A Passion for God’s Word
Today I was talking on the phone with a friend of mine about something we both desire to see in those we teach and preach to - a passion for God’s Word. We were talking about how some Christians seem to have no desire to read the Bible. Beyond the possibility that true regeneration may be the issue, it got me thinking about how God’s Word is approached in most of the American church today.
The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian. –AW. Tozer
I believe there is a two fold problem within the church visible today - almost exclusively in America. First and foremost is a departure from good, solid Biblical preaching and teaching. Think about it. If congregations rarely see the church proclaiming God’s Word with boldness and fire then why should they read it? Most churches today are comprised of a few entertaining “worship” songs and a twenty minute sermon on your best life now where if any Scripture is used it is often twisted beyond recognition. The issue at hand is that while most churches herald their belief that Scripture is inerrant and infallible they deny the functional authority of Scripture by their actions. Many in the church today sit through nothing more than a pep talk on Sunday morning then they go off to a Sunday school class that focuses more on a curriculum than God’s Word. Those two factors alone demonstrate a lack of trust in the functional authority of Scripture. Expositional preaching and teaching is what we need to begin the process of instilling a passion for God’s Word in the lives of people. Of course, without regeneration the desire to read God’s Word, obey it and desire to be conformed into the image of Christ is lacking. But maybe that is the problem - without the preaching and teaching of the full counsel of God’s Word we’re packing the pews of many churches with unregenerate people who are being told they are saved all-the-while without a passion for holiness, a passion to know God and obey Him through His Word and without a passion for conformity to Christ-likeness. So, here is definitely one reason there is a lack of passion for God’s Word in the church today - namely the church is not heralding the functional authority of Scripture as evidenced by the actions and dependency on “method” and “curriculum”.
Secondly, I believe that without holiness and a genuine regeneration by the Holy Spirit (which happens through hearing the full counsel of God’s Word - the Gospel of Jesus Christ) the majority of people who line church pews today hear one thing coming out of the mouths of preachers, teachers and other Christians and then see with their eyes lives that are lived in contradiction to the Word of God. For example, look at the rows and rows of “self help” and psycho-pop books that line the shelves of “Christian” bookstores today. It’s as if we’re telling everyone the Bible’s either not good enough or cannot be used for today’s situations in our lives. Right there we have a clear indication of the lack of dependancy on the functional authority of Scripture even while proclaiming inerrancy and infallibility.
Bottom line, a passion for God’s Word first and foremost comes from our Almight God taking a heart of stone and turning it into a heart of flesh, opening the eyes of a sinner to their depravity and granting them saving repentance and faith. Through that miracle transformation comes a new creature. This new man, indwelt by the Spirit of Christ, yearns and longs for the solid food of God’s Word. He yearns and longs to obey God - to not just be a hearer of the Word but a doer. Yes, we fall. Yes, we have seasons of spiritual dryness but the Holy Spirit convicts us and brings us through a continual state of synergistic sanctification conforming us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. So we must start with true regeneration and that happens when the glorious gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is proclaimed with power and boldness to soil prepared by God. It all gets back to the church needing desperately to return to the Bible - to the Christ exalting Words of Holy Writ. When true regenerated Christians get together they yearn to talk about the things of God. This passion alone can be seen by others and the trust, dependancy and obedience to God’s written Word becomes a living example to light the fire of passion for others. We need leaders in the church today to boldly proclaim the Word of God - all of it!
As we study the horrible downfall of Israel & Judah in the book of Jeremiah one must be in awe of both the wrath of God on sin and the faithfulness and mercy of God to His chosen covenant people. We see an incredible story of Israel’s worship of God and their ability to quickly turn from Him and chase after idols. Things begin to come to a head as we reach the major prophets as God calls His people to repentance. He requires them to turn from their wicked ways, wash their hands of sin and return to the one true God of Israel. Prophet after prophet is sent by His hand to warn this straying people. Based on the outcome there appears to be little hope. One prophet in particular, Jeremiah, relates a dark and terrible time in Israel’s journey. Can there come a point that God will not relent and take out His wrath on His elect in order to not only punish but cleanse? Will interceding through prayer make a difference when this level of sin becomes a reality?
One cannot read through the passion of Christ in the gospels and not weep at the profound humiliation, abuse and suffering our Savior went through. Even more profound is that while we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus dies for us (Romans 5:8) and if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10) Because of God’s eternal love for us, He sent His Son to die for our sins by shedding His blood on the cross and bearing the wrath we so deserve. This our Lord did willingly for us. Through faith and trust in Christ and His crosswork (the Puritans referred to Christ’s saving work on the cross as crosswork) we are forgiven of our sins and obtain the imputed righteousness of the spotless Lamb of God. This is amazing grace!
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