Christian Fellowship Community Group
A safe place for Christians who Love Jesus Christ to meet and ask for prayer and share scriptures from the bible. We value the posting of Christian music, poems, stories and also personal testimonies. Please let us know your needs, concerns and have some fun getting to know each other. We treat each other with respect.
The wisdom of the fathers
THE LAST SIN TO GO
...To be a true Christian requires that we agree to forfeit the approval of the world. Yet so human are we that this desire to please our fellow men remains with us long after other sins have departed. Mostly we compromise the matter by narrowing the circle of persons whose approval we seek. We write off the sinful worldling as impossible to please and give ourselves no concern about whether or not he approves us. Along with him go the liberal, the modernist, the cultist and a host of others like him. Then we begin to congratulate ourselves that we "fear the face of no man", that we are fearless cross-carrying saints who care nothing for the blame or the praise of men.
Maybe so, but where is the Christian who is actually dead to public opinion? For the most part we are merely dead to the opinion of certain sections of the public, and have preserved to ourselves other smaller groups whose opinion we value very much indeed. I have noticed how this tendency runs throughout all humans society. The "highbrow" scorns the favour of the vast majority of mankind, but eagerly courts the favour of his little circle of fellow highbrows and is broken-hearted if they frown upon him.
Among Christians things are not much different. A preacher earns the reputation of being "fearless" by attacking liberals, Catholics, liquor and immorality, but fawns at the feet of his own little group. He may boldly insult the Pope, but would never dare to cross the monied deacon in his congregation nor express a theological opinion which he knew to be contrary to the mass opinion of the religious group with whom he associates. He is perfectly willing to make enemies of everyone who does not share the opinions of his denomination, but is careful not to offend anyone in the denomination who is in a position to make him suffer for it.
I cannot believe in the spirituality of any Christian man who keeps an eye open for the approval of others, whoever they may be. The man after God's own heart must be dead to the opinion of his friends as well as his enemies. He must be as willing to cross important persons as obscure one. He must be ready to rebuke his superior as quickly as those who may be beneath him on the ecclesiastical ladder. To reprove one man in order to gain the favour of another is no evidence of moral courage. It is done in the world all the time.
We'll never be where we should be in our spiritual lives until we are so devoted to Christ that we ask no other approbation than His smile. When we are wholly lost in Him the frantic effort to please men will come to an end. The circle of persons we struggle to please will be narrowed to One. Then we will know true freedom, but not a moment before. (by A. W. Tozer)
THE LAST SIN TO GO
...To be a true Christian requires that we agree to forfeit the approval of the world. Yet so human are we that this desire to please our fellow men remains with us long after other sins have departed. Mostly we compromise the matter by narrowing the circle of persons whose approval we seek. We write off the sinful worldling as impossible to please and give ourselves no concern about whether or not he approves us. Along with him go the liberal, the modernist, the cultist and a host of others like him. Then we begin to congratulate ourselves that we "fear the face of no man", that we are fearless cross-carrying saints who care nothing for the blame or the praise of men.
Maybe so, but where is the Christian who is actually dead to public opinion? For the most part we are merely dead to the opinion of certain sections of the public, and have preserved to ourselves other smaller groups whose opinion we value very much indeed. I have noticed how this tendency runs throughout all humans society. The "highbrow" scorns the favour of the vast majority of mankind, but eagerly courts the favour of his little circle of fellow highbrows and is broken-hearted if they frown upon him.
Among Christians things are not much different. A preacher earns the reputation of being "fearless" by attacking liberals, Catholics, liquor and immorality, but fawns at the feet of his own little group. He may boldly insult the Pope, but would never dare to cross the monied deacon in his congregation nor express a theological opinion which he knew to be contrary to the mass opinion of the religious group with whom he associates. He is perfectly willing to make enemies of everyone who does not share the opinions of his denomination, but is careful not to offend anyone in the denomination who is in a position to make him suffer for it.
I cannot believe in the spirituality of any Christian man who keeps an eye open for the approval of others, whoever they may be. The man after God's own heart must be dead to the opinion of his friends as well as his enemies. He must be as willing to cross important persons as obscure one. He must be ready to rebuke his superior as quickly as those who may be beneath him on the ecclesiastical ladder. To reprove one man in order to gain the favour of another is no evidence of moral courage. It is done in the world all the time.
We'll never be where we should be in our spiritual lives until we are so devoted to Christ that we ask no other approbation than His smile. When we are wholly lost in Him the frantic effort to please men will come to an end. The circle of persons we struggle to please will be narrowed to One. Then we will know true freedom, but not a moment before. (by A. W. Tozer)
Too many Christians today , compromise their beliefs , so that they seem less "Judgmental" or offensive to society
Do not compromise your belief in the work of Jesus , just so you fit into todays society.
Excellent message