Times and Seasons

Everyone is a Fundamentalist somewhere on their Christian journey. It’s sad that so many get stuck there and fail to recognize a significant level of Christian maturity and spiritual growth because they in effect fossilize their spiritual development without ever recognizing the benefit of knowledge, understanding, maturity, and a Christian faith that embraces the teachings of Jesus in their fullness. That is not to say that many on the highly educated and obviously “sophisticated” end of the spectrum have any higher degree of relationship to Christ, but it does come to bear upon the nature of a “wide” road version of Christian faith as embraced by the masses in comparison to a “narrow road” challenge described by Jesus for those who would take up their cross daily and follow Him.

Today’s headlines are filled with the news that makes “Armageddon” timetable prognosticators salivate. But the fact that there are always wars and rumors of wars does not change for past generations or our own. The nature of a cultivated “enthusiasm for ending the world,” too often strangles the spiritual development of individuals who in their concern for the preparing for the last day, fail to live all their days in response to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Much of our modern cultural religion has little to do with the essential elements of the gospel of Jesus. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Multitudes are there today…lost. In the mad dash to the next “new thing,” herds of well- intentioned seekers grasp to redefine their identities, to reorganize their confusion, to reinvent themselves according to new trends and styles…all for the sake of self-acceptance and a mistaken notion that to be happy with themselves is the ultimate endgame for life.

Few theologians who are writing today find a market for biblical studies that teach what Jesus taught. Instead the media hype drives campaigns and marketing schemes for everything from evangelistic outreach to baptism counting. The latest books pattern themselves after the culture rather than calling for the culture to discover in Christ the radical renewal that it so desperately seeks.

Fundamentalism as a force in the world today comes in all theological brands. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity share the “curse” that in some forms dictates to the masses instructions by a few who knowingly manipulate their theology and interpretation of religious principle to fit their very often selfishly motivated and frequently corrupt aims.

Building religious “systems” of thought upon false foundations is a sad reality of the times. Many personality worshippers fail to worship the person of Christ. Many new-age thinkers mitigate Christianity to the veritable “soup” of multi-religious presence and influence in their “frame” of reference. Many “Gospel” preachers proclaim prosperity and pop psychology as the keys to understanding God’s will. Unfortunately, there are many sheep without a shepherd and many with a shepherd are dissatisfied with those that aren’t “itching their ears” with the things that they like or already believe.

So do we despair or do we persevere? The saints will move in faith toward the future of God’s providing. The opportunity to express a call for discipline by disciples of Jesus is not an empty effort. Some will hear and some will learn and some will pursue the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. It may be a remnant, or a multitude, but it will be by the leading of God in the hearts and minds of those who love Him and seek to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Fundamentally, the facts are clear, Christian witness must be renewed among the believers or our voice will be lost in the cacophony of voices bearing influence in our world today. At the same time, “what” we talk about must begin to reflect a Christ-centered focus for life over-against a checklist of cultural oppositions that “define what we are about” in the eyes of the world.

Jesus called us to “let our light shine.” It is time for repentance and faith. It is a time for learning from the Teacher, the “author and finisher of our faith.” It is time for attentive believers to teach and make disciples, not to ignore the opportunities to stand as a witness to the world of God’s truth. That truth is good news because it is the truth of God’s provision of salvation, not his desire to bring condemnation. When we condemn all manner of persons and opinions and behaviors, we do so at the expense of failing to demonstrate the love of Christ for sinners everywhere. Are we called to promote sin?-- Of course not. Are we called to proclaim repentance and faith in Christ? -- Absolutely. People know they are sinners…by the power of the Holy Spirit of God revealing to them their condition. Our call is to lift up Christ for our world to know and to trust and to believe in. Will the greater sin of our generation be unbelievers rejecting Jesus or will it be Christians turning sinners away from Jesus by their failure to reflect His love?

When Paul commended Timothy to “study” it meant to exert efforts to learn, to explore, to commit oneself to the task of discovery in the context of proclaiming this good news of our Savior. The scriptures are filled with insight for life and living which is not to be foreign or neglected by those who seek to be “approved unto God.”

Fundamentalism with its adamant demands for conformity, with its quick and easy answers to many of life’s hardest questions, and with its persistent note of contention with all that differs from its harshly defined “perspective of the day” may win the hour for those who want their faith to come in small doses, easily pocketed and seldom practiced; but in the end, the truth of Christ will change true believers into more than religious monsters at war with one another over theological minutiae. Instead, the heart of Jesus will become the source of transforming the minds of the believers who love Christ and serve Him. Love will never end. The love of Christ will outlast all the bitter strivings and circumstances of any generation that seeks to manipulate the structures of faith to serve lesser gods. The Lord reigns … forever. Thanks be to God.