Preface: We in the church are ashamed of the words....'born again.' Forty years ago those words were on our lips all the time. The world has changed and the delusion is upon us. There is a phrase sometimes used in philosophy and politics....'a distinction without a difference.' That is when one points to a distinction between two issues....but there really is no difference. Evangelicalism today is saying that there is a distinction in being born again and in describing a Christian in another way....but there is no real difference! Folks....there is a difference....one saves....and the other one does not save! There is either a completely new heart....or there is not. There are either eyes and ears that were opened....or there were not. A name was written in a book....or it was not. A legal adoption occured....or it did not. The angels rejoiced....or they did not. There is either a broad gate that most go in that leads to destruction....or there is not. There is either a narrow way that leads to life...or there is not.
No one in the modern church today needs to be....born again! That's outmoded evangelism. It is now....good vs evil....God vs Satan. All one has to do is to be on God's side. All one has to be is a relatively good person.
There is a friend of the family....someone a little older than I am....who stops by for a visit about once a week....and she is Jewish.....which enlivens the conversation from time to time. Today we talked a little about the Jewish Sabbath....of which she is observant....and the Christian Lord's Day....of which I am....and we talked a little on the Jewish feasts....with the Ninth of Av coming up. We haven't been able to get any deeper into the conversations as of yet....but on two different occasions she mentioned that she wasn't very religious. Now I understand the various strands of Judaism today....so I know where she is coming from....but that doesn't make it any easier to accept without at least a question.
That question would be....how could one believe in the biblical records of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob....and Joseph....and Moses....and the parting of the Red Sea....and King David and all of the other miraculous works of God.....and yet still....not be religious?
I don't know why I am surprised at all....for I have witnessed this in my own Christian faith....and even posted on the conundrum a number of times....for how could a Christian....not only believe the very same miraculous and majestic workings of God in the Old Testament....but have encountered Jesus Christ....and all of the miracles of the New Testament....and appear to not being very religious.....evidencing few signs....and certainly no signs of fanaticism?
Yes.....we go to church regularly.....and read our bibles regularly....and may even attend a weekly bible study....and we may go to church camp....and read Christian books....and have a bumper sticker on our car....and vociferously debate conservative cultural points.....and if anyone ever asks....we would right away proclaim that we are a Christian....but beyond these habitual evidences of being a Christian....there is little evidence that we are overwhelmed with our love to our Savior and our King! We are not considered fanatics....but how.....considering all of the above....can we be anything but fanatics?
How is it possible to fully understand that at one moment we were headed to eternal damnation....and the very next moment....through nothing of our own....redeemed and given eternal life....how is this possible without falling prostrate before the King who saved you?
How is it possible to understand what happened on the Mount of Olives....and in Jerusalem....and on Calvary....and not be amazed every day of our lives...if not every hour of our lives?
How can we really and truly believe that those sixty-six books and letters from antiquity.....are God-breathed....not only written to us....but commanded of which to read and follow what it within....and not open that Word up every single day of our lives.....and joyfully meditate upon those glorious words of hope and redemption within?
We are frail....I know that....and I am the chief of the frail....but that is only an excuse for our failure to be strong all the time....it does not account for our failure to attempt and desire to be strong all the time. I'm sure that part of the answer to all of this is cultural. We in the church today have no idea of the commitment of Christians in the past....and we do not receive the nourishing food in the sermons that we hear....so how can we be expected to be fanatical.....given the limited knowledge that we have?
We are all aware of how the Pharisees wore their phylacteries to be seen...."they make broad their phylacteries"....and we today have used that as our own pejorative....'wearing one's religion on their sleeve"....but we may also be aware of when Jesus wanted to wash Peter's feet.....but Peter would not let Him.....until Jesus said...."Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me".....and Peter responded with...."Then, Lord, not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well!" So if they criticise me for wearing my 'religion' on my sleeve....I'll say....I cannot do anything but wear the proclamation of the glories of Christ on my sleeve....and also on my feet....and my hand....and my head....for how can one who has encountered Jesus Christ....and been born again....redeemed.....and adopted.....do anything but that?
