A Timely Message?
"This [Sermon on the Mount] is not just a description of what a man does; the real point is this difference between the Christian and the non-Christian. The New Testament regards that as something absolutely basic and fundamental; and, as I see things at the present time, the first need in the Church is a clear understanding of this essential difference. It has become blurred; the world has come into the Church and the Church has become worldly. The line is not as distinct as it was. There were times when the distinction was clear cut, and those have always been the greatest eras in the history of the Church. We know, however, the arguments that have been put forward. We have been told that we have to make the Church attractive to the man outside, and the idea is to become as much like him as we can. There were certain popular padres during the First World War who mixed with their men, and smoked with them and did this, that, and the other with them, in order to encourage them. Some people thought that, as a result, when the war was over, the ex-service men would be crowding into the churches. Yet it did not happen and it never has happened that way. The glory of the gospel is that when the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is made to listen to her message, though it may hate it at first. This is how revival comes. That must also be true of us as individuals. It should not be our ambition to be as much like everybody else as we can, though we happen to be Christian, but rather to be as different from everybody who is not a Christian as we can possibly be. Our ambition should be to be like Christ, the more like Him, the better, and the more like Him we become, the more we shall be unlike everybody who is not a Christian."
-D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (italics mine) - From a sermon first delivered sometime prior to 1959 at Westminster Chapel, London
-D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (italics mine) - From a sermon first delivered sometime prior to 1959 at Westminster Chapel, London
posted by Rhonda at 7:29 PM
2 Comments:
There are some interesting points here. I must agree that when the Church "is absolutely different from the world" (which I would take to mean it is separated from government and the other power structures of secular society), it is more attractive. That undoubtedly is one reason Americans are so much more religious as a people than the citizens of nations with established religions.
It does not however follow that "the world is made to listen to her message". The message is available, but forcing it upon others is hardly a productive method of spreading the gospel.
It seems to me that those who call themselves Christian should strive to emulate Jesus and follow his teaching. Unfortunately I do not see that to be the case. On the contrary, those who call themselves Christian are often all to quick to cast the first stone, seek to remove the speck from another's eye while overlooking the log in their own, and strive to lay up for themselves treasures on earth rather than sell all they have to follow Him.
There also needs to be a far greater emphasis on humility (of which Jesus was said by Paul to be a great example). One should not assume that because an individual believes "in" Jesus, or belongs to a Christian community, that he or she actually is a moral and righteous person, just as we should not assume that someone who does not believe is immoral or incapable of being righteous. Morality does not flow automatically from belief, nor does lack of belief preclude morality. Agreed?
My apologies for the delay in responding to your comment, but my husband had a few days of vacation and we were involved in other pursuits than our blogs. I did find this passage thought provoking but would not necessarily glean from it what you did.
First, let me place the passage in context. It was a small segment of a rather lengthy series of messages delivered over a number of months to Dr. Lloyd-Jones congregation in London. He used this series of messages to take an in-depth look at that portion of the book of Matthew commonly referred to as the “Sermon on the Mount.” His overall point, as I understand it at least, (Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is deceased and unable to speak for himself) is that the “teachings of Jesus” as expounded in this passage of scripture are impossible to fulfill if only viewed as guidelines which man tries in some manner to live up to. He asserted, however, that a true Christian (not everyone who might identify himself as Christian) would be evidenced by these characteristics. He further stressed that this passage was written for all Christians and not just some extraordinary Christian. These characteristics are only evidenced in the life of a true believer as he/she is enabled by the Holy Spirit and should be increasingly evident as that believer matures in Christ but will never be perfected here on earth. Hopefully, I have not misrepresented Dr. Lloyd-Jones views in this brief summary. May I recommend the book?
Returning to several of your comments regarding hypocrisy among those identified as Christians, the very teaching summarized above would indicate that it is impossible to just follow the teachings of Christ. True Christianity involves a radical transformation of the individual. While not perfect, these Christians seek to follow Christ in a way that brings honor and glory to Him. Consequently, I would find it impossible to agree with you that a true Christian would not necessarily be moral and righteous, although I would assert that this ability only comes from the power of Christ within, not by any merit or ability of the individual Christian. While someone who does not believe in Christ may exhibit acts of moral goodness, my understanding of scripture would indicate that all men possess a sinful nature, have committed wrong acts, and cannot be righteous through our own efforts. To be in right relationship with a holy God, then, we must have the righteousness of Christ applied on our behalf. Are there individuals who call themselves Christian or are involved in religious activities and yet fail to exhibit this dependence upon Christ and experience something of the blessings described in the Sermon on the Mount? Certainly! But if the world were to see the Church as described in this passage of scripture, I dare say there would be something extremely attractive and compelling about a group of people living in community in this manner. I believe that this is what Dr. Lloyd-Jones was asserting when he used the term “made.” This passage was not an argument for “forcing” anyone to do anything, but rather a picture of the type of lives that would impact the world in a very strong sense. How might it feel to hunt for so-called Christians who did not evidence the behaviors you think a Christian “ought” to have, and not be able to find very many such people? Historically, in times of great revival within the Church, communities have seen this type of Christian living. It is this type of Christianity that Dr. Lloyd-Jones described as “absolutely different from the world.” I believe this sermon was addressing the differences evident in the life of a committed Christian as opposed to people whose lives were centered upon self and worldly interests While it would be accurate to say that our founding fathers prohibited the establishment of a state religion in the United States, I would not interpret the phrase, “absolutely different from the world” in this context, personally.
Post a Comment
<< Home