Saturday, July 23, 2011

How Pietism Deceives Christians

Read this article tonight: "How Pietism Deceives Christians"; it's good. I can relate to some of what the author is writing about. For several years I had the mind set that I was a "radical" Christian because my life revolved around evangelism--a daily and nightly thing. Everywhere I went: a gospel tract had to be handed out; had to find a way to interject the gospel into every conversation; had to be reading theological books around the clock; listening to sermons non-stop. As a result, I looked down on Christians who were not like me. I was prideful, and a pietist as the article brings to light. My deception of; "a true Christian is someone who focuses all their energy on evangelism, because that's what God cares about," was beginning to affect other areas of my life. Those areas are as follows: when I should have been strengthening relationships with family members, my head was buried in theology books; when I should have been working diligently unto the Lord at work, rather than trying to read my Bible, memorize verses, and witness to co-workers--I was cheating my employer by not setting a good Christ like fruit of the Spirit example. I was neglecting just about every other area of life, failing to see that Christ has come to remove the curse as far as it is found, as Issac Watts once sang, and this happens by living out the fruits of the Spirit in every area of life, by the grace that Christ supplies. God is just as pleased with me when I spend time with my family, as when I am out evangelizing; God is just as pleased with me when I am at my secular (common) job, as when I am out evangelizing; God is just as pleased with me when I rest from my labors and enjoy life, as when I am out evangelizing. Why so? Because Christ is my justification and my sanctification as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians.