We live in an age of cultural Christianity that should alarm us and spur us on to a more serious diligence in our thorough proclamation of the gospel and discipleship of the elect. However, this is not a modern phenomenon. I’m currently reading Jonathan Edwards – A New Biography by Iain Murray and the chapter I’m presently reading is entitled: “The Breaking of the Spirit of Slumber”. It seems that in the years prior to the Great Awakening of the 1730’s, the condition of the church was not good. Consider these excerpts:
“Prior to the 1730’s, the state of professing Christians in most parts of the English-speaking world appeared reminiscent of the wise and foolish virgins, ‘they all slumbered and slept’. There was small difference between the church and the world. Almost any degree of religious interest, or of adherence to the forms of religion, was considered enough to justify a person's Christian profession, and all who grew up in the church were commonly treated as belonging to Christ, irrespective of evidence to the contrary. Commenting on the state of affairs among the Presbyterian churches of the Middle Colonies, Archibald Alexander writes that there was soundness in the faith ‘but as to the vital power of godliness, there is reason to believe that it was little known or spoken of…The habit of the preachers was to address their people as though they were all pious and only needed instruction and confirmation. It was not a common thing to proclaim the terrors of a violated law and to insist on the absolute necessity of regeneration.” [p. 125]
Furthermore, consider what Solomon Stoddard (Jonathan Edwards’ grandfather) had to say:
“Multitudes of souls perish through the ignorance of those that should guide them in the way to heaven: men are nourished up with vain hopes of being in a state of salvation before they have got half the way to Christ.” [p. 125]
I contend (without delight) that this is reflective of a large portion of the Church today. Too much value is placed on attendance rather than godliness. Too much preaching is directed toward instruction and confirmation rather than repentance and obedience. Many in the flock have vain hope of being in a state of salvation because they are spiritually malnourished due to the shallow preaching of their pastors. The state of the church today is reminiscent of the state of the church in the 1720’s.
To my brothers who are already serving in pastoral capacities, I urge you to never forget the urgency of your calling to proclaim the gospel “all the way” and shepherd the flock to the pastures of godly obedience. To those of us who are preparing to serve, we must be mindful of our ultimate calling in this time of equipping so as to maximize our season of training. To all of us, we must abhor cultural Christianity and fight against it through intense devotion to prayer, bold proclamation of the truth, and loving compassion for the flock.
Here’s our calling from Scripture:
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their won passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. [2 Timothy 4:3-5]
“Prior to the 1730’s, the state of professing Christians in most parts of the English-speaking world appeared reminiscent of the wise and foolish virgins, ‘they all slumbered and slept’. There was small difference between the church and the world. Almost any degree of religious interest, or of adherence to the forms of religion, was considered enough to justify a person's Christian profession, and all who grew up in the church were commonly treated as belonging to Christ, irrespective of evidence to the contrary. Commenting on the state of affairs among the Presbyterian churches of the Middle Colonies, Archibald Alexander writes that there was soundness in the faith ‘but as to the vital power of godliness, there is reason to believe that it was little known or spoken of…The habit of the preachers was to address their people as though they were all pious and only needed instruction and confirmation. It was not a common thing to proclaim the terrors of a violated law and to insist on the absolute necessity of regeneration.” [p. 125]
Furthermore, consider what Solomon Stoddard (Jonathan Edwards’ grandfather) had to say:
“Multitudes of souls perish through the ignorance of those that should guide them in the way to heaven: men are nourished up with vain hopes of being in a state of salvation before they have got half the way to Christ.” [p. 125]
I contend (without delight) that this is reflective of a large portion of the Church today. Too much value is placed on attendance rather than godliness. Too much preaching is directed toward instruction and confirmation rather than repentance and obedience. Many in the flock have vain hope of being in a state of salvation because they are spiritually malnourished due to the shallow preaching of their pastors. The state of the church today is reminiscent of the state of the church in the 1720’s.
To my brothers who are already serving in pastoral capacities, I urge you to never forget the urgency of your calling to proclaim the gospel “all the way” and shepherd the flock to the pastures of godly obedience. To those of us who are preparing to serve, we must be mindful of our ultimate calling in this time of equipping so as to maximize our season of training. To all of us, we must abhor cultural Christianity and fight against it through intense devotion to prayer, bold proclamation of the truth, and loving compassion for the flock.
Here’s our calling from Scripture:
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their won passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. [2 Timothy 4:3-5]
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