Sometimes, the world of fiction gives us descriptions that are more incisive than many a theological description. Read the following excerpt from a fiction book that I am reading. The book is based in very early 20th century England, before WWI. But, see if the description does not actually fit far too many Christians of whatever stripe.
Fortunately, in the case of Terrance . . . he believed in God and the Church. Not, of course, the kind of honest and open-hearted belief that would also have protected him . . . no, indeed. He believed in the comfortable, dozing-in-the-pew sort of orthodoxy that promised him Heaven in return for the weekly offering and an occassional high tea for the clergy. He liked his clergymen modern–that is, a fellow who would talk to him about hunting and dogs and fishing, and not about uncomfortable things like the state of the poor and the exploitation of the mill-worker, or abstract things like morals and conscience. He certainly was not comfortable with those who took too close an interest in the state of his soul, but preferred those who reassured him without actually saying anything that his soul was in good repair and a place waited for him in Heaven–a Heaven populated by Cambridge men who would see his worth at a glance and give him the respect and deference he simply was not getting here on earth. That this Heaven would also include plebeians who would fawn over his every word and beg to serve him went without saying.
I heard one radio pastor talk about people who want “just enough God.” What did he mean? It means that they want just enough of God to make it to Heaven. It was interesting that that pastor also commented on how many of our people are Sunday-only people. That is, the people who, like the man above, come with the idea that having attended worship on Sunday, and giving regularly to the church, they are now clearly on the path to meet Our Lord Jesus Christ someday. These people are those who also consider it an imposition when the Church has the temerity to ask anything additional of them. Have they not done their duty?
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”
Will god not have mercy upon those that don’t quite measure up?
Then there are the ones that believe that they are actually aquiring for themselves points for all that they are doing “for God”.
So they throw themselves at the project of trying to become all they can be, trusting that “certainly this can’t hurt my standing with the Almighty”.
Maybe it can.
Since none of us measure up, it automatically means that God always has mercy on those that don’t quite measure up. But, notice that the final line is God saying that he never knew them.
However, Americans, in particular, have been prone to downsizing the faith far beyond what Jesus himself said. No Early Church Father would have tried to argue that the man pictured above was a Christian and that we are being judgmental if we consider him anything else. Here you have the Lord saying at the Final Judgment, “I never knew you . . .” and the typical American Christian arguing that it could not really be so.
I do not think that most American Protestants realize how much they have robbed the faith of any requirements in a false fear of “works-righteousness.” Remember, the USA is the country of “cheap” salvation. Just accept the Lord, nothing else is necessary, even if your life does not change, and even if there is no evidence that you have repented.
I don’t think how many works oriented churches have realized how they have robbed people of knowing the full grace of our Lord Jesus without ANY strings attached.
For the Pharisees were all about their works and the publican could not even hold his head up to the Lord (he had done NOTHING)
Which one went away justified?
In Matthew 25, when they assembled before the King, he spoke of them doing this or that to the least of these. They had no recollection of it. I bet those in the church that are concentrated on their good works today will have a recollection of it. How could they not, it is burned into their psyche. If you remember, many were turned away who had performed good works. They weren’t trusting in God but their own efforts.
Motivation is key. Motivation by the law or by the freedom of Christ inspired by the Spirit?
I know plenty of folks who belong to churches that do not preach one word about the need to go out and do good works to grow in holiness or be elevated in the eyes of God and those folks live to give to others. freely and uncoerced even if it’s a gentle coersion practiced by semi-pelagian churches.
Hey, I’m a grace guy. What can I say?
Thanks Fr. Obregon!
ROFL, as with most things it is a matter of finding the difficult balance. John Calvin argued for the perseverance of the saints. In other words, if you did not persevere, obviously you were not saved. Luther argued for what you are saying. The danger of Calvin is a performance based Christianity. The danger of Luther is a libertinism that destroys the faith.
Orthodoxy is neither quite Protestant nor quite Roman. But, in many ways it is closer to Lutheranism than to Calvinism.
Speaking of Libertinism, what is the answer as to why Christ died for us?
(clue – Gal.5:1)
If I was to err, I would much rather err on the side of God’s grace for me, rather than my efforts for for God.
St. Paul tells us in Galatians (also) that if we want to play the game of our performance than we sever ourselves from Christ.
Here’s another good one, ” For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, iit is the GIFT OF GOD, NOT BECAUSE OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.
Workers get what is rightfully due them.
I’ll take my chances with Libertinism, thank you very much.
You can probably tell how much I take Christ for granted with all that I talk about Him and evrything.