Bigger, better, more?

 
Someone close to us belongs to a large cult. Yesterday he called and boasted of an upcoming international gathering that would be a huge bonus to the city he lives in. Several times he mentioned that thousands of people would attend. I didn’t know what to say, but the Apostle Paul did. 

He wrote to the church at Corinth that were inundated with false teachers. He first urged them to keep the promise they made in giving, and to do it without expecting any payback. However, he also told them that, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. . . . (because) He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:6–12)

Then he addressed the boasting of the false teachers by reluctantly doing the same thing, but not boasting about his power but his hardships and weaknesses…

To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands. (2 Corinthians 11:21–33)

Thinking of this, I could have told the cult member who boasted of the size of their gathering that I’ve seen God do amazing things through one person or just a few. What about the boy who offered five loaves and two fish? What about Paul? What about Martin Luther, or Billy Graham? God isn’t interested in the efforts of many and their boastings. 

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

He offers redemption and eternal life through the efforts of One, and through the weakness of His death. He uses ordinary men and women who are weak in themselves and relying on His grace and power to do whatever He asks. Paul learned this:

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7–10)

With that description, Paul challenges his readers to make certain they have faith and that Christ lives in them. It isn’t about their numbers or power, it is about Jesus and their love for Him. 

PRAY: I understand Paul’s thinking. He was glad when he was weak because You could then use him to reach and strengthen others. Again, this is not about boasting or trying to make an impression with numbers or statistics. You use weakness, and while I don’t like it, I do know that when I am weak, others can be blessed.

God, be merciful. . . .

  

Someone I know belongs to a cult that does not recognize Jesus as God the Son. He recently said, “Jesus has done it all. All we need to do is believe.” While that sounds hopeful that he understands the gospel, Jesus also said:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21–23)

This person says many right words, yet his focus is on the future. He looks forward to a new earth where all is made well. A little voice inside of me says, “But what about now? What about the promise of a new life and an intimate relationship with the Lord that changes life each day?”

Piper writes about the seriousness of being authentic. He points to the parable of the sower to show that making a decision for Christ may start out with some form of commitment, but living for Christ does not necessarily follow. My friend does not fit this category. He has been faithful to his beliefs for decades.

However, that particular cult holds the idea that Jesus died to give them the right to earn their salvation. They have a strange list of what that means. Not only that, if anyone decides to leave them, they are shunned and lose any hope. In other words, salvation is about adhering to their belief system and if someone says otherwise, they cannot belong or be saved.

The gospel is clear to those who DO have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He says of them:
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) Much of the NT has words about knowledge of eternal life:

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:13–15)

With this person, there is no talk of answered prayer, only of personal and organizational accomplishments. While he said Jesus has done it all, nothing specific is shared, only his focus on the future with no more problems. 

I cannot judge or hope to know what all this means for him, but I do know what it says to me; don’t take my own profession of faith as reality without the consequences the Bible says will go with it. Some basics: Know Jesus is God in the flesh. He is Lord and gives me the Spirit so I can obey Him. I trust Him alone for eternal life; nothing I do can earn or deserve it. My attitude to sin has changed; I fight it — instead of always giving in to it. New life is from Jesus and God uses all things to transform me to be like Him. 

For all this, the Bible also says: 

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5)
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13–14)
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. . . . (Matthew 7:15–20)

PRAY: Jesus, You described a religious Pharisee who prayed boasting in what he had done. The prayer of a tax collector was, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” When talking with my friend, I need to remember that no one has anything to boast about. I also need to do the same when looking in a mirror.