I was sitting in church a couple of
weeks ago and a young man approached me before the last church service started
and requested if he could ask me a question concerning the “femininity of the
church.” He told me he was doing a paper at a local private university and
wanted my opinion. I questioned him, “By using the word ‘femininity’ I take it
that you are referring to the church being ‘soft on sin?’” He nodded yes.
One more thing before commenting, I asked, “And by the word ‘church’ I take it
that you have reference to churches in general, not to FBC in particular?”
Again, he nodded in the affirmative. I
didn’t have time to elaborate or think about how I was going to answer this student
because the service was close to starting. So out came the unrehearsed words to
the best of my recollection.
I told this stranger that I believed that
churches are too soft on sin today given the ever-growing threat of apostasy.
You can see it in a lack of accountability toward a lifestyle of disrespect for
the authority of God’s Word in general (cf. 2 Tim 3:16). In my opinion there
has been an overcompensation of the “love” doctrine where self-esteem had
become paramount and not the Scriptures. I informed him that I was not a fan of
any form of mamby pamby Christianity. If I had to choose between the two words,
discipline or drippy, that best described my theological temperament, I would
have to select the former, tempered by agape love, of course.
The way I see it; if people want their
self-esteem stroked and their hyper-sensitivities coddled, they need to attend
an Osteenian-like church. That was the extent of our conversation as the
service commenced. He shook my hand and thanked me for my time. He smiled when
he told me that he liked my last comment.
Sadly, I thought to myself; love
without standards is not biblical love or agape, and many claiming to be of
Christ are flocking to a love that is of this world and not from above. Whether
they are true believers who do that, I do not know. Feelings are highly
unreliable, but the Word of God is absolutely trustworthy and declares with
crystal clarity the standards of righteousness acceptable to God.
Anyway, Beverly leaned over and said
to me after the student left, “That was strange that a complete stranger came
over and asked you about that sitting here in church!” I would have to admit it
was unusual given the timing. I do know that some of my articles were being
read at that university of another denomination, but whether there was a
connection I did not think to ask him. I had never laid eyes on him before that
day.
Don’t pass over the only thing that
will not pass away (Mk 13:31) for that which is passing away (1 Jn 2:17a)! Be part
of the foreverness, “but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 Jn
2:17b). Doing the will of God out of a heart of love for Him is the discipline
sorely needed today – according to the Scriptures (Jn 14:15), not being soft on sin because it is the going narrative. <><