(HT: JT)
Wow!
The Face of Moralism
What will it take for America to see and experience a revival? Or any nation for that matter?
How you answer that question determines whether or not you are a moralist or gospel-centered.
Every day I get emails or read articles from well-meaning Christians that say we need to get God back in America. Of course what they mean by that is that we need to get pray back in our schools. 
Let’s not let those liberal rascals take God out of schools—besides that’s why schools are getting shot up. The reason that our government is becoming increasingly corrupt is because the 10 Commandments are not on the front lawn. We’ve taken God out of the courtroom. We need to repent as a nation and get God back on our side.
Add to this the abominable sins of abortion, homosexuality, and pornography. If we get rid of these atrocities then we will be in a position to receive revival. If that is your vision of revival then you have missed the gospel.
Did you realize that this statement, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?”, was leveled against a people that did everything we just described? The Pharisees held the 10 commandments in high regard, they taught prayer, they fought against abortion, homosexuality, and a ton of other vices such as pornography. So, if that is your vision for taking back America for God then it’s a vision that God Himself considers an abomination.
Please do not misunderstand me. God is not pro-abortion, His view of human sexuality has not changed, He still hates pornography, He upholds the 10 Commandments, and loves to hear the prayer of His people. That’s not the point.
The point is that God is in the business of “ransoming people for Himself from every tribe and language and people and nation” through Jesus. And as He ransoms people He (not we), “make them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” He is not in the business of simply making us better people.
So, I ask do you stake the hope for America on our moralism and response to the Law? Or do you stake the hope for America on the gospel of Jesus Christ that rescues, redeems, and restores gays, lesbians, porn-addicts, mothers that have had abortions, unrighteous judges, corrupt politicians, and even moralists?
When I talk about moralistic therapeutic deism in the coming days this is in part what I am talking about.
Is Your Church Headed for a Split?
Thabiti Anywabile has reposted a great article on church splits. In this article he outlines a few warning signs that your church may be headed for a split:
- Growing numbers of cliques and factions.
- Low concern for the church qua church. (More concern for individual than the whole church body)
- Self-interests dominate group interests.
- Isolated and absent members.
- Lack of humility.
- Mixed allegiance to the pastor(s)/elders.
- Low emphasis on the Word of God.
Read the whole article, and tell me what you think…
Review of The Gospel-Filled Wallet by Jeff Weddle
Author: Jeff Weddle
Pages: 80pgs
Publisher: Transforming Publishing
Genre: Christian Living
A Quick Word about Transforming Publishing:
Transforming Publishing is a great idea. As it says on the website:
Transforming Publishing was founded to publish Bible study and preaching resources for helping Christians understand and proclaim the transforming Word of God. Electronic copies of all publications will be available free online, and hardcopy publications will be available on-demand for what we hope to be very modest prices–less expensive in many cases than users will be able to print on their own printers.
Great idea! I am happy to be a small part of this.
Quick Summary:
Jeff Weddle hopes to paddle upstream against the current flow of “Christian” books on money. His claim is that many of today’s books use biblical “principles” to do unbiblical things with money. This book is an attempt to consider what the Bible really does say about money: both how we should handle it and our general attitude towards money.
There is one basic question in this book. Do you love God or do you love money?
What I Liked:
The best chapter, in my opinion, is Weddle’s chapter on How to Hate Money and Love God. This section is practical, biblical, and hard-hitting. His first chapter and conclusion are also well-written and informative. From the beginning Weddle lets us know what is at stake:
“Our lives are consumed with money. All of our life is centered on the pursuit, acquisition, and spending of it. Our lives prove that we love money. You show what you love by where you put your time and energy. Money consumes us. We love money. Thus, we hate God.”
And the driving force behind all of this is what our author states on page 69, “the soul was created for more.” A life spent trying to acquire more money and more possessions is a rip off. But the best thing you can do for your soul is to get rid of your money as quickly as possible for the glory of God. I like this.
What I Disliked:
The one major critique I have of this book is that for a book called The Gospel-Filled Wallet it majors on emptying the wallet of money but minors on filling it with the gospel. Do not misunderstand; the gospel is in this book. But a more compelling gospel vision would drive Weddle’s major thesis home with Spirit-empowered force.
I do not think that legalism would be the proper charge for this book. I think that is made clear when Weddle answers this charge on page 74. He rightly points that the motivator is the heart. It is not as if the author is saying do these things so that you can be acceptable to God. But the gospel seems to be assumed throughout this book and is not given as the major driving force behind giving your money away.
This book will convict but I’m not sure it will heal.
Should You Buy It?
Well, it is free so you should at least read it. It is well written and a quick read. You could probably read it in about an hour. You will benefit from this book. If you want a hardcopy you can get it for under 10 bucks.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars