How second-hand revelation (2hR) kills: PART 1
Oct 20, 2009
A thought for Christians who know the gospel. (If you don't know the life-giving Christ, I apologize for this embarrassing collapse among us Christians. While I wish I was innocent, I was born in '75 and am a recovering info-junkie myself. Peace.)
Since we are living in such an age of information, we have become familiar with revelational hand-me-downs, to the point where we are uncomfortable with authentic revelation. I fear the true prophets are in great danger, if not for their lives, then for the acceptance of their ministry. (You are not a guaranteed prophet if you agree too swiftly with this statement. You might just be a negative faultfinder too.)
So, In considering the dangers of 2hR; I will start by examining the effect of 2hR in the life of the minister, followed by the effect of 2hR in the life of a ministry and lastly take a look upon the damage to our evangelistic impact.
In the life of a minister (that's you)
1. The lack of God is exhausting.
Why?
Because the Christian life is fundamentally relational, primarily personal and exactly about God the person. Before we get to his agendas, plans, gospel, church, commands, commissions or ways, we get to be with Him! He is the end of all means. He fulfills our deepest need in himself before even opening His hand. He is our satisfaction and once we see His smile, we are strong, we sleep well, we know how to live and are settled in our beings. None will disagree with this in theory, but very few Christians live higher than their schedules, or their dreams, or higher than their daily rapid bursts of urgencies. Who wants faith when we get to have reputation, action, opportunity and dignity?
This is where the crisis comes in; when we lose God, we stop realizing we've lost Him, because our vertical yardstick has been exchanged for a horizontal one. Now most of "God's communication" happens through other men, and when they cheer me on, it must mean I am fine and what I'm doing is good. Or when I read the things I agree with already, I feel vindicated and secure. Do not underestimate how quickly our minds embrace pre-existing biases.
With the lack of God, we have turned Christianity into missions or morality, witnessing into marketable courses, joy into dishonest happiness, church into meetings, spirit-power into escapism and relationships around cold goals. The stunning lack of God causes fatigue, ambition, behavioural codes and policing-by-frowning to maintain these codes. Just lacking the God of the gospel is enough to lack absolutely everything else. We can call ourselves rich (in ministry or Christian experience), but without personal, soul-captivating, daily, intimate, confident 'friendship with' and 'fear of' the Lord, the glorious means of God empty us out. We're not speaking of weary soldiers here -fresh off the battlefield with their wounds of glory- but rather of under-nourished toddlers with their tears and tantrums because they don't eat well. Maybe we don't even understand the cries of soldiers since so much of ministry consists of changing diapers and keeping peace and appearances.I think burnout is underrated. Such enormous strains are taken to escape burnout, that men have decided to shrink their way to greatness, as Nick Davis often says. Do we fear burnout more than judgment day? Even burnout is a gift of grace. It marks the defeat of self-sufficiency. At last, once we get to the end of all our wits, we quit, and become useful for the gospel. For some, its only upon burnout we hear God saying, "Are you undone now? Come to me, weary one and I will give you rest, so you can take up my yoke, the proper and true yoke. "
He allows us to run with His plans without him, only because, by sheer exhaustion, it is the quickest way to get us back to Himself.Those who wait upon The Lord will renew their strength. (Isa 40). In short, it is crazy to go without God, it is nuts to turn him into amechanical psychologist, a harsh commander, a distant scientist, avant garde artist or an aloof deconstructionist when He revealed Himself as a loving Father, a self-denying lover and an ever-present Spirit.
God sustains his own servants. He upholds his churches. He empowers true ministry in the gospel. He brings life after death and refreshes us by His Spirit, WHICH IS WHY mere information or 2hR is insufficient. All of Luther's instruction in the scriptures and in the structures of the church proved dismal to take away his agony of soul and awareness of sin, but oh, when the Holy Spirit made him see Romans 1v17 by revelation, realizing who's righteousness Paul was referring to, he saw it and he started seeing everything else by that revelation. The bible made sense, the gospel had it's true power, his ministry changed the world and his enjoyment of God was possible for the first time.
Church is about God.The gospel is the message to get people reconciled back unto God. Power in the Holy Spirit is to reveal God's nature and kingdom. Doctrine should tip into something intensely personal to have served it's true purpose.
God is Immanuel, God with us.To miss out on the closeness of God and distribute recycled goods in God's name is dangerous, misrepresenting and lifeless. If information about God was enough, there would be no need for The Holy Spirit.Ministers without God is not just possible, but highly likely and likeable.
