The Pain of Authentic Christianity

Question: What Type of Christianity Do You Belong?

Cultural? NO REAL PARTICIPATION/ENGAGEMENT

Moralistic? ATTEMPTING TO BE A GOOD PERSON

Legalistic? ATTEMPTING TO EARN GOD’S FAVOR/ACCEPTANCE/SALVATION

Emotionalism? ATTEMPTING TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF AND LIFE

Sensationalism? ATTEMPTING TO EXPERIENCE ENTERTAINMENT, FUN, AND EXCITEMENT

Prosperity? ATTEMPTING TO LIVE LIKE A KING IN THIS LIFE

Authentic? (We will look at this for the rest of the message)

Why is this such a big deal? Why do I repeatedly ask this question in one form or another?

First, the struggles of life on this earth FORCE us to hunt out coping mechanisms and strategies:

We want to belong to a community—even if we don’t necessarily agree with ALL of their beliefs and practices (cultural christian)

We all desire to be a good person and to have a good name (moralistic christian)

We feel compelled to be at peace and in alignment with the universe, the gods, or God (legalism)

We ALL desire to feel good about ourselves, to have contentment, and to experience deep happiness (emotionalism)

We all want to experience wonder, awe, excitement, and adventure (sensationalism)

We ALL want to have success in this life (prosperity)

Now, to one extent or another, the God promises this to us through His word, but that does not mean that our INTERPRETATION and EXPECTATIONS are in alignment with the promises of GOd.

When we are out of alignment with the promises of God we pervert our understanding of God and His word. The consequences are huge:

God is less good and generous than we thought He was

God is more harsh and judgmental than we thought He was

Christianity is far less satisfying and joyful than we hopped

Other Christians are either massive hypocrites and false than you thought they would be

Others Christians are more liked and favored by God than you

Second, Scripture illustrates that incorrect, arrogant, and dishonest worship of the Lord results in our demise

Saul offered sacrifices for the people—by his own hands—instead of through a priest and he sought a psychic… which brought about the loss of his kingship and life.

David moving the ARK by his standards instead of God brought about the death of Uzza for touching it.

Solomon—though the wisest man on earth—neglected the commandments of God and took multiple wives from multiple nations; thus leading his heart astray from God.

Rehoboam rejects the concept that God empowered him to shepherd Israel and instead brags about the cruelty he will enact—thus, losing the kingdom.

Jeroboam’s lack of faith in God and desire to maintain his kingship leads him to institute false worship that, ultimately, results in Israel going into exile (he also becomes the standard of a bad king).

Judas betrays Jesus

The Judaizers who opposed Paul are considered an anathema and accursed.

The false and immoral teachers James describes are clouds without water.

Look at the instruction Peter provides as to HOW a BELIEVER should live in response to the work of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:1–12 ESV

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Conceptual Outline of the Text:

Be done with all things that hurt others for personal gain, ambition, or assessment (v. 1)

Be immersed in the Word of God for our development (v. 2)

Be aware that our Savior was rejected by men but is precious to the Father (v. 4)

Be aware that we are being built up by God for the worship of God (v. 5)

Be aware that belief in Christ does not result in our disappointment (v. 6)

Be aware the unbelief results in stumbling over and being offended at Christ and, ultimately, damnation (v. 7-8)

Be aware that God has made us His people to show us mercy and to boast in His excellent work in us (v. 9-10)

Because of all of this… we live as strangers to the ways of the world for the glory of God, our good, and our testimony to others (v. 11-12)

Does this describe us?

Are we Christians that:

Sacrifice for others?

Feast on God’s word?

Embrace rejection like Christ?

Grow in our worship of God?

Expectantly live for the return of Christ?

Take no offense at Christ Jesus?

Boast in the Lord?

Testify of God’s salvific love to others?

Main Point: Genuine Christianity is Neither Automatic or Easy, But it is both Immensely Rewarding and Refreshing

The Difficulty of Authentic Christianity is Two-fold:

First, our savior was rejected by men, so we should expect rejection from men.

Second, authentic Christianity involves a rejection our former life to the extent, that if there were no future hope of abiding with Christ, we would have lived such a miserable earthly life that we should be pitied above all men!Think about what we are to abstain from:

Our version of sexuality—we are to align our sexuality to the sexuality defined by God

Our version of relationships—we are to love others sacrificially and as we love ourselves

Our version of wisdom and knowledge—we are to study and consume the word of God

Our version of life—we are to live in such a way that God is glorified through us

What is Authentic Christianity?

Two Stages of Christianity:

Entrance into Christianity

Living within Christianity

Entrance:

By grace, embraced through faith

Brings about a complete change in nature

Living:

By grace, through the Spirit

By faith, in obedience

What is Worship?