Monday, September 3, 2012

Contending With Loveless Churches, Part 1

by Jerry Sheppard

"A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13: 34, ESV).

The Complacent Believer's Relationship With God

The spiritual condition of today`s church is not good. Even in the personal lives of individual Christians, they are better known for their worldliness than their godliness. Many have personal struggles that reveal a lack of faith in a God who has redeemed them. Why are we Christians not better examples for Christ? Noted British author Selwyn Hughes wrote this interesting but challenging observation about many Christians today:
"Many Christians are not good samples of the faith we profess. We claim that the focus of our lives has been shifted from ourselves to God, yet we are chronically selfish still. We talk of the first grace being humility, but we are so proud. We speak about a peace that passes all understanding, and yet we are restless within. We claim to be children of the King, yet we walk around feeling inferior. We say that perfect love casts out all fear, yet we are as fearful as the next person. We pray daily and ask God to forgive our trespasses "as we forgive those who trespass against us", but still harbour resentments and are no strangers to bitterness.