Testing 1

Resist the urge to skim this.  Feel the weight of sin that McCheyne feels in this first paragraph and then focus on the great truth that I have put in bold. 

“What a mass of corruption have I been! How great a portion of my life have I spent wholly without? God in the world: given up to sense and the perishing things around me. Naturally of a feeling and sentimental disposition, how much of my religion has been, and to this day is, tinged with these colors of earth! Restrained from open ‘vice by educational views and the fear of man, how much ungodliness has reigned within me! How often has it broken through all restraints, and come out in the shape of lusts and anger, mad ambition, and unhallowed words! Though my vice was always refined, yet how subtle and how awfully prevalent it was! How complete a test was the Sabbath—spent in weariness, as much of it as was given to God's service! How I polluted it by my hypocrisies, my self-conceits, my worldly thoughts, and worldly friends! How formally and unheedingly the Bible was read—how little was read —so little that even now I have not read it all! How unboundedly was the wild impulse of the heart obeyed!! How much more was the creature loved than the Creator! 0 great God, that didst suffer me to live whilst I so dishonored thee, thou knowest the whole; and it was thy hand alone that could awaken me from the death in which I was, and was contented to be. Gladly would I have escaped from the Shepherd? that sought me as I strayed; but he took me u in his arms and carried me back: and yet he took me not for any thing that was in me. I was no more fit for his service than the Australian, and no more

worthy to be called and chosen. Yet, why should I doubt? not God's unwillingness, not his ability —or both I am assured. But, perhaps, my old sins are too fearful, and my unbeliever too glaring. Nay: I come to Christ not although I am a sinner, but just because I am a sinner, even the chief.” He then adds, “And though sentiment and constitutional enthusiasm may have a great effect on me, still I believe that my soul is in sincerity desirous and earnest about having all its concerns at rest with God and Christ—that his kingdom occupies the most part of all my thoughts, and even of my long-polluted affections. Not unto me, not unto me, be the shadow of praise or or merit ascribed, but let all glory be given to thy most holy name! As surely as thou didst make the mouth with which I pray, so surely dost thou prompt every prayer or faith which I utter. Thou hast made me all that I am, and given me all that I have.
have.” - Taken from Memoir and remains of the Reverend Robert M. McCheyne - Google Books  http://www.google.com/books?id=eb8LAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=mccheyne+bonar&ei=oSjfSrCQFYTWNJzJyf8O#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Comments?  What do you think of McCheyne’s view of the importance of the Sabbath?  Is he correct in seeing sin its blackest hue so as to see the beauty of Christ more clearly?  What do you think McCheyne has against the Australian? 

This will be a short post.  It is really simply a question.  I hope I have enough readers to still chime in.  If you are a facebook friend please leave your comment here as well as on facebook. 

I am working on something and I need your help.  If my question is not specific enough or it goes in a wrong direction I will try to be more specific.  Here is the question, please discuss. 

What is the bare minimum required for someone to be saved? 

I know that it is probably not a wise practice to try to figure out the “bare minimum required”.  Before being chided by anyone I want to say that in no way am I trying to discover only the little bit that is required for someone to be saved and then move on, I am working on something much larger. 

How often do you pray?  Today that answer is typically, “not enough”.  It seems that McCheyne also felt that his prayer life was lacking.  After a three week period of sickness, where Robert was laid up in bed, he penned these words about prayer:

“…how reluctant we are [in prayer].  I cannot doubt that boldness if offered me to enter into the holiest of all; I cannot doubt my right and title to enter continually by the new and bloody way; I cannot doubt that when I do enter in, I stand not only forgiven, but accepted in the Beloved; I cannot doubt that when I do enter in, the Spirit is wiling and ready to descend like a dove, “enabling me to pray in the Holy Ghost”; and that Jesus is ready to rise up as my intercessor with the Father, praying for me though not for the world; and that the prayer-hearing God is ready to bend his ear to requests which He delights to hear and answer; I cannot doubt that thus to dwell in God is the true blessedness of my nature; and yet, strange unaccountable creature!  I am too often unwilling to enter in.  I go about and about the sanctuary, and I sometimes press in through the [torn curtain], and see the blessedness of dwelling there to be far better than that of tents of wickedness; yet it is certain that I do not dwell within.” 

This is an amazing reminder of what has been opened for us in prayer as well as a great encouragement to dwell in that blessed state of prayer. 

I keep hearing this phrase, “people like Jesus but not the church”.  The other evening on our local radio station the DJ was expressing his agreement with that statement.  He even went as far as to say something to the effect of: “when you read the NT it is really hard to not like Jesus, who spreads a message of love and peace and hope”.  The problem is that Jesus’ followers often do not match up to his ideals.  The problem that unbelievers have with Christianity is not Jesus but His followers. 

Granted, Christians can be really stupid.  I say that because I am a Christian and I say and do some really stupid things.  There are many times in my life when I am not accurately representing Jesus.  I could certainly see why someone would like Jesus better than me.  That seems to be a no-brainer. 

But, is this idea of “we like Jesus but not the church” really the whole story?  I am left wondering whether it is the biblical Jesus that they like so much.  After all wasn’t this same Jesus the one that instigated a mob cry of “crucify Him”?  Isn’t this the same Jesus that caused people to turn the other way because He sounded like a weird cannibal?  Isn’t this the same Jesus that said some really harsh things to the Pharisees?  (That’s okay, though, nobody likes the Pharisees, especially closet Pharisees).

While I agree that such a statement may very well  be true, I also have to say that I am not certain that such a phrase is really helpful.  Something tells me that Jesus would not make a statement like this:  “Folks really like me, but unfortunately I cannot gain more followers, because the one’s that I do have are screwed up.”  No!  Jesus really does love his bride.  And can you really say that it is possible to love Jesus and not His bride?  I find it unhelpful to say something about ourselves that the Lord Himself is not willing to say. 

So, let’s be really honest in an era where church bashing is fun: If people are repulsed by the Church they are repulsed by Jesus.  The Church, warts and all, is a product of Jesus.  It is after all HIS Church. 

Since, this blog is named after a Robert Murray McCheyne quote I thought it may be fitting to feature a McCheyne quote or story.  You have heard of Tuesday’s with Morrie; welcome to Tuesday’s with Robert.

At the age of 20 a young McCheyne heard unwelcome news of a family friend rejecting Christ and embracing the world.  Upon hearing “that she was determined to keep by the world,” he penned the following poem:

This may be one of those articles that I look back on 10 years (or 10 days) from now and regret.  I think I may be flirting with the idea of tipping over a sacred cow of modern evangelicalism.  I’ll show you my cards up front…I’m not sure a personal testimony is really as important as we make it out to be. 

With every church interview I have ever been a part of this question is inevitable…”would you please share your testimony”.  Granted, it’s a good question.  You want to know that the person you are considering for membership, leadership, or whatever is actually a believer.  The motivation behind the question is a good one.  However, I do not think it is the right question. 

Have you read anything in the New Testament where a person was asked to share their testimony? 

I will grant the fact that Paul shares his story of coming to Christ.  So does John in 1 John 1.  In fact there are many places in Scripture that are personal stories of the work of God in the life of a believer.  My point is not to say that personal stories or “testimonies” are not valuable.  They are immensely valuable.  My point is that personal testimonies are not an accurate criteria for judging a person’s salvation nor is it definitive in proclaiming the truthfulness of the claims of Christ. 

A personal testimony really is not an accurate barometer as to a person’s relationship with Christ.  Consider the early Gnostics.  They had amazing testimonies.  Think about the Colossian heresy.  They went on and on about the visions and experiences with God that they had.  Surely, you have known people with phenomenal “testimonies” that later forsook the gospel and rejected Christ.  Despite what some evangelism material will tell you a personal testimony (by itself) has no authority.  You can be an unbeliever and have a great story to tell of how you came to a Jesus of your own making.

And honestly, not having a clear testimony is not really all that accurate in telling that a person is not a believer.  Ask Jonathan Edwards of his personal testimony and he’d probably stutter to tell you.  John Bunyan would probably give you several dates.  Do you think Peter would give you the day when he was called by the lake, was it when he professed Christ, or was it at some other point on his journey with Jesus?  There are many people that do not have a S.P.O.T. (Specific Time or Place) that strongly profess Christ. 

I have a challenge for you Bible/church history buffs.  Find me times in Scripture or in the first 300 years of Christianity when someone’s story of coming to Jesus was a determining factor in admitting them into membership or participating in the Lord’s Supper?  I am not saying that you will not find anything.  I am simply saying it will not be a pervasive theme like it is in our day where subjective experience reigns over objective truth.  What you see in the New Testament and the early church is a profession of belief in the claims of Jesus Christ…not a story. 

There is one last sacred cow—maybe THE sacred cow—that needs to teeter.  Your testimony is not really all that definitive in sharing the gospel.  Oprah has a testimony.  Heretical “Christian” groups have testimonies.  A Muslim would have a testimony.  This will sound like heresy…Jesus is not the only thing that can change your life.  A homeless man that inherits a million dollars will have his life changed.  An alcoholic that stops drinking will have his life changed.  A woman whose family leaves her will have a significant life change.  Many things can change your life. 

Your testimony does not prove the truthfulness of the claims of Christ.  Yes, it is true that nobody can argue with your personal testimony.  That’s the problem.  You can’t argue with it because it is subjective.  The claims of Christ are objective truths.  This type of witnessing just leaves the door wide open for the, “well that’s good for you…but as for me…I believe”.  People need to be confronted with the claims of Jesus—not your story. 

In summary, I am not against personal testimonies.  I just think they are not nearly as important as we make them out to be.  They are not all that helpful in witnessing and they aren’t the final answer in determining salvation.  Feel free to disagree and argue your case.  I’m willing to listen.  If you agree with me I have a question for you.  What are testimonies useful for?