Discipleship

quote from John Stott . . . . .

 “The Christian landscape is strewn with the wreckage of derelict, half-built towers (referring to Luke 14:28-30) – the ruins of those who began to build and were unable to finish.  For thousands of people still ignore Christ’s warning and undertake to follow him without first pausing to reflect on the cost of doing so.  The result is the great scandal of Christendom today, so called ‘nominal Christianity.’   In countries to which Christian civilization has spread, large numbers of people have covered themselves with a decent, but thin, veneer of Christianity.  They have allowed themselves to become somewhat involved; enough to be respectable but not enough to be uncomfortable.  Their religion is a great, soft cushion.  It protects them from the hard unpleasantness of life, while changing its place and shape to suit their convenience.  No wonder the cynics speak of hypocrites in the church and dismiss religion as escapism.

from MacArthur's The Gospel According to Jesus  -  

When Jesus called disciples, He carefully instructed them about the cost of following Him.  He turned away those reluctant to pay the price – like the rich young ruler.  He warned all who thought of becoming disciples to count the cost carefully.  Scripture teaches us to deny self (Matt 16:24), consider ourselves dead (Romans 6:11), lay the old self aside (Eph 4:22), and in a sense, treat the selfish aspect of our beings with the utmost contempt (1 Cor 9:27).  Why does Christ use such offensive terms?  Because He is eager to chase the uncommitted away and to draw true disciples to Himself.  He does not want half-hearted people deceived into thinking they are in the kingdom.

Can you imagine us Christians doing that today???  Instead of being inclusive – EVERYBODY is welcome – we instead might be exclusive?  Weeding out those who are not serious, those not willing to give up self, family, comforts of this world, etc.  Isn’t the road narrow and the gate small?  So why have we paved this wide road and erected a huge gate for ALL to come to Jesus when we know that’s not going to be the case?  And by doing so, have we not given so many the illusion they have secured eternal life with the Creator?

MacArthur -

One who is not willing to lose his life by taking Christ is not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:38). That person cannot be a disciple (Luke 13:27).  These statements cannot be made to accommodate the kind of casual approach to conversion that is in vogue in our generation.  Jesus does not ask people to add Him to the milieu of their lives. He wants disciples willing to forsake everything.

Why People Don't Make Disciples - David Platt

Exposed

The enemy has done an excellent job - not just in the world - but also in the Church.  He has convinced us that political correctness should permeate the message we proclaim to the world and each other.  That we should be careful not to appear harsh or judgmental and if we do, we are not showing love.  But I ask, how loving is it to suspect someone might be on the path to eternal damnation and say nothing to them about it?


from MacArthur's book The Gospel According to Jesus.....................

One of the most malignant by-products of the debacle in contemporary evangelism is a gospel that fails to confront individuals with the reality of their sin.  Contemporary Christians have been conditioned never to question anyone's salvation.  If a person declares he has trusted Christ as Savior, no one challenges his testimony, regardless of how inconsistent his life-style may be with God's Word.

The contemporary church has the idea that salvation is only the granting of eternal life, not necessarily the liberation of a sinner from the bondage of his iniquity.  We tell people that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives, but that is only half the truth.  God also hates sin and will punish unrepentant sinners with eternal torment.  No gospel presentation is complete if it avoids or conceals those facts.  Any message that fails to define and confront the severity of personal sin is a deficient gospel.  And any "salvation" that does not alter a life-style of sin and transform the heart of the sinner is not a genuine salvation.

Sin is no peripheral issue as far as salvation is concerned; it is the issue.  In fact, the distinctive element of the Christian message is the power of Jesus Christ to forgive and conquer our sin.  Of all the realities of the gospel, none is more wonderful than the news that the enslaving grasp of sin has been broken.  This truth is the heart and the very lifeblood of the Christian message.   No message that excludes it can purport to represent the gospel according to Jesus.

Unless people realize they have a sin problem, they will not come to Christ for a solution.  People don't come for healing unless they know they have a disease; they don't come for life unless they are conscious that they are under the penalty of death; they don't come for salvation unless they are weary of the bondage of sin.

Thus Jesus came to expose us all as sinners.  That is why His message was so penetrating, so forceful.  It tore our self-righteousness away and exposed our evil hearts, so we might see ourselves as sinners.

Treading Water

Increasing our Faith

from a blog by "Linda O."....................................

Over a year ago I briefly mentioned this topic, with a quote from Spurgeon’s “The Necessity of Increased Faith.”

The local pastor recently discussed an amazing story from his dear friend — the man’s daughter miraculously healed of Lyme’s disease (truly something to praise God for, something beyond all we can understand) — and in marveling at the amazing power of God, declared a hope for God to “increase our faith.”  The meaning he apparently attached was the general wish, hope, and nice thought, that God will continue to amaze us by showing the great things He can do in people’s lives and situations, such as this recent testimony of God’s healing.  It was a nice thought, but passive, lacking in depth and understanding as to how God accomplishes the increase in our faith.

It is an easy thing to say “Lord, increase our faith,” but through my own experience I realize that greater faith comes with diligence on our part. (James 4:8, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.)  During my early years of Christian faith, I only understood the basic gospel message, salvation in Christ and having my sins forgiven.  Yet like most young, immature believers, I did not mature or increase in faith so long as I stayed in the same basic situation — singles group teaching and more socially-focused weekly study groups, and only casual Bible reading.  The lack of discipline and diligence in such a life led too often to emotional moments of despair and self-pity, doubting God while focusing more on self’s desires.  Increase of faith never just happens as we continue idly in a routine situation with lack of effort on our part.  Only since taking on more effort, listening to and reading good sermons and spending more time in God’s word, have I noticed true spiritual growth and increasing faith.  As with any growing believer, now I face far greater trials of faith than in those early years; yet the times of doubt and despair — though they still come — do not last nearly as long, and the way out comes to mind more readily: recalling specific Bible passages that answer to a particular personal difficulty and uncertainty; relating specific Bible situations to my own; understanding God’s Divine Purpose of the Ages.  Greater faith reflects on greater understanding, to take God at His word, fully trusting in what He promises concerning our glorious future and the great things yet to come.

Well said Spurgeon, concerning the increase of faith — in its extent, of what it will receive:

Usually, when we commence the Christian life, faith does not grasp much—it only believes a few elementary Doctrines. I find that many young converts have not gone much farther than believing that Jesus Christ died for sinners. By-and-by they get a little advanced and believe Election. But there is very little beyond that they receive—and it is not until many years that they believe the entire Gospel. Some of you, my Hearers, and a great many that are not my hearers are miserable little cramped souls—you have learned a cast-iron creed and you will never move out of it. A certain somebody drew up five or six doctrines and said, “There are the doctrines of the Bible,” and you believe these. But you do not want to have your faith increased—for you do not believe a great deal more that is in the Bible.
…I think, as we grow, we shall have our belief increased. Not only are there a few cardinal Doctrines that will be enough to steer our ship by, north, south, east, or west, but we shall begin to learn something about the north-west and north-east and that which lies between the four points! Many people, when they hear something a little contrary to what they have usually heard, say at once, “That is not sound.” But who made you a judge of what is sound?

So true that is.  (Spurgeon then went on to give a specific example of increasing faith — his then new understanding concerning the Millennial Kingdom.)  Thus, when the local pastor prays that God would increase our faith, it comes across as very shallow and insincere.  For he who casually says “increase our faith” doesn’t really want it — since he picks and chooses which parts of the Bible to believe, even declaring that those who want to “divide” in fellowship over differences in eschatology are being divisive about things as unimportant as food and drink.

A few more quotes concerning the connection between increase of faith and our understanding of the scriptures:
John MacArthur:   if you never get anything else, get this, your faith, your trust is based on your view of God. If you’ve got a little God, you’re not gonna trust Him. So if you want more faith, you get into the Bible. Find out what kind of a God you have, and that’ll increase your faith.

J.C. Ryle especially states the case concerning diligence and growing faith:

All that believers have is undoubtedly of grace. Their repentance, faith, and holiness, are all the gift of God. But the degree to which a believer attains in grace, is ever set before us as closely connected with his own diligence in the use of means, and his own faithfulness in living fully up to the light and knowledge which he possesses. Indolence and laziness are always discouraged in God’s word. Labor and pains in hearing, reading, and prayer, are always represented as bringing their own reward. “The soul of the diligent shall be made fat.” (Prov. 13:4.) “An idle soul shall suffer hunger.” (Prov. 19:15.)

Attention to this great principle is the main secret of spiritual prosperity. The man who makes rapid progress in spiritual attainments–who grows visibly in grace, and knowledge, and strength, and usefulness–will always be found to be a diligent man. He leaves no stone unturned to promote his soul’s well-doing. He is diligent over his Bible, diligent in his private devotions, diligent as a hearer of sermons, diligent in his attendance at the Lord’s table. And he reaps according as he sows. Just as the muscles of the body are strengthened by regular exercise, so are the graces of the soul increased by diligence in using them.

Do we wish to grow in grace? Do we desire to have stronger faith, brighter hope, and clearer knowledge? Beyond doubt we do, if we are true Christians. Then let us live fully up to our light, and improve every opportunity. Let us never forget our Lord’s words in this passage. “With what measure we use;” to our souls, “it shall be measured to us again.” The more we do for our souls, the more shall we find God does for them.