Brighter Days

If I were to be honest -- and I will try to be just that -- my frustration was born out of two things:

1. Pride
2. Fear

Wow ... there's those two again. Pride because I too often consider my viewpoint to be the only viewpoint, and I get very frustrated when others don't agree. It's a real weakness of mine, particularly if I feel I am being mocked or dismissed. I am able to manage it better if the person with whom I am conversing is someone I have respect ... you, for instance. But if I've formed a negative impression of someone, that particular vice rears its ugly head with vengeance.

The fear part comes from a nagging fear in my mind that I may one day simply drift away from the Christian faith if I am not properly nourished in that faith. Some might chide me for not living "in assurance of Grace," but I would counter that it is far better to be wary of the temptation to drift than to not. There is a portrait in "Pilgrim's Progress" of a man locked in an iron cage. He tells his story -- a man who for years had all the external trappings of a good Christian, yet over time developed sinful habits he chose not to repent of. A hardening of his heart set in so that one day he discovered he could not muster sincere repentance. I can easily see the message Bunyan is trying to deliver there. I fear of becoming that man in the iron cage.

Note: there's no shortage of opportunity here to argue over the question of whether Grace, once granted, can be withdrawn; and whether Bunyan intended that to be the message of his portrayal of the man in the cage. For what it's worth, what I've seen explained is that drifting away is a possible indication of never having been saved, rather than Grace being withdrawn.

Anyway, that's why I experienced what I did today.

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I once went to see in person Alistair Begg, the radio minister who speaks with a Scottish accent. During his talk, he chided contemporary Christians for the "facile" subject matter of their prayers. He said that more often than not, corporate prayers end up being little more than a petty list of wants and desires.

I mention this simply because it aligns with what you wrote about your house group. I agree with you -- the things you listed would not be things I would consider worthy of prayer, particularly when so many other things in this world are crying out for prayerful consideration.

For what it's worth -- the sentiment you expressed that some (perhaps many?) embrace "Christianity" as a form of "insurance policy" against going to Hell is one I've heard preached many times as well. I suspect it's a relatively widespread approach to the "faith," such as it is.

I don't like that kind of "Christianity." It holds no particular allure for me.

* * *

You wrote: '... peace can only come when both sides realise that they are on the same side - the side of "humanity."' That is the dilemma, isn't it? The Islamic terrorists are not reasonable. They are very clever, but not reasonable. So from a Christian point of view, are we to simply allow ourselves to get slaughtered? Are we as Christians to look on while others kill innocent people, and do nothing about it? The Bible is full of examples of God using the armies of man to accomplish his goals. What's to say the military might of the civilized of this world isn't being marshalled for the destruction of evil?