You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?  (James 4:4-5)

Give The People What They Want; The Powerless “Christianity” Of Our Tepid Times

Today in her piece Save Us From Your Followers, Lord, (Including the Producers of This Film) over at Slice of Laodicea Ingrid Schlueter brings to our attention:

There’s a new movie buzz among evangelicals. It’s been several hours since the last one so it’s about time. This time it’s a Christian movie about…how bad and stupid Christians are and how we need to change everything because we all look like Fred Phelps. Got that?

And the producers are “just trying to start a conversation…” as they use half-truths and movie manipulation to do it. This film uses some great Third Reich movie demonization techniques to make Christians look as reprehensible as possible. The Christian Problem. Hmmm. Something must be done about that. (Online source)

Because she’s my friend I know Ingrid understands when I say that for too long now she’s been much more “man” than so many of the men around the bloated blogosphere busy blogging about nothing while the enemy sets up shop even deeper within the mainstream evangelical camp.

The movie Ingrid is talking about is called Lord Save Us From Your Followers by “Writer/Director/Producer” Dan Wilson and “Executive Producer” Jeff Martin. From the synopsis:

Though nine out of ten Americans claim a belief in God, public expression of faith is more contentious as ever… Lord, Save Us From Your Followers is the energetic, accessible documentary that explores the collision of faith and culture in America. Fed up with the angry, strident language filling the airwaves that has come to represent the Christian faith, director (and follower) Dan Merchant set out to discover why the Gospel of Love is dividing America… (Online source)

Well, let’s see if we can clear up the big mystery for Dan the “follower” (of men?) by introducing him to the actual Jesus. The following is from “Writer/Apostle” Matthew who shares his eyewitness testimony of Christ’s exclusive and “contentious” message; Dan, He was crucified for it don’t ya know:

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39)

Well I dunno Dan, I’m not a Hollywood figure, only the lowly pastor of a small church in rural New England, but that doesn’t really sound like Jesus is trying to organize some all-inclusive Love Train to me. It also doesn’t sound like those of us who are Christians should be bowing before the feet of unregenerate rebels who hate God. O, I have no right to judge their hearts; and I don’t.

This is what our Creator, Christ Jesus of Nazareth says:

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:10-18)

And the Lord does know their hearts because He made them. So, if you don’t like what you just read; as Dr. Walter Martin would often say, “Your argument is with the Lord; when you win that one, come back and argue with me.” So I say: Yes Lord, may You save us.

May You save us from weak-kneed effete Christian cowards afraid of their own spiritual shadow who masquerade as ministers of God. Wake up Your Church and give us eyes to see the dark red sky this morning. O Lord, send us some real men of God anointed to preach the Gospel in the Holy Spirit with power!

Men who know the hour grows late and who have the baptism of boldness to preach to the crowds:

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:7-9)

And God, may You raise up men powerful in Christ whose hearts break with Your compassion for those trapped in their sin; may they love these people enough to tell them the Truth, such as the following from Charles Spurgeon:

 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. (Luke 16:13, KJV)

O unclean man, how can you dream of salvation while you are defiled by filthiness? What, you and your harlot, members of Christ! Oh, you know not my pure and holy Master. He receives sinners, but He rejects those who delight in their iniquities. You must have done with your indulgence of sin if you would be cleansed from the guilt of it.

There is no going on in transgression and yet obtaining salvation: it is licentious supposition. Christ comes to save us from our sins, not to make it safe to do evil. That blood that washes out the stain brings with it also a hatred of the thing that made the stain. Sin must be relinquished, or salvation cannot be received.

I spoke very plainly just now, but some here of pure heart little know how plainly we must speak if we are to reach some men’s consciences, for it shames me when I think of some who year after year indulge in secret sin, and yet are frequenters of the house of God. You would think they surely were already converted or soon would be when you saw them here, but if you follow them home, you would quite despair of them.

O lovers of sin, do not deceive yourselves; you will surely reap that which you sow. How can grace reign in you while you are the slaves of your own passions? How can it be while you are anchored to a secret sin that you should be borne along by the current of grace toward the desired haven of safety? Either you must leave your sin, or you must leave all hope of Heaven; if you hold your sin, Hell will ere long hold you. May God deliver us from the love of sin, for such a deliverance is salvation.

(At the Master’s Feet, November 7)