When did Christianity books move into self help? see Joel Osteen and 'you best life now' and any number of life aplicatio teachers who promiuse that by their books you will fufill your potential . You will do this, you can do this.
For me recently, there have been two words written by Paul which have enlivened me, refreshed me and comforted me.
These two words come in Romans 8. they are 'God did'.
"What the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakned by the sinful nature, GOD DID by sending His own son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering."
I could go on about the riches of this verse - but my point must come soon. The point is that in this world, God is the initiator, who graciously chooses to use us, to get us involved in His Kingdom work.
"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does."
Jesus is the central action in God's redemptive work in creation. Without Jesus, our mediator, Messiah, High Priest and King, we have no more access to God.
You don't pull yourself up to God; He reaches down to save (he stoops - Psalms)
So - without Jesus, and realising that His work is finished on the cross, complete we reduce discipleship to self empowerment.
So - and this is the point - try downloading the google toolbar which enables you to search a sit for a phrase. Search a few websites from different denominations and see teh results. On one Hillsong networ site I found 16 instances of 'God' , about the same for the names of the pastors, in the twenties for 'potential' and 2 results for Jesus .....and they were for the one entry.
My own church - 68 mentions for God, 16 for Jesus ... 10 for the Holy Sprit
Now I know that there are problems of unfair comparison, particualry due to different levels of detail. But doesn't it point to the theology of the Church? especially as websites are almost a marketing tool to the world, a way to be culturally relevant?
So lets find peace in the finished work of Jesus, while still working out our salvation with fear and trembling. What Loius Giglio calls a 'furious rest '....
Matt
Matt Crossman
