Dear Brother Jar Jar,
nice sermon. I was touched, however, by the comments made by Mr. Bo No. It's funny, but to see the guy, you would never know the crap he's lived through. I guess that's like all of us, though, and why we should be careful to watch our big mouths.
Unfortunately, however, I don't have that particular "gift," so I sometimes come across as a bit insensitive and rough. Don't get me wrong, I'm not developing a guilt-conscience over it; I think truth, even harsh truth, is better than the softest lie we can tell. As someone who has lived with the latter and experienced the former, I much prefer the former even though it can cause hurt feelings and pain. In the end, it is, as Christ said in John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
I guess that's why I think we always need to focus on as strict an interpretation of Scripture as possible and not allow ourselves to be swung by every "good idea" that's out there. I was, therefore, not necessarily surprised when Mr. Bo No mentioned the so-called "Alpha Course" as part of the reason for his "conversion" to Christ. The problem, however, is that it not only helps to "validate" this "system" in the eyes of new and even some old believers, but skews the focus away from what was really happening in Mr. Bo No's life.
Christianity is not a "life group," an "Alpha Course," or a 12-Step program to a better life. Christianity is a struggle because it is a conscious decision to swim up-river against what appears to be a raging current. To some, if not all, this seems irrational and foolish. Yet, like the salmon, those who are called of God feel or are often compelled to do this.
We don't do this because we have a death wish or a desire for martyrdom. We didn't wake up one day and say "gosh, my life is not tough enough already, I think I'll make it "easier" by taking on the powers of hell themselves." We Christians do this because we are convinced that what is in front of us is of greater value than what we are leaving behind, despite the struggle, risks, and efforts that it requires.
That doesn't mean we are leaving behind our "baggage" or our "problems" any more than a family "leaves" behind their relatives or their bills and obligations when they move away or go on vacation. It just means that we are trading one burden (the burden of our sins, and the consequences of that, which is eternal damnation) for the "burden" of being a follower of Christ. In fact, Christ said in Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light." Now a yoke is what an animal pulling a load wears while the master sits behind and guides it to where it needs to go.
In Hebrews 11:25-26 we read that Moses chose to suffer with his people rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin and regarded the "reproach (ie. suffering) of Christ" greater than the "the riches of Egypt." In other words, he preferred to suffer as Christ did, abandoning what may have been an "easy" life to serve as a servant of God in the wilderness.
As for Mr. Bo No, he rejoices that God brought safely into the arms of Christ after a long, cruel and hard struggle. That is, indeed, a blessing. But I also hope and pray for the many others "saved" by the so-called "Alpha Course," that they realise they didn't come into a "safe harbour" when they accepted Christ, but to a turbulent river, which they will have to struggle against through faith and hope in the one they believe in.
By accepting Christ Jesus as Saviour and Lord, they have, in fact, traded the "yoke" and burden of the world for the "yoke" and burden of Christ. Now, personally, I struggle against Christ's yoke as much as I do against the yoke of the world, which is manifest in the tempations and passions that are in it. That is why, being no less a man of flesh and sinful desires, and subject to temptation, I don't, necessarily, want to go where Christ leads me anymore than anyone else.
We see this even among people we consider to be "solid" Christians, who, though grounded in the faith and demonstrating every good work imaginable, suddenly fall off the wagon and backslide into sin. The trouble is the rest of cannot see how this can happen to a supposedly real or "solid" Christian, and hence we condemn that man or woman as being either a fraud, or not being a "genuine Christian" like "us."
Now comes the Alpha Course, and other methodologies like it. These were created by what some believe is the "perfect plan" to "get" people "saved"; and virtually fool-proof because of the relatively soft approach it takes to not "offend" people or "scare" them into salvation. In the process, however, many people now virtually worship a human-made system over God's system, and created an idol which is put before God in the same way the statue of Mary is before Christ in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
This is idolatry, both in essence and in fact. It is the raising up and worship of the method, rather than the ends of it, which is the Saviour, Jesus Christ, to whom it ostensibly points. Morever it establishes a human-based precedent rather affirms the a God-based one.
I was baptised in 1992, even though I was a professing Christian since I was about 11. I had accepted responsibility (guilt) for my sin, and asked God, through Jesus Christ, to forgive me so that I would not be condemned eternally to hell. I didn't ask for a 'relationship' with God, nor did I ask God to "free me" of my addictions, bad behaviours, or make me rich and my life easy. In fact I can honestly say that since my conversion, I have had more grief, sadness, disappointment, frustration, and pain than I ever thought possible or even wanted. Yet, despite these things, I continue to believe in Him who called me because, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul tells us that when the Israelites passed through the water, they were "baptised." They also ate the same spiritual meat, and drank from the same spiritual Rock (Christ) as their spiritual heirs, the Christians, do to this day. Despite all this, many fell into sin and God destroyed them. Perhaps, that is the reason Paul tells us that "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (verses 11-12)
The process, therefore, begun with salvation, and "consummated" by baptism, is not over. We call it "sanctification" and when we walk into sin again we call it 'backsliding.' The struggle, therefore, doesn't "end" when we come to Christ and/or get baptised; rather it begins anew, but on a level far higher and with far greater consequences than before.It is, therefore, important that the message of the Gospel be preached with authority and power. This is to ensure that those who come to Christ are coming to Him for salvation, and not, as might be argued in the case of Mr. Bo No and others, to a parachute into a "better life." This is simply not going to be the case.
Paul, in Hebrews 6:9, said he was "persuaded" of the "better things" in his congregation because they not only had a grounding in salvation and doctrine but that they would bear fruit. This, ultimately, is the litmus test of any conversion. Any tree will bear fruit in its proper season, and in accordance with the kind of tree it is. By the same token, however, it also doesn't necessarily mean those baptised or saved, will convert dozens of people, good though that would be.
It could be that someone meeting a person like Mr. Bo No will see the fruit they bear as a Christian, eat it, and the seed in that fruit will grow into salvation in their lives. But whether it happens or not is irrelevant; it is the act of "bearing the fruit" which provides evidence of the indwelling power of God. It shows that the "plant" is alive and growing, to the glory of God the Father.
As Christ says, He is the vine and we are the branches; and we cannot bear fruit unless we are part of Him. It is, therefore, up to God to not only bear fruit in us, but to bring in the "harvest" as well (Luke 10:2).
The so-called Alpha course, I fear, upends this paradigm by changing the proof of salvation from a qualitative property into a quantitative one. It says "look at the amount of fruit you can collect by using this system," rather than "look at the fruit that the Holy Spirit provides."
We must, therefore, be very, very careful with the so-called Alpha Course and not think too highly of it, or other materials like it. Christianity is not a cakewalk but conscious decision to flee the world and embrace the Kingdom of God through the saving power of Jesus. It is a hard road, not an easy one. Indeed, by the standards of the age or any age, it can be considered insane to choose this path, regardless of the 'benefits' that might accrue in this world, should any do. But for those looking to the eternal and ever-lasting, for those in love with what is at the head of the "river" and willing to be yoked by Christ and carry his burden and reproach, it is also the only one.
In your sermon, I believe you alluded to this and for that I am grateful. I like to think that Mr. Bo No, and others who made a public commitment to Jesus, whether they came through Alpha, a youth group, or an even more obscure route, felt the same convicting power of the Holy Spirit that led me to that same decision so many years ago..
Some Christians are, indeed, yet infants in Christ, and are not yet able or not mature enough in the faith to digest the meat of what I have shared with you. But these infants cannot drink milk all the time lest they not grow and produce, any more than an immature tree can bear fruit. You know this, I know this, and God knows this. I just hope and pray that, through admonishment, prayer, and the continuing sanctification of the Holy Spirit, along with the firm guidance of Biblical truth, that they will bear much fruit, and that God will use them for His glory.
Like I said, it's not easy. These 'babes' have been plunged into a raging river and have chosen to walk through a narrow gate. Pray for them, as I do, and give God the glory. Pray, also, for me, as I, like them, also continue to struggle against the current, and towards the prize of salvation that can only be found in Jesus Christ our Lord.
God bless you brother Jar Jar.
In Christ,
I.M. Ulysses.
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