What has become of the Church? I know that to some this post is going to sound negative and judgmental, but please hear me out. I am terribly heart sick about the way the American church communicates the Gospel. The Gospel is about Jesus, the Glory of God, not the majesty and wonder of man. (Psalm 8:4: What is man that you are mindful of him?) Yet, if you visit the American church, especially the ones labeled successful and large, you will walk away with the feeling that man is wonderful and exists as the purpose of God. This is wrong and heretical.
Yes, God loves man and man has significant worth, but it is not infinite or inherent worth. Man only has value because God has chosen to allow a reflection on His image to reside in man (Gen. 1:27). Without God’s intentional will granting him worth and purpose, man is but dust and ashes. Man is not praise worthy, God is.
Beyond this fact, there is still the chosen disposition of man. God chooses to bless man with magnificent universal worth, and man responds with rebellion and consequential depravity. Every person voluntarily sins against the Holy, Righteous God. The price for this treason is not only spiritual and physical death, but shame, guilt and a marred conscience. Man sucks. Even when we come to know God through Christ, there is still a tendency and desire to rebel and manipulate His works as our own. There is no ground whatsoever for man to be praised or highly regarded as a direct object of worship in our churches or theology. All glory belongs to God who alone is infinitely and inherent good and worthy. Yet, when you visit the American church all you hear and see is the praise of man, with God as his servant.
Yes, God loves you and wants you to have a better life; but this is not to come with an attitude of entitlement or superiority. The kindness of God is to lead us to humility and His praise. Yes, Jesus wants to make you better, healthier and happier, but according to His will and plan, not yours. The wonder of the Gospel is God’s mercy and sacrifice for a sick, depraved and evil creature (a.k.a. man) that has been given EVERYTHING freely. The Gospel is: You suck, God rocks.
Why, why, why do we kowtow to the sinful psyche of Humanism and promote man-centered and glorifying churches? Why isn’t the Gospel enough? Why do we, as redeemed and regenerated beings, allow the sinful ways and desires of our former lives to not only manipulate the Gospel, but also celebrate the twisted and corrupted views of others? Why isn’t God’s glory and grace enough? Why do we have to promote man over or beside God?
I would argue that the need for such is worldly acceptance (Rom. 1:24-25). The American church is not satisfied with the applause and glory of God, but still longs for the acceptance of his society. Christians and their leaders know that the world will not stand for worshipping God unless they, too, get something out of it. So, we cut corners, twist the truth, or downplay the parts that might offend. We feed man’s sin. (And then we wonder why the American church is so lazy, uncompassionate and ineffective…)
I don’t want a big church if it isn’t centered on God’s Gospel. I don’t want to pastor people who understand God as a gentle grandfather who overlooks sin and wrong behavior so as to spoil them. I want a God who loving calls out my depravity, satisfies His wrath against me through His son, and then grants me new life and a fresh start through His indwelling Spirit. I want a Gospel that promotes only what is GOOD. The American version of the Gospel is not “Good News,” it’s sick. It promotes wickedness and vanity. This is horrible news!
Oh, God, do not allow me a spirit of bitterness and conceited judgment, but do grant me zeal for Your Name. I know that I have no business judging those outside of the church, that is for you alone to do on the Final Day, but God grant me influence to lead Your people, if only a Holy Remnant (Rom. 11:5), back to You. Father, may Your Gospel and Your glory always be enough for me.
