Green bananas not only taste terrible but they feel terrible as you chew them! The reason is simple. They haven't ripened yet to the enjoyable yellow, softer, sweeter, good-to-eat state. There is a proper time to eat a banana.
Likewise, there is a proper time and a proper process for the formation and outward expression of "fruit" in the life of a Christian - but yet I've seen all too many examples of Christians who seem to be in a rush to produce fruit and to get others to produce fruit. Check out the post Unripe Grapes from Following Him Alone last week. That post, along with my meeting with a pastor the other day, as well as some other things I've felt the Lord whispering to my heart lately, has brought about the desire to post this blog.
The pastor, by the way, is someone who I love dearly. He's the pastor of the church my family has been a part of for almost nine years. As some of you know, I haven't been attending for over a year, for various reasons, but I still love the people and I was very touched when the pastor called me out of the blue a few weeks ago to say he missed seeing me and wanted to get together. When we finally got together last week we talked about many things (many agreements as well as disagreements), most of which I won't get into here, but part of our conversation relates to this post.
It has to do with the constant preaching of principles and methods, and always trying to get people to go out and do, do, do. Yes, we want to "do" as Christians! But my concern is that the principles- and performance-based teachings don't actually help Christians in the way that's intended, but rather can cause harm. I'll explain what I mean and you can agree or disagree with me.
In my case I've found that the constant preaching of methods and principles (the "how to's" of the Christian life) end up jamming me. My heart, which is indwelled by the Spirit of Jesus and is complete in Him, longs to express itself in love in so many ways, but quite frankly when all I hear is a bombardment of principles being taught all the time, I become overwhelmed because I simply can't keep up with it all. I need time to grow naturally, not hurriedly or under the impatient lead of performance-based teachers and preachers, of which there is no shortage. I've found that when I've sincerely tried to live by the teachings of principles, the "fruit" that has generally come (if any) has ended up unripe - that is, underdeveloped and not fully formed. And the sad things is, I've found that the church will still accept it, most of the time, because at least it shows that I'm "doing" something. But it ain't right.
Since this is getting long, I'll make it a two-parter. In the next part I'll talk about a second problem I see, and I'll take a look at some solutions as well!
Why isn't it enough to just preach Jesus?
ReplyDeleteWe always know when someone will be leaving our fellowship; they start saying, "Oh, I get it; so, when do you teach SOMETHING ELSE?"
We don't, EVER. They didn't "get it." :)
I here ya loud and clear on this one........people just don't think it's enough, Jesus said, "It is finished!!" He is now sitting down, with his feet up.......there is nothing left TO DO.............we somehow just can't wrap our minds around the fact that we can't do anything.........
ReplyDeletewhen my last church had a 3 part series on hospitality, and stopped preaching the gospel, I knew it was time to move along............
Joel,
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to love this series! The picture I have in mind is exactly of a basket sitting in the middle of a dining room table, full of those artificial plastic pieces of fruit that LOOK so real that if someone new comes over, they may actually want to take a piece and bite into it.
Yet, just as they are about to, when it's two inches from their eyes, they realize it's true essence is really fake. Good thing they stop there. In relation to "Religion" I know of far too many people who hop from (metaphorically) house to house, seeing a different basket of fruit, and doing the same thing...never thinking beforehand if they should check first before "diving in" and having it so near their mouth before actually considering whether it's real or not.
However, the WHOLE sad matter is that people are setting out the baskets of fake fruit upon their tables in the first place. Hmmm...I hope you get my metaphorical/symbolic illustration here, and meanings. (Smiles!)
Anyways, I loved what you said here:
"I need time to grow naturally, not hurriedly or under the impatient lead of performance-based teachers and preachers, of which there is no shortage. I've found that when I've sincerely tried to live by the teachings of principles, the "fruit" that has generally come (if any) has ended up unripe - that is, underdeveloped and not fully formed.And the sad things is, I've found that the church will still accept it, most of the time, because at least it shows that I'm "doing" something. But it ain't right."
Blessings,
~Amy :)
http://amyiswalkinginthespirit.blogspot.com
I hear ya JB!! The church can take a toll if we let it. For me keeping up with expectations and doings leads me down the wrong path and it feels yucky and green when I try to swallow that disappointment that's jammed in my throat. But I feel like I am over the hump of last year and at more of a place of grace instead of doing. It is finished - 'nuff said. Looking forward to Part II. Miss you!
ReplyDeleteHey Joel, you wrote...
ReplyDelete"I need time to grow naturally, not hurriedly or under the impatient lead of performance-based teachers and preachers, of which there is no shortage"...I think that is the main problem...so many preachers n teachers n pastors are under law themselves...they are performance orientated because they (sincerely) believe that is what God desires of them...and so they place the same burden on the people...my conviction (of which in starting Gracelife church) is that when we preach freedom in the grace of Christ (exclusively) we bring people to a place of freedom from condemnation, guilt, fear of losing blessings ect...the NT has many instances of Paul exhorting believers to "good works" just as Jesus prepared "good works" for those who follow Him...so there is a place for encourageing good works...BUT...as i said it HAS to be done on a foundation of grace, a foundation of freedom...if the pastors preach a mixed message and then try and encourage believers to "good works" it breeds condemnation and guilt, theres no getting away from it...preach freedom in the grace of christ, lay the right foundation...then let God build...
I did that quickly, hope it makes sense
Later
RJW,
ReplyDeleteYour first sentence is EXACTLY where I'm headed with all this, or at least it's a huge part of where I'm going.
Also, with what you're saying about knowing when people are leaving your fellowship, our old church (a decade ago) had similar happenings. At one time (before we began attending) it had been a very performance-based Word of Faith church with around 300-400 weekly in attendance (I think), but then the pastor's life was totally revolutionized by the grace of God and he began preaching the simple gospel. By the time we started going there, many people had left (some of them quite angrily).
But for us, when we started going there, and for those who remained, it was a refreshing look every week into who God is and who we are in Him, and the Life that we truly have in Him. It was during that time that I began to realize that I didn't need performance and principles taught all the time, but simply Christ and Him crucified and raised again! No one needed to tell me what to do. I couldn't help but grow naturally when I was planted in the fertile soil of grace.
Lydia,
ReplyDelete"It is finished" indeed! Many people only seem to apply that to 'getting saved,' but it's also our very hope in the entirety of our lives in Christ. We can't do a thing to add to it or take away from it. Along with what you're saying, it's been my observation and experience, as well as my overall biblical view, that all of these series' of sermons are not only not needed, but are harmful in the long run, simply because they take our eyes off of the gospel and put the focus onto ourselves. It's a subtle form of legalism, but it's legalism nonetheless. While it's all "good" stuff (nothing bad about hospitality, for example), the problem with it is that it gets us (the church) focused on what we do, do, do, instead of on Christ who is our life and who is our hope of glory. As Craig said, Paul did preach good works (we do want to do), but not as the foundation of the Christian life. Rather, as the natural outflow of what the Christian life is truly founded in.
Amy,
ReplyDeleteYep, "plastic fruit" is what's coming in part 2. :) I TOTALLY love your metaphorical/symbolic illustration!
Kelly,
Great to hear from you! I miss you and the family too, but at least I get to see you guys more often than most of the others. :) "Keeping up with expectations." Wow... there's a lot in that little phrase! That's exactly what I'm getting over at this time in life, and growing in who I am apart from anything I "do."
Craig,
I think you hit the nail on the head. So many people who lead and teach other Christians are under the law and/or performance-based Christianity themselves, so they're simply teaching what they know. I'm totally with you, bro. The mixed message of grace and performance ends up breeding guilt and condemnation, whereas the foundation of the preaching of the pure gospel of grace leads to the overflow of natural good works exactly as God intended for us to walk in them. "For it is GOD who works in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure..." I'm all for spurring one another on towards love and good deeds, but only as an outflow of being rooted and grounded in grace.