can learn a lot about people by simply looking people and things they imitate. The weak, for example, mimic the strong always and never the reverse. The poor mimic the rich. The timid and fearful always imitate those who have insurance. What is true is imitated by counterfeiting, and all people tend to imitate what they admire.
According to this definition, the power resides with the world today, not with the church because it is the world takes the initiative and the church that mimics what the world has begun . According to this definition admires the church worldwide. The church is uncertain and looks for reassurance in the world. A church a world very small monkey under the mocking eyes of sinners intelligent, and for the most eternal shame.
If someone was inclined to doubt what I say, it simply looks around him. View any evangelical publication, browse our bookstore, attend our meetings of youth, go see one of our summer conferences or take a look at the ads in the Christian one of our great big city dailies . The page that is most similar to the "theater" is that of religious ads, which appear normal on Saturday. And the similarity is not accidental: it is organic.
This slavish imitation of the world is mostly practiced by churches that claim to possess the highest degree of spirituality and boldly declare their fidelity to the letter of the word. Moreover, it is not so old churches ritualistic nor those who are openly modernist, but the evangelical churches that are most contaminated by the blatant worship of the world.
The arguments in favor of this huge drift are so light that will not linger here to refute them. They are just a lame effort to excuse a procedure that comes from weakness and uncertainty, and not a vision or spiritual enlightenment.
There was a time when the prophet, the apostle, the reformer, saw a vision or hearing a voice, or later, met God through the Holy Scriptures, and they seized this revelation to declare with conviction as the Word of the Lord. Today we look at the world for our next "burden of the word of the Lord" (Zechariah 12:1), and having found we rush the expected message, as if we had been with Moses on Mount Sinai. There is need for a war, an election of a sporting event, or event that our criminal prophets can find themes to be developed. This is not the Word of God, but magazines and radio commentator who govern and orchestrate our preaching. It is still the world who made the first step, and follows nicely behind the church, pathetically trying to look like a model, while maintaining a low religious witness through an advertising here and there recalling that all should accept Jesus and be saved.
secular fundamentalism is a terrible thing, something really awful, much worse in my opinion that the mere modernism or even atheism complete. It is a divided heart who tries to live with the doctrines correct. You can see who is the true master who is watching people imitate. The test is, To whom these Christians do they look like? Who is it that enthusiasm and that makes their eyes shine? Who do they travel to see? Who are the techniques they borrow? They are never those of the humble saint, modest soul, or the faithful servant of Jesus. It is always those of large, famous, stars, VIPs - provided, of course, that they have given, at one time or another in their career carnal and vain, "testimony" in favor of Christ.
What is sad is to see the effect all this has on the new generation of Christians. Multitudes of young people grow up without knowing anything other than this type of degenerate Christianity is commonly accepted today as the religion of Christ. They are innocent victims of a condition they have not helped to create. These are not them, but their leaders must take responsibility for that.
What is the remedy? It is very simple. A radical return to New Testament Christianity both in letter and in practice. Renouncing the world, so virulent, and humbly take the cross. Such a return large-scale reform will mean a vast importance. Some are high today should be lowered, and thousands of humble will be exalted. It will mean a moral revolution. How many are willing to pay the price?
AW Tozer
(Source: blogdei.com)
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