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Excerpts from:
"The Test of
Faith"
by Paul
Proctor, July 9, 2005
http://news.christiansunite.com/news.cgi?cid=20
"Probably the greatest challenge to those of us that regularly address this
topic is trying to break it all down to a more understandable and communicable
level; making, if you will, the complex, simple for those who know something is
wrong at church but can't quite put their finger on what it is or why it is only
getting worse.
There are so many overlapping layers, aspects and intricacies to this apostasy
that holding anyone's attention long enough to sufficiently explain it can often
be a rather daunting task. It's much easier to get and keep Christians
interested once they've been victimized or traumatized by it than it is if they
are just another slaphappy working part of it. But then, it is also much easier
to lead someone to salvation in Jesus Christ who has been beaten up by the world
than a person who feels like they're on top of it.
Oh, we could talk about the influence of transformational Marxism, the use of
the Hegelian Dialectic, all the peer pressure, positivism, pragmatism,
entertainment, emotionalism, deception, distortions, distractions, evasions,
sensory stimulation, semantics, syncretism, psychology, Maslow's hierarchy of
needs, the gradual transitioning and transformation of Christians, churches and
society in general through small groups and people groups into a religious
humanism; and the way the gullible masses of well-meaning do-gooders who,
looking for purpose in their lives, are manipulated into a secular-led social
serfdom, fraudulently implemented to fight the war on hunger, poverty,
illiteracy, oppression, depression, drugs, debt, disease and what have you; not
to mention the countless self-esteem building programs that are diabolically
designed and marketed to save us from ourselves and into the blissful
brotherhood of passionate narcissism; but after five years of researching,
writing and personally struggling through this 21st century phenomena that seems
to have as many labels as it does leaders, I have come to the conclusion that
there are basically two things that drive it all; and believe it or not, they
are the same two things that brought about the very fall of man back in the
Garden of Eden. I call them "The Two R's."...
There's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying Results and
Relationships. They are wonderful gifts from God. It is when we give
them priority over His Word; diminishing or withholding the Whole
Counsel of God, so as to increase, enhance, preserve or protect them,
thereby allowing otherwise good things to come between Him and us. That
is when Results and Relationships become wicked obstacles and a curse to
the Christian and the Body of Christ.
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and
all these things shall be added unto you." - Matthew 6:33
...So, the next time you are encouraged by some Christian celebrity
to "think relationally" and "do whatever it takes" to get and keep
Results and Relationships, remember these words:
"For what is a
man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul?" - Matthew 16:26a
© 2006 Paul Proctor - All Rights Reserved
Email:
watchman@usa.com
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