoice, and who die will live, are fine and dandy to read about, but living them out's another thing altogether. Particularly when the cost is great, or even ALL (God's holy number). As in the Baptist's case.
In regards to recognizing Kingdom inversion, and fully embracing the need for growth in brokenness and discernment, James, the Lord's half brother, provides another astounding example of victoriously overcoming his own gross deception and insensitivity. It’s both encouraging and alarming to consider the spiritual journey of James and Jude, Biblical authors and half brothers of Jesus. Tellingly, the former is by far the most practical of all the New Testament writers. And the latter the most angry.
After Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, but prior to His ascension into Heaven, Jesus appeared to over 500 people including James. Once converted, the Apostles appointed James, who may have lived with Jesus for nearly three decades, to oversee the First Church Council of Jerusalem. Yet, prior to the His brother’s literal “come to Jesus meeting” neither James or Jude were anywhere to be found! In fact, so conspicuous were their absence, while agonizing from the cross, Jesus was forced to place their mother Mary in the care of His disciple John.
Only after Christ’s resurrection and appearance to James do we find him named among believers. As Paul explains:
- “The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don’t deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying my best to stamp God’s church right out of existence.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-9 The Message
It’s inconceivable that the half brothers of Jesus could live day in and day out with the Son of God, and yet require personal epiphanies before embracing Christ.
Catholic traditions notwithstanding, James was moved to the head of the class. As evidenced by his presiding over the afore mention Jerusalem Council, where we are told both Peter and Paul have a say but James has say. Issuing the final edict to the emerging Gentile believers.
On one hand this is great news. If James, arguably among the worst brothers in human history, can repent to such an extent as to become the head of the church of Jerusalem, there may well be reason for all to take his advice. Conversely, if those like James and Jude who knew Jesus best, are as direct and harsh as Christ, woe to we who fail to take the combined warnings of the Kingdom’s first family seriously.
Also, if Christ's actual family members could live day in and day out for decades within a close and intimate family relationship with Jesus, yet be off page regarding some of the most important truth's regarding their Older Brother, what might we be missing?
Interestingly, when it comes to a Scripture reveal as to what God wants most from each and everyone, what many believe to be the Bible's first story may have the last word. In fact, given Conflict Theology is Scripture's very context, it's perfectly fitting that Job’s behind the scenes bet between God and Satan appears to be not only the oldest Book of the Bible, but its codex.
To set up this incredible narrative, keep in mind that by definition God alone possess Omnity: Eternal Self Existance (causeless first cause), Omniscience (all knowing), Omnipresence (present everywhere), Omnipotence (all powerful) and Immutability (unchanging). God clearly knows the end from the beginning. Thus by flaunting Job in Satan's face, God was initiating all that was to follow.
The primary reason for the Devil's requesting and receiving permission to target and destroy all that was dear to Job was his righteousness. For which all Job's possessions would be stolen or destroyed and all the lives of his children forfeit. Furthermore, his immediate reward for standing up against Satan's onslaught would be debilitating disease engulfing his entire body head to toe. So devastating was Job's dreadful state, that his so called three false friends would fast without speaking for seven days and nights in mourning. An act of compassion unique in all of Scripture.
After chapters of back and forth discourse and argument, Job was granted the audience with God he all but demanded. During which Job received no explanation or apology. Instead, by way of rebuke, God partially revealed His majesty, to which Job replied:
- "I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise!" Job 42:1-6 MSG
Did this somehow make up for the workers and children destroyed by Satan's assault, of which God had precise foreknowledge? Perhaps not. But a further gift Job received might.
Without his ordeal, Job would likely have lived a long and healthy, happy and wealthy life. With none the wiser. Rather, through his severe testing and trial, via God and Satan's wager, he became the Patriarch of Patience and Suffering for all mankind. And particularly for the household of faith.
His story also pulls back eternity's curtain, plainly revealing a level of personal spiritual conflict unprecedented in human history! An ultimate example of Peter's warning and encouragement to embrace and endure discipline and/or persecution: "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and sinner appear?"
Undiscovered Country
QC is painfully aware that the premise of the above article is in no way attractive to modern Christianity. Unfortunately, the conclusion will be even more distasteful. You have been warned...
There are scores of Scriptures that point to a much deeper life in the Holy Spirit than we care to admit, since doing so points out a pair of massively inconvenient truths:
1. There are heights to the Kingdom of God on Earth that few if any have reached in this or for countless generations. At least in the developed nations. There, the Lord's presence and power, provision and protection flow like rivers of water springing up into eternal life. Where fiery lightening dances on the heads of believers, and multitudes from every nation are instantly saved. Where Divine healing is the children's bread, wrapped in handkerchiefs and shadows. Where the Fruit and Gifts of Spirit are abundant, and miracles are performed by table waiters. Where buildings shake when churches pray, emboldened without fear. Where chains fall away at midnight worship, praises knocking prison doors off their hinges.
2. The admittance price for such passage is as steep as the glorious terrain. Our All for God's. Not a window's mite less. No massaged doctrine or faulty traditions of men, no intimate worship or imagined relationship, no half hearted prayers or mega church budgets can or will ever grant access.
To introduce the subject, let's start with some passages addressing Kingdom citizen solders. Excellent verses for Prophetic Christians to employ in meditation and intercession:
“Cause us to judge with righteous judgment. To believe that You are and that You’re a rewarder of those who diligently seek You. To number our days and enter Your rest. To fully embrace the wisdom from above and reject the wisdom from below which is earthly, sensuous and demonic. To have godliness and contentment, which is great gain. With food and clothing to be content. To rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you.
“That we would find faith, hope and love displacing fear, anger and sorrow. Particularly for those who’ve learned that godly fear is the beginning wisdom. Though quantumly not necessarily its end. For he that fears is not perfected in love. For fear has torment. And perfect love casts out fear.
“That we would count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations knowing that the trial of our faith works patience. That we would let patience have it’s perfect work that we might be entire lacking nothing. That we would make no provision for the flesh and redeem the time for the days are evil. That we would present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable, which is our reasonable form of spiritual worship. That we would not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That we would approve and prove what is the good and acceptable will of God.
“That we might even enjoy buffeting our bodies as extreme spiritual athletes, for profit both in this life and the life to come. That we would be crucified with Christ, nevertheless live, yet not us but Christ living in us. That the life that we now live, we’d live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved us and gave Himself up for us. That we would be risen with Christ. Seated with Christ in heavenly places. And our lives would be hid with Christ in God. That we would set our affections on things above, not on things on earth. Practicing hospitality. Remembering prisoners as if chained with them."
While every verse above continues to be routinely minimized or marginalized by modern Christianity, a few deserve special attention. Not just for the sake of importance, but rather because they are hard, if not impossible, to pretend to obey.
1. To have godliness and contentment, which is great gain. With food and clothing to be content. Paul makes no no mention of shelter or furnishings, healthcare or insurance, revenue or retirement. Nor an endless list of fabulous blessings and incredible technologies we not only demand but take for granted. Truth be told, only a soldier deployed in an active combat zone is content with so little. Thus, civilian Churchianity completely ignores this directive, as if it were for a select few.
2. That we would make no provision for the flesh, redeeming the time for the days are evil. We not only make many provisions for the flesh, but spend the bulk of our time doing so. As for redeeming the time, squandering thousands of hours in various harmless and harmful entertainments and pleasures is more like it. This includes massive hours watching TV, listening to modern music, browsing social media... All wasted and worse, by Kingdom citizen soldier standards.
3. That we might even enjoy buffeting our bodies as extreme spiritual athletes, for profit both in this life and the life to come. As referenced, Paul directed "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," explaining "I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." Again, we've conjured dozens of doctrines insulating and extracting ourselves from such Scriptures and serious concerns. False Biblical narratives, from eternal security to a pre-tribulation rapture. As for profit, Jesus often encourages developing a robust eternal portfolio, as will be discussed shortly. All the while warning, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
4. That we would set our affections on things above, not on things on earth. An honest handling of our time, talent and treasure reveals our earthly interests and investments outweigh our heavenly ones at least ten to one. Even then, our eternal pursuits are often fraught with fraudulent doctrine and lifestyle choices.
5. Practicing hospitality. Jesus cautioned, "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Who makes a practice of doing this among the rank and file of modern Christianity? Or any of the other points mentioned above or below?
6. Remembering prisoners as if chained with them. All the serious Scriptures and challenging issues raised thus far hinge on, and are yet routinely muted by, a single word. Degree. "We're already doing that," we argue, yet to what degree? Here, the Holy Spirit through Paul, not only leaves no wiggle room, but reinforces the previously mentioned Divine exchange rate of our All for God's.
While widely unrecognized, Christendom does schedule an International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Of course, "Day of Prayer" translates to a few minutes, if that. In quantity and quality, this meets about a millionth of the Biblical mandate conveyed by the phrase, "as if chained with them."
Uriah the Hittite, betrayed and murdered by King David after his adulterous affair with Uriah's wife, provides a shinning example of this Scriptural directive. When Bathsheba found herself pregnant, David summoned Uriah from the battlefield, coaxing him to enjoy his home and wife, hoping to hide his sin. Instead, Uriah slept on the palace entrance. In the morning David asked why? Uriah replied, “The Chest is out there with the fighting men of Israel and Judah—in tents. My master Joab and his servants are roughing it out in the fields. So, how can I go home and eat and drink and enjoy my wife? On your life, I’ll not do it!" Getting Uriah drunk and trying again produced the same results. For which Uriah was rewarded by Scripture's only warrior, psalmist, prophet and king, a man after God's own heart, arranging his premeditated murder.
This stunning passage displays three essential truths. First, how throughly even God's anointed can be deceived. Second, what true empathy for those suffering looks like. Third, embracing the rigors of the church militant (Uriah), rather than the pleasures of civilian entitlement (David), is what the Bible's context of Conflict Theology requires.
The New Testament is filled with dozens of equally challenging and crucial passages. Many are exactly the kind of verses of which Søren Kierkegaard warned, "Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world?"
Final Five
Paul admonished his spiritual son Timothy, and by extension all Christians, to "Take with me your share of hardship [passing through the difficulties which you are called to endure], like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service gets entangled in the [ordinary business] affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve."
Complimenting those already mentioned, here are five passages that further contrast civilian vs. military perspectives and lifestyles. They also represent some of the hardest passages in the New Testament to swallow and digest. Yet the failure to do so may be one of the greatest hinderances to the Lord's presence and power, provision and protection absolutely necessary for not only the preservation of our souls and all those we love, but to fulfill the Great Commission with which we alone have been entrusted.
1. "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]." Most have heard of this passage, but can't quote it correctly. Only a tiny fraction have taken even ten minutes wrestling with its implications of God Vs. Wealth.
A primary reason is our having been taught to substitute presumption for faith. After all, if we're going to assume salvation because of simple belief (demons also believe) or saying a special prayer (warned against by Jesus), why not go all the way?
Revealing a fuller meaning of Christ's message is as easy as plugging words into Jesus' equation. First, let's summarize all that mammon might mean into a more common and expansive word like wealth. Next, just do the algebra. There are two options:
- "...he will either hate wealth and love God, or he will be devoted to wealth and despise God."
Or the converse:
- "...he will either hate God and love wealth, or he will be devoted to God and despise wealth."
2. "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Those who recognize this passage usually associated it with Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler. This is partially correct. Jesus also issues this same command to everyone in the Gospel of Luke. Suffice it to say, who does this, or anything like it? In fact, isn't the amassing of wealth far more common? For a fair and extensive handling of this controversial topic see GB's article entitled, "Rich Young Ruler."
3. "And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.” As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil." Here again Scripture flies in the face of the daily practice of billions of modern Christians. Rather than routinely acknowledging the precarious state of our existence and spurious nature of our mortality, much less the absolute claims of Christ's Lordship and the supremacy of the Holy Spirit, we live ninety percent of our waking lives large and in charge. Without the least thought otherwise, until eventually circumstances conspire against us.
4. "As [is the practice] in all the churches of the saints (God’s people), the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not authorized to speak, but are to take a subordinate place, as the Law says. If there is anything they want to learn [that is, if they have questions about anything being said or taught], they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to talk in church. Did the word of the Lord originate from you [Corinthians], or has it come to you only [so that you know best what God requires]? If anyone thinks and claims that he is a prophet [a true spokesman for God] or spiritually astute [filled with and energized by the Holy Spirit], let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. If anyone does not recognize this [that it is a command of the Lord], he is not recognized [by God].” Suffice it to say, we are clearly not recognizing this and the corresponding passage, which according to these verses hinders, if not obstructs, our being recognized by God. Which explains a lot... Please see GB's fair and extensive handling of this hotly controversial topic entitled, "Role Of Women."
Regarding dealbreakers, Paul has a few more worthy of consideration: "Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." While this is article contains of only a partial list of needful yet neglected passages, it would be woefully incomplete without Paul's dealbreakers above, similar to those identified in 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10.
Jesus drilled down into just one of the sixteen sins listed above, that of anger, with frightful detail, “You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill."
By definition, Biblical deal breakers are a big deal. So much so, Paul warned his beloved Corinthian church against prideful arrogance in their inclusion of Christians living in rebellion to God's commands, "I have written to you not to associate with any so-called [Christian] brother if he is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater [devoted to anything that takes the place of God], or is a reviler [who insults or slanders or otherwise verbally abuses others], or is a drunkard or a swindler—you must not so much as eat with such a person." Once again, modern Christianity has more in keeping with the Corinthian error than the remedy required by Paul, and ultimately the Holy Spirit. Confrontation is from a bygone era. We prefer a seeker friendly, rather than Scripture friendly, model.
5. "I don't know you." A tragic yet not altogether infrequent Biblical refrain. As harsh as Jesus "mean and wild" can be, there is no more fearful passage is all of Scripture than His Terrible Parable of the 10 Virgins. Here, Christ warns that as many as half the genuinely saved and sanctified Church may forever perish for simply the lack of extra oil.
Note all ten are virgins. Never once does the Bible identify a sinner as a virgin, although sadly Scripture often refers to God’s people as adulterers. Particularly those who allow the sacrificing of their children’s blood. Even in the New Testament.
All ten believe in the Bridegroom, (Jesus). All ten have oil burning lamps (the shinning light of the Holy Spirit’s testimony). All ten go out to greet the bridegroom (exhibit holiness and sanctification).
All ten fell asleep. Each is awakened at midnight to the Bridegroom’s approach. All ten arise and trim their lamps. Here, the one difference becomes apparent. Only the smart or wise virgins cared enough to have purchased extra or enough oil. Once again Scripture warns that waiting until the need presents itself is too little too late.
This passage is as alarming as it is continually ignored, yet we do so at our own peril. For a fair and extensive handling of this dreadful topic see GB's modern psalm entitled, "Burning Lamps."
Deep Calls to Deep
Psalm 42 describes the overwhelming and aching need within believers for more of God, employing a variety of metaphors including, "deep calls to deep." Our desperate desire reaching out towards God's immeasurable supply. Yet as reflected throughout this article, and the entirety of Scripture, the greatest gifts within the treasure house of the Lord's presence and power, provision and protection are reserved for those who diligently seek Him. Prophetic Christians surrendering their all, in hopes that as Paul prayed, we might be "filled with all the fulness of God." Kingdom citizen soldiers embracing both aspects of Godly discipline, rapidly growing in whole life obedience and radical discipleship.
In keeping with the tenets of Quantum Christianity, Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the Principal of Diminishment, our need to grow down into righteousness and the greater aspects of the Kingdom of God.
In this, as with all arenas of life, our willingness or refusal to humble ourselves in harmony with the will of God, as revealed in Scripture, ranks as one of mankind’s most fundamental and eternal choices. So much so, from the vantage point of eternity, both angelic and human history are encapsulated in the two clear and opposing mindsets of entitlement vs. humility.
These are, I will ascend and I will descend.
The folly of I will ascend is made obvious in the original sin sparking Lucifer’s angelic rebellion. Apparently, while being created and honored as Heaven’s greatest archangel, over time, he found even the eternal blessings of perfection inadequate.
The wisdom of I will descend is best exemplified through Christ’s incarnation and lowly birth, humble family and life, meek ministry and miracles, costly crucifixion and atonement, unprecedented resurrection and ascension, heavenly intercession and Second Advent. About all of which we are told:
- “Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross. Yet it was because of this that God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11 Living Bible
- "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit -- immortal horrors or everlasting splendors..."
Again, diminishment is far easier said than done. It's at odds with our hopes and efforts. It wars against both fallen angelic and human nature. Nevertheless, it alone offers reservoirs of Kingdom wisdom and power. A process designed to shame the apathetic and arrogant, while rewarding the diligent and humble.
Still, given the ease and opulence surrounding us, surpassing the imagination and prayers of all past generations, as well as the challenge and cost of descending into depths of godliness, unsurprisingly modern Christianity produces few takers:
Biblical faith can be spelled in a variety of ways. Risk is one. Cost is another. No wonder cheep grace accomplishes so little, and costly grace so much. In Saul/Paul’s case, grace was an almost inconceivable transfiguring force turning the chief of sinners and persecutor of the Church, into the most notable and persecuted of apostles! A miraculous transformation, according to Paul himself, intended to extend the same offer to all Christians.
In fact, like the ranking spiritual military general he was and remains, Paul directs, "Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ, while pouring out his life like a drink offering to lead us to victory." How well do we imitate Paul? Are we exchanging even half, much less our All for God's? To what extent are we experiencing the vibrancy of the miraculous Fruit and Gifts of Spirit Paul used as both armor and weaponry, to fight the good fight of faith? The kind of marvelous and miraculous transformation Paul prayed for all Christians. Transfiguration that outstrips knowledge, literally filling us with "All the Fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:14-21 (New King James)
"For this reason I bow my knees
to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with might
through His Spirit in the inner man,
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints
what is the width and length and depth and height
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us,
to Him be glory in the church
by Christ Jesus to all generations,
forever and ever.
Amen."
Peter also joins in Scripture's call to Kingdom citizen soldier transformation, reinforcing the critical need for growth in the disciplines of obedience and training. Note the detail of Peter's list of necessary additions to faith, as well as their hopeful promise of eternal reward:
- "In this way he has given us the very great and precious gifts he promised, so that by means of these gifts you may escape from the destructive lust that is in the world, and may come to share the divine nature. For this very reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge; to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add endurance; to your endurance add godliness; to your godliness add Christian affection; and to your Christian affection add love. These are the qualities you need, and if you have them in abundance, they will make you active and effective in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you do not have them, you are so shortsighted that you cannot see and have forgotten that you have been purified from your past sins. So then, my friends, try even harder to make God's call and his choice of you a permanent experience; if you do so, you will never abandon your faith. In this way you will be given the full right to enter the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:4-11 GNT
The path to Biblical salvation and genuinely following Christ has collective and individual aspects. The following resources should provide help in both regards. First, in priming the pump for drilling down into deeper aspects of Christian life. Second, in assisting with the identification and implementation of Kingdom citizen soldier directives. While not for the feint hearted, such insight and encouragement is vital for those ready to redouble their efforts to know and and be known by God.
Study and Application
Links are provided throughout, and at the end of this article, to promote further research and application in areas our most holy faith may be anemic and/or deficient. Familiarity with each may be essential in recovering much that has been lost, yet more needed now than ever.
To this end, some bear repeated emphasis. With Hell to loose, and Heaven to gain, few questions in life are as important as where God draws the line in regards to Biblical Salvation. What does Scripture teach we must do to be saved? Is following Christ, the authentic Jesus, different in the the modern world than the 1st century?
When aboard a massive ocean liner, in certain respects it doesn’t seem as if you’re moving. Because you’re not, when judged by those around you aboard ship. To plot your course and speed, you need a waypoint off ship.
The same holds true for entire generations. There may be no sense of momentum, because we’re all aboard the same massive ocean liner. But actually, we may be moving at a rapid pace, into dangerous waters. Or in our case, questionable if not heretical doctrine and worldly lifestyles.
Few adequately recognize the growing gap between 1st century Biblical Christianity and 21st century Modern Churchianity. Or even the requirements of salvation popularized by a pair of well known sermons by two of the primary architects of the 18th century First Great Awakening.
Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God may simultaneously be the most famous and infamous sermon of all time. Lightyears from the “cheap grace” of modern Christianity, it’s as interesting as it is a difficult read.
While not religiously correct, the God of the Bible is simultaneously awe-full and awful, and should be approached as such. While Churchianity considers itself exempt from judgment, Jesus and His apostles tell a different story.
Fully grasping the message and exacting meaning of this sermon is crucial if we are to recover even a fraction of what has been lost. Beginning by developing living faith rather than presumption, whereby we assume salvation rather than seeking and serving God acceptably by means of serious sanctification and radical discipleship. All necessary foundational requirements should we realistically hope to experience Biblical Revival, much less Kingdom Reformation, in our generation.
Instead of reading GodBlog's classic 18th Century version, we highly recommend downloading "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God: Updated to Modern English Kindle Edition" by Jason Dollar. It can be read for $2.99 on any device by downloading the Kindle app or simply on the Amazon cloud. It is a far easier and meaningful read when updated into modern language and format. The author also includes a balanced introduction and second sermon entitled "Love The Sum Of All Virtue" to present Jonathan Edwards in a more accurate light.
Nevertheless, reader be warned. When Edwards uses the phrase “Born Again” in the 18th century, it is not with the same flippancy as in the 21st, whereby we erroneously grant ourselves privilege to have our cake and eat it too. Doctrinally justifying continuing our pursuit of the Christian/American Dream, while living mostly worldly lives.
To understand the difference, you will need a sermon by his contemporary, John Wesley, founder of the once puritan Methodist Church, entitled "The Almost Christian.” Keep in mind that Wesley, who had been the leader of Oxford's Holy Club almost thirty years prior, was long famous for his passionate preaching and pursuit and service of Christ, backdated the final phase of his conversion experience to crossing the Atlantic in the company of Moravian missionaries to the New World.
Wesley’s Journal, covering the years 1736–1738, is replete with comments of his observations of and encounters with the Moravians (often calling them “the Germans”). A few selections of highlights give insight into the characters and spirit of the Moravian movement and its impression on the founder of the Methodists.
- Sunday, January 25, 1736 Wesley is on board a ship bound for America and observes the Moravians in the midst of life-threatening storms. "At seven I went to the Germans. I had long before observed the great seriousness of their behaviour. Of their humility they had given a continual proof, by performing those servile offices for the other passengers, which none of the English would undertake; for which they desired, and would receive no pay, saying, “it was good for their proud hearts,” and “their loving Saviour had done more for them.” And every day had given them occasion of showing a meekness which no injury could move. If they were pushed, struck, or thrown down, they rose again and went away; but no complaint was found in their mouth. There was now an opportunity of trying whether they were delivered from the Spirit of fear, as well as from that of pride, anger, and revenge. In the midst of the psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the main-sail in pieces, covered the ship, and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming began among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of them afterwards, “Was you not afraid?” He answered, “I thank God, no.” I asked, “But were not your women and children afraid?” He replied, mildly, “No; our women and children are not afraid to die.” From them I went to their crying, trembling neighbours, and pointed out to them the difference in the hour of trial, between him that feareth God, and him that feareth him not. At twelve the wind fell. This was the most glorious day which I have hitherto seen.
- Tuesday, February 24, 1736 In Savannah, Georgia: "At our return the next day, (Mr. Quincy being then in the house wherein we afterwards were,) Mr. Delamotte and I took up our lodging with the Germans (the Moravians). We had now an opportunity, day by day, of observing their whole behaviour. For we were in one room with them from morning to night, unless for the little time I spent in walking. They were always employed, always cheerful themselves, and in good humour with one another; they had put away all anger and strife, and wrath, and bitterness, and clamour, and evil-speaking; they walked worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called, and adorned the Gospel of our Lord in all things."
Clearly the Moravians had a tremendous effect on Wesley, greatly influencing his following Christ and ministry, Wesleyan Theology and founding of the Methodist Movement. In essence, Wesley lived and preached, as in his sermon "The Almost Christian" that believers aught to progress beyond "Honest Heathens" who themselves often displayed more godly character and characteristics than the church of his day. And far and away more than modern Christianity. Those progressing became Almost Christians in every inward and outward form, as Wesley identified himself prior to meeting with the Moravians.
The final leg of the journey to salvation was that of being transformed into Authentic Christians, or New Creations, by the mighty and continual power and presence of the Holy Spirit. A transfiguration that would be clearly manifest to all. His concern and contention was that most believers, then and now, have yet to possess the traits and attributes of "Honest Heathens," much less "Almost Christians."
A century latter, One of the most notable and relatively recent heroes of the faith George Müller would arise. During his lengthy and world famous ministry in Bristol England throughout most of the 1800's, he housed and educated over 10,000 orphans. He also established over 100 schools providing Christian education for over 120,000.
Considered by many as a legendary icon of faith and miracles, George Müller was a Christian evangelist and the director of the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England. According to many sources, some of the highlights of Müller's well documented ministry include:
- "Preaching three times a week from 1830 to 1898, at least 10,000 times. And when he turned 70 he fulfilled a life-long dream of missionary work for the next 17 years until he was 87. He traveled to 42 countries, preaching on average of once a day, and addressing some three million people.”
- “He had read his Bible from end to end almost 200 times, 100 times on his knees. He had prayed in millions of dollars (in today's currency) for the Orphans and never asked anyone directly for money. He never took a salary in the last 68 years of his ministry, but trusted God to put in people's hearts to send him what he needed. He never took out a loan or went into debt.”
Often praying in meals and resources for thousands of orphans, his journal entries reveal his unwillingness to touch a surplus of offerings targeted for missionary work. As with Finney, and other great men and women of God, Müller also attributed his success to developing sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Few today can claim any, much less all such attributes. Each begun by Müller reading his Bible, 200 times, 100 times on his knees.
As Leonard Ravenhill noted, God doesn't answer prayer. He answers desperate prayer. Why? Because Faith is spelled Cost.
A more recent shinning example of Christ's city set on a hill is the persecuted church throughout the world. The ministry of Nick Ripken, missionary extraordinaire, is showcased in his book and movie "The Insanity of God," his subsequent book "The Insanity of Obedience," and podcast "Witness and Persecution."
One excerpt from The Insanity of God, regarding Ripken's meeting with Chinese persecuted house church leaders is particularly revealing:
David Chen had told me that this particular house-church movement was one of biggest and most diverse in the entire country. Many of its congregations and their leaders, like those who rode in the van with me, were urban, educated and comparatively sophisticated in the modern ways of the world—or at least in the modern ways of China.
At the same time, a significant percentage of this regional movement had sprung up and spread among people in places so provincial and so remote that much of the twentieth century had passed them by. Some of the church leaders from the most rural areas had little knowledge of the outside world.
In light of what David had told me, I was somewhat prepared for the curious stares during supper that night. But I was profoundly surprised after supper when I was formally introduced to the group. One of the local pastors raised his hand to ask a question. What he wanted to know was this: “Do the people in other countries also know about Jesus—or is He still known only in China?”
I had never been asked that question before—or even considered that point of view. For several long seconds I gathered my thoughts, trying to figure out where exactly to begin my answer. Then, with David interpreting for me, I told the group that millions of Americans and even more people in different countries around the world knew about and followed Jesus. I then told the group that believers in other parts of the world also knew about them—the Chinese believers in house churches. I told them that believers in many parts of the world prayed for them and their churches.
“Wait, wait!” people cried out. They could hardly believe what I was saying. One man responded this way: “Do you mean that people in your country know that we believe in Jesus? Do you mean that they know that some of us are suffering for our faith? Do you mean that they haven’t forgotten us and that they pray for us?”
I assured them: “Why yes, we have always loved you. And we have never forgotten you. For a long time, we have prayed for you.” It was a holy moment as these believers realized that they “were recognized, remembered and prayed for by fellow believers around the world.
One of the younger women in the group asked, “Since Jesus is known in other countries, are the believers there persecuted like we are?”
I told them about the experience of believers in two very oppressive Islamic counties. The entire gathering of house-church leaders in the farmyard became strangely still. Just minutes before, they had been clapping and shouting and asking questions. Now they were completely silent and still. They sat expressionless.
I attempted to enliven the group by sharing about Muslim-background believers we were close to—people who had exhibited inspiring faith under the most oppressive circumstances. But there was still no movement and no questions. When I had told a number of such stories, I felt half-dead myself.
I lowered my voice and I said to David, “That’s it. I’m done. I’m drained. I have nothing more to say tonight!” I stepped off the little stage in the middle of the compound and headed for the room where I was to sleep.
At 6:00 the next morning I was awakened by screaming and shouting outside in the compound. My first thought was that the security police had come.
As my eyes adjusted to the daylight, I saw that there were no security police swarming into the compound. What I saw were those Chinese house-church leaders and evangelists scattered around the farmyard, either lying or sitting on the ground, crying, screaming and yelling hysterically (or so it seemed to me). Many of them were pulling their hair or clutching at their clothes.
I spotted my friend David across the way and I rushed over to him. I demanded to know: “What in the world is going on?”
He told me to be quiet and to listen.
“You know that I don’t know a word of Chinese,” I told him. “What do you mean ‘just listen’”?
Again he insisted, “Just be quiet, Nik!” Before I could protest again, he took me by the arm and began to walk me among these people who were crying and screaming. Because I was now silent, I actually began to hear and recognize the names of the two Muslim countries that I had told them about the night before. The names of those two countries were being repeated again and again in passionate and anguished prayer.
When David stopped and turned to look at me, there were tears streaming down his face. He said, “They were so moved by what you shared last night about believers who “were truly persecuted, that they have vowed before God that they will get up an hour earlier every morning to pray for those Muslim-background believers that you told them about in ______________ and ____________ (and he named the two nations*) until Jesus is known throughout their countries.” In that instant, I could see why the number of Chinese believers had gone from a few hundred thousand to perhaps hundreds of millions!
That's just a sample of the passion and perseverance of the impoverished and imperiled Persecuted Church. Having little or no of modern Christianity's blessings and technology, equivalent to a thousand personal servants, and facing unimaginable hardships of their own, they committed to an EXTRA hour or prayer of behalf of believers they would never know.
This what the Holy Spirit through Paul meant by the previously mentioned passage, "Remember prisoners as if chained with them." This is also what Paul means when writing to his beloved Galatians, "My little children, for whom I am again suffering birth pangs until Christ is completely and permanently formed (molded) within you."
Yet how many churches throughout the modern world have no regular and serious prayer meeting at all? Even for ourselves, lost family and the failings of modern Christianity? Nor the swiftly degenerating times and seasons, clearly evident since 2020's introduction of the Covid plandemic, deadly clot shots and a dozen other unprecedented events. Much less do we care to burden ourelves with an extra hour of daily prayer for the persecuted. Even as judgment and tribulation brood overhead, gathering like a final global storm.
As noted, Jesus asked all seven of Revelation's churches the same question, "Are your ears awake? Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches?" In the Garden Gethsemane He also asked Peter and His disciples a question:
- " Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?” When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger." Matthew 26:39-40 MSG
Doubling the tragedy is that today, it's not Christ's Gethsemane, but our own. Yet, how few engage in strategic daily prayer, much less enter into James 4's Prayer of Anguish, as Jesus Himself did:
- "During the course of his earthly life, Jesus offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who had the power to save him from death, and he was heard because of his godly fear." Hebrews 5:7 NCB
Will we not yet follow Christ's example, responding to His challenge to His disciples echoing to us down through the ages? Or shall we continue to leave Him knocking at the door without answer:
- "Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors! “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.” Revelation 3:20-22 MSG
Towards the end of the 2013 movie, Star Trek Into Darkness, the crippled Enterprise is helplessly falling to Earth. Kirk sacrifices himself attempting to re-align the warp core while being exposed to heavy radiation. He succeeds as Sulu fires the thrusters on the Enterprise having it rise above the clouds, battered but alive. A fitting scene, aptly expressing the crucial need for Prophetic Christians to arise to the challenge of this late hour.
All depends on restoring not only accurate Biblical doctrine and radical discipleship, but on recovering the miraculous Fruit and Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Particularly given the degraded sociopolitical era and degenerating times and seasons in which we live. Tragically, almost all modern Christians find the cost of such honesty and holiness too high a price to pay. As Leonard Ravenhill noted, "If you can live without Revival, you will."
Sadly, the same may be true in respect to Biblical salvation. Who among us hasn't unsaved family and relatives, friends and neighbors galore? Yet we spend a thousand hours on entertainments to every hour fasting and/or prayerfully agonizing over their current state and eternal fate. Furthermore, such apathy and/or worldliness raises serious questions about our own relationship and walk with the Lord.
A point well made by the late great David Wilkerson. Such messages as “A Call To Anguish” and “A Time To Wake Up” rank as some of the best ever preached.
“A Time To Wake Up” begins with “Today you will rarely find a message on repentance.” “A Call To Anguish” (abridged version) begins with "Folks… I’m tired of hearing about revival. I’m tired of hearing about awakenings… Of last day outpourings of the Holy Spirit… I've heard that rhetoric for 50 years… Just Rhetoric. No meaning whatsoever. I’m tired of hearing about people in the church who say that they want their unsaved loved ones saved… I’m tired of hearing people say I’m concerned about my troubled marriage when it’s just talk… Rhetoric. And I look at the whole religious scene today and all I see are the inventions and ministries of man and flesh. It’s mostly powerless. It has no impact on the world. And I see more of the world coming in and impacting the church rather than the church impacting the world. I see music taking over the house of God. I see entertainment taking over the house of God. An obsession with entertainment in God’s house, A hatred of correction and a hatred of reproof. Nobody wants to hear it any more… Whatever happened to anguish in the house of God? Whatever happened to anguish in the ministry? It’s a word you don’t hear in this pampered age. You don’t hear it. Anguish means extreme pain and distress. The emotion so stirred that it becomes painful. Acute deeply felt inner pain because of the conditions about you, in you, or around you… Anguish. Deep Pain. And Sorrow. Agony of God’s heart…"
And sprinkled throughout this fearfully honest sermon David further cries:
- All true passion is born out of anguish. All true passion for Christ comes out of a baptism of anguish.
- Hear’s what God said, “I’ve heard the words of this people. They have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such a heart in them. That they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them, and their children forever!”
- “When I (Nehemiah) heard these words (regarding the ruin of Jerusalem) I set down and wept. And morned certain days and fasted. And prayed before the God of heaven.”
- We face a similar situation except ours is many times worse.
- Does it matter to you at all that God’s spiritual Jerusalem, the church, is now married to the world?
- Does it matter about the Jerusalem that’s in our own hearts? The sign of ruin that is slowly draining spiritual power and passion? Blind to lukewarmness. Blind to the mixture that’s creeping in.
- You won’t fight. You won’t labor in prayer anymore. You won’t weep before God anymore. You can sit and watch television and your family go to hell!
- Does it really matter to you that your unsaved loved ones are dying and we’re getting closer and closer to the end?
- Where’s the anguish. Where’s the tears. Where’s the mourning? Where’s the fasting?
- It’s going to take more than preaching. More than a new revelation.
- Please don’t tell me you’re concerned. Don’t tell me you want your unsaved loved ones saved while you’re spending hours before the internet or television. Come on…
- There’s going to be no renewal, no revival, no awakening until we’re willing to let Him once again break us. Folk’s it’s getting late and it’s getting serious.
This is classic Wilkerson. Anguishing over the fall of God’s people. Throughout David’s 50 year ministry he witnessed a downward spiral of spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible study, sanctification and service. During the very same period in which we were given unprecedented wealth and prosperity. As in Christ’s warnings in the Rich Man and Lazarus and Good Samaritan, we’ve refused to humble ourselves over the spiritual loss both around and within. Like Laodicea we’ve been deceived into believing we’re on a cruise rather than battle ship.
It’s one thing to fight and fail, and quite another to fail to fight…
Costly grace, the only kind the Bible offers, is what the Glorified Christ extends to worldly and lukewarm Laodicea. Both then and now. A price tag insightfully itemized by the late great
Charles Finney. A main contributor to the Second Great Awakening, he was arguably the most powerful and perceptive man to walk the Earth since the apostles. Among his discerning sermons is Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit. The following quote, from the end, provides an excellent example:
- "These seasons of spiritual poverty are indispensable to holding on to Christ. See a young convert--young converts know little of themselves or of Christ. They run well for a time, but they must be taught more of Christ, and this they can learn only by learning more of themselves. Well, Christ begins the work in a soul. The convert was all joy, but his countenance falls. Poor child! do not scold him. He is sad; he dares hardly indulge a hope. What is the matter? He desponds. You encourage him to trust in Christ and rejoice in him. But no, that will not serve the turn, that does not remove the load. Christ has undertaken a work with him--has set about revealing him to himself, and the work will cost the poor soul many prayers, and tears, and groans, and searchings and loathings of heart. He prayed before for sanctification and he is astonished out of measure. He receives any thing in the world but sanctification. He prayed for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, and he verily expected some beatific sight. He thought he should see the heavens opened as Stephen did. But instead of this, what a state! He seems given over to the tender mercies of sin. Every appetite and lust is clamorous as a fiend; his passions get the mastery; he frets, and grieves, and vexes himself, and repents and sins again; he is shocked, ashamed of himself, afraid to look up, is ashamed and confounded. Poor thing! he prayed to be sanctified, and he expected Christ would smile right through the darkness, and light up his soul with unutterable joy. But no! it is all confusion and darkness. He is stumbling, and sliding, and floundering, and plunging headlong into the mire, till his own clothes abhor him, and he is brought to cry--"Lord, O Lord, have mercy on me!" He expected--O what a fairy land! and he finds--what a desert--barren, dark, full of traps, and gins, and pitfalls; as it were the very earth conspiring with all things else, to ruin him. Child, be not disheartened; Christ is answering your prayer. Cold professors may discourage you, but be not discouraged; you may weep and groan, but you are going through a necessary process. To know Christ, you must know yourself; to have Christ come in, you must be emptied of yourself. How will he do this for you? If you would but let go of self--if you would but believe all that God says of you, and renounce yourself at first and at once, you might be spared many a fall; but you will not, you will believe only upon experience, and hence that experience Christ makes sure that you shall have to the full. And now, mark: whoever expects to be sanctified without a full and clear and heart-sickening revelation of his own loathsomeness, without being first shown how much he needs it, is very much mistaken. Till you have learned that, nothing you can do can avail aught; you are not prepared to receive Christ as he is offered in the gospel."
- "To know Christ, you must know yourself; to have Christ come in, you must be emptied of yourself. How will he do this for you? If you would but let go of self--if you would but believe all that God says of you, and renounce yourself at first and at once, you might be spared many a fall; but you will not, you will believe only upon experience, and hence that experience Christ makes sure that you shall have to the full. And now, mark: whoever expects to be sanctified without a full and clear and heart-sickening revelation of his own loathsomeness, without being first shown how much he needs it, is very much mistaken. Till you have learned that, nothing you can do can avail aught; you are not prepared to receive Christ as he is offered in the gospel."
Hundreds of millions of believers today would disagree. Having been persuaded of their positional righteousness, regardless of their not so righteous lifestyles, they talk and sing a good story.
Yet Jesus and His New Testament authors agree with Edwards and Wesley and Wilkerson and Ravenhill, Finney and Pitman. As Paul cautioned concerning the power of health or sickness, life or death inherent yet underappreciated in the sacrament of communion:
- "But if we evaluated and judged ourselves honestly [recognizing our shortcomings and correcting our behavior], we would not be judged. But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined [by undergoing His correction] so that we will not be condemned [to eternal punishment] along with the world." 1 Corinthians 11:31-32 AMP
Links to vital resources you may find helpful include:
- David Wilkerson's Call to Anguish
- James 4-5's Prayer of Anguish
- Revival Hymn
- Howard Pittman Death Testimony
- Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
- John Wesley's The Almost Christian
- Jackie Pullinger's Go Video
- The Insanity of God
- The Heavenly Man
- God's Hostage
- Evan Roberts Welsh Revival
- Lessons from Azusa Street
- Smith Wigglesworth
- Charles Finney Power from on High
- QC Walking In The Spirit
- QC Conflict Theology
- QC Times And Seasons
- QC Eternity...The Wager
- Quantum Christianity Introduction Volume 1 & 2
- Lessons from the Book of Job
- 15 Talking Points: Update 2022
More information
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