RUNNING AWAY FROM CHRIST
THE ORDINARY PEOPLE ONLY PRAY TO God when they are in trouble or difficulty and this is partly due to the church. The church has been defensive, inward-looking, lacking in social concern, cowardly in speaking out about moral issues, at times reluctant to face the truth. It is the church, not Jesus Christ, that is the stumbling-block for the ordinary people. People escape from facing the challenge of Christian standards of behavior and Christian discipleship. They are afraid of being reminded about the God we would rather forget, afraid of letting our lives to be scrutinized and spring cleaned by God, afraid of what people would say if we are on the side of Jesus Christ.The escapism which drives us to a fantasy world is caused by the mess the world is in, the mess society is in, and the mess our lives are in. one of the routes of escapism here is sex. People raise propaganda that sex satisfies, sex fulfills. The result of this is a rise in veneral diseases, illegitimate births, psychological disturbances and crime rate. Another route is irresponsibility and selfishness. This has led to increase drug habit, trying to run from the harsh realities of life into a cosy world of make-believe and the pleasant sensations induced by drugs. Eastern meditation is another form of escapism which is contrary to Christian meditation in which there’s communion with a personal God of the Bible in order to face the responsibilities of daily life with love and compassion. The Eastern meditation entails the withdrawal of the holy men from concerns of daily life, making them parasites on the community sending nations like India in states of semi-starvation. Some escape Christianity by becoming conformists to the shreds of post-Christian decencies and good deeds that still linger around the contemporary ethical scene. Some say they go to church because it makes them feel good, while others escape from their own conscience by being generous, or being decent. Saul of Tarsus has been decent for years before his conversion. We also have gambling, drinking and smoking which are more ways of escapism as well as scientific utopias. The rat race is a popular route for escapism; get a good job, earn more money, get a car, a house etc. whatever you do, don’t allow yourself time to wonder what life is all about because it is too depressing. That’s how many people behave.People practicing this irresponsible attitude accuse the Christians of running away from reality. It is not new but former companions may think you’ll no longer be part of their rioting and say any thing about you but it shouldn’t bother you (Peter 4:4,5) God will not allow them to lie for ever (Psalm 39; Isaiah 28:4-7). Those who’ve made the church as their escape route will be exposed to the truth of Jesus Christ (1Peter 4:17). God has been disclosed by Jesus who came in our midst as he declares that ‘I am the truth' and we shall be judged by our relations to him.
THE ORDINARY PEOPLE ONLY PRAY TO God when they are in trouble or difficulty and this is partly due to the church. The church has been defensive, inward-looking, lacking in social concern, cowardly in speaking out about moral issues, at times reluctant to face the truth. It is the church, not Jesus Christ, that is the stumbling-block for the ordinary people. People escape from facing the challenge of Christian standards of behavior and Christian discipleship. They are afraid of being reminded about the God we would rather forget, afraid of letting our lives to be scrutinized and spring cleaned by God, afraid of what people would say if we are on the side of Jesus Christ.The escapism which drives us to a fantasy world is caused by the mess the world is in, the mess society is in, and the mess our lives are in. one of the routes of escapism here is sex. People raise propaganda that sex satisfies, sex fulfills. The result of this is a rise in veneral diseases, illegitimate births, psychological disturbances and crime rate. Another route is irresponsibility and selfishness. This has led to increase drug habit, trying to run from the harsh realities of life into a cosy world of make-believe and the pleasant sensations induced by drugs. Eastern meditation is another form of escapism which is contrary to Christian meditation in which there’s communion with a personal God of the Bible in order to face the responsibilities of daily life with love and compassion. The Eastern meditation entails the withdrawal of the holy men from concerns of daily life, making them parasites on the community sending nations like India in states of semi-starvation. Some escape Christianity by becoming conformists to the shreds of post-Christian decencies and good deeds that still linger around the contemporary ethical scene. Some say they go to church because it makes them feel good, while others escape from their own conscience by being generous, or being decent. Saul of Tarsus has been decent for years before his conversion. We also have gambling, drinking and smoking which are more ways of escapism as well as scientific utopias. The rat race is a popular route for escapism; get a good job, earn more money, get a car, a house etc. whatever you do, don’t allow yourself time to wonder what life is all about because it is too depressing. That’s how many people behave.People practicing this irresponsible attitude accuse the Christians of running away from reality. It is not new but former companions may think you’ll no longer be part of their rioting and say any thing about you but it shouldn’t bother you (Peter 4:4,5) God will not allow them to lie for ever (Psalm 39; Isaiah 28:4-7). Those who’ve made the church as their escape route will be exposed to the truth of Jesus Christ (1Peter 4:17). God has been disclosed by Jesus who came in our midst as he declares that ‘I am the truth' and we shall be judged by our relations to him.
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