This is not an assault on the Church. This is not a Bellian approach to reform the Church. I am not writing to tear down the institution. We have heard enough about how the Church at large has failed and how the flood of "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" has drenched the carpets of our churches. Enough is enough. Okay. The modern Church has missed the point. Got it. Enough whining. Among the last things God needs is a bunch of whimpering, pharisaical freaks who refuse to stand with His authority. So, no, I'm not bashing the Church here. Instead, I'd like to explain the simplicity of the Christian life. If we understand the simplicity of who we are personally then we will have no choice but to paint it, to proclaim it, to cultivate it, to promote it, to spread it, to sing it. It'll simply fall out of us.
The change starts personally before it wets the entire playing field.
Last week I was at church and found myself utterly distracted during the worship set. I couldn't focus my thoughts. I closed my eyes and asked God to "distract me from my distractions." The very asking became my distraction. Before I knew it, I was analyzing the snare tone, thinking about an upcoming trip, wondering about what I was going to eat for dinner, planning a drum lesson, and poking at deep (though peripheral) theological issues. For whatever reason, I was jolted out of my strangely hypnotic "prayer." I opened my eyes. It was a new beginning. I again asked God to take over. Knowing that it is counterintuitive to ask God to make me pray an earnest prayer, I began to simply worship Him. I began to tell Him who He is. God, you are the Redeemer. You are Lord. You are the King. You are the Creator. You are Love. You are all knowing, all loving, all encompassing. My prayer went on and on with simple declarations as I told God what He tries to tell me all the time. Eventually, my prayer ended. I sat in silence. I felt like it was time to listen. What is it you want to say to me, Father?
I heard Him say in a clear, uninhibited whisper, "My turn. Let me tell you who you are…" Just feeling His voice was enough to shake me up. I had to sit down. Check this out, Reader. I'm not making this up. The way He decided to romance me was beautifully unique. His words consumed and stung like fire but replenished and lingered like water.
He whispered, "If I am the Redeemer… you are redeemed. If I am Lord… then you are a serf. If I am the King… you are my servant. If I am the Creator… you are my creation. If I am Love… you are beloved. If I am all knowing, all loving, all encompassing… then you are safe and secure in my love." He didn't stop there! "If I am the Builder… you are my temple. If I am the head… you are the hands. If you are the Bride… I am the Groom. If I am the Savior… then you are saved. If I sanctify… you are sanctified. If I am Life… then you live abundantly." He went on and on almost simultaneously. I couldn't keep up.
My point is simply this: If we know who God is, we know who we are. Period. That is ALL we need to know. Everything else falls into place. After we understand God's definition for us, all the questions… all the questions about how the Church should operate, what songs we should sing during worship, if we should elect a Christian president, how we should treat a fallen pastor, whether speaking in tongues is appropriate, how we ought to pray, or how we should conduct meetings… seem to look an awful lot like heresy.
How do we answer life's questions? Who sends us out to be the Church? "Moses said to God, 'Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of you fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?' God said to Moses, 'I AM.' This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:13-14). So, why does God refer to Himself as "I AM"? Because if He is, then we are. His life is our life. He brings is-ness where there is nothingness (1 Corinthians 1:28).
What made God's revelation to me so brilliant was all in the way in which He chose to phrase it. He didn't simply tell me who I was. He told me who I was in relation to Himself. His phrasing implied action. In other words, He didn't say, "I am Love so you are beloved." Instead He said, "IF I am Love… then you are beloved." The operative word there is IF! It was as if He was asking me what I believe. "Who do you say I am?"
So, I'm asking you, Reader. What do you believe? Do you call yourself a Believer? Do you believe that God is all loving and is omniscient as well as omnipotent? God defines us. I dare you to believe that! Watch what happens when you truly believe who God is and what He says about you. It changes everything. It ironically simplifies everything.
If thousands upon thousands of us take on God's definition for us, the Church will no longer be probed by seething "atheistic Christians."
