The Sting of God's Word

Some naively presume that good preaching should leave the congregation feeling good. But most seasoned Christians have come to realize that the best, most meaningful and effectual sermons usually sting, if not wound. God warned that the Scriptures are “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and of spirit… discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Because good preaching accurately and skillfully relays the meaning, purpose and implications of a given text, it is bound to “pierce” parts of our lives that have previously laid comfortably untouched by the conviction of God’s word. During a good sermon a biblical text will utilize the preacher to unapologetically call God’s people to “break up their fallow ground, because it is the time to seek the Lord” (Hosea 10:12). Such disruption rarely comes without a certain degree of pain. Nevertheless, a good preacher knows he is commanded to hold up the mirror of God’s word and facilitate those poignant moments of honest introspection and self-assessment (James 1:23-25). While some prefer their naivety and will continue to seek out preachers and sermons that always aim at good feelings, they will do so at their own peril. A regular diet of feel-good sermons will swindle their hearers from the blessings and benefits of obedience. God laments the bad preaching which fails “to expose your iniquity” and thus is powerless to “restore the fortunes” of righteousness (Lamentations 2:14). So the next time the discomfort of a good, biblical sermon makes you squirm, remember that God is involved and is doing the necessary work of discerning and transforming the thoughts and intentions of your heart.

What Is Required?

Many have sought to discover the minimal Christianity required of them to “still be Christian”. “How much of the world can I love, or how much of my agenda can I pursue and still be okay with God?” they ask. Or, “Just how sinful, casual, or lukewarm are we allowed to be and still be saved?” Of course the Bible isn’t much help in answering these questions. The whole tenor of Scripture disallows such thinking. On the contrary, Christ assertively commands his people to love the Triune God “with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your strength, and all of your mind” (Luke 10:27). The Apostles plead with the people of God to “abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22) and to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). There is no assistance in describing minimalism because Christianity is all about maximal, whole-life, wholehearted devotion and commitment to Christ. We must come to realize that radical Christianity is normative Christianity. Sure, we are still subject to and plagued with periodic bouts of sin and failure, but the new life Christ gives sets in every regenerate heart a passion to live fully for our Creator and King. The Holy Spirit doesn’t add to sinners a new set of ancillary interests; he radically transforms hearts to voraciously and eternally seek the glory of their Maker. So may we never be heard asking, “What can I get away with?” but instead may we perpetually ask, “How might I love God and more perfectly serve him today?”

Worship

A.W. Tozer was right when he observed that “a low view of God is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us.” It makes sense that our specific view of God will determine the quality of our Christian life. If we view him as casual about sin, then we probably won’t care much about it either. If we perceive him to be inexact about truth, then we’ll probably be indifferent about the whole topic as well. If, on the other hand, we are working to think of God in the terms and ways he has chosen to reveal himself in Scripture, then our lives will likely begin to correspond. It is hard to regularly ponder God as transcendently glorious, perfectly holy, absolute in power, and impeccably wise without our daily attitudes and actions being shaped and molded by those truths. This is one reason personal worship is so important. When we worship our exalted God, wholeheartedly expressing and ascribing to God all the perfection that he is, our minds are shaped and our tendency to lazily think of God is countered. Of course, this should be our concern in corporate worship as well. We dare not simply mouth the words of our worship songs and hymns; our minds must be focused and engaged so that our lives will follow.

Who Is Responsible?

Ask any police officer (or watch any reality Cops show) and you’ll see just how creatively we humans can string together a list of excuses for any and every deviant behavior. From the inner-city streets to the therapist’s couch we have become experts in rationalizing why we do what we do, and why what we do really isn’t “blame-worthy” because it really isn’t our fault. Open the Bible and you’ll find no sympathy for that kind of thinking. Excuses are never received kindly in the pages of Scripture. What God is looking for are people who will admit their transgressions and accept full responsibility for their sins. Biblical wisdom instructs: “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). God is a merciful God, but his mercy and grace are not granted to those who do not accept ownership for their behavior. There may be many reasons for our sins, but there are ultimately no excuses. May we all experience the extravagant grace of God as we consistently practice brutal honesty concerning ourselves, our words and our actions.