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LAST WORD : NT CHRISTIANITY VS CHRISTIANITY TODAY
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Felt imperative to highlight one article - contrast NT Christianity with Christianity today - by AW TOZER.
"The Early Church was not an organisation merely, not a movement, but a walking incarnation of spiritual energy. The Church began in power, moved in power and moved just as long as she had power. When she no longer had power she dug in for safety and sought to conserve her gains... So we have had monasticism, scholarsticism, institutionalism.... For centuries the Church stood solidly against every form of worldly entertainment, recognising it for what it was - a device for wasting time, a refuge from the disturbing voice of conscience, a scheme to divert attention from moral accountability...But of late she appears to have decided that if she cannot conquer the great god Entertainment she may as well join forces with him and make what use she can of his power.... We are NOT producing saints. Our models are successful businessmen, celebrated athletes and theatrical personalities... We carry on our religious activities after the methods of the modern advertiser. Our homes have been turned into theaters. Our literature is shallow and our hymnody borders on sacrilege. AND SCARCELY ANYONE APPEARS TO CARE. Christ calls men to carry a cross; we call them to have fun in His name. He calls them to forsake the world; we assure them that if they but accept Jesus the world is their oyster. He calls them to suffer; we call tem to enjoy all the bourgeois comforts modern civilisation affords. A new Decalogue has been adopted by the neo-Christians of our day, the first word of which reads "Thou shalt not disagree" and a new set of Beatitudes too, which begins "Blessed are they that tolerate everything, for they shall not be made accountable for anything"... Imagine Moses agreeing to take part in a panel discussion with Israel over the golden calf; or Elijah engaging in a gentlemanly dialogue with the prophets of Baal. Or try to picture Jesus Christ seeking a meeting of minds with the Pharisees to iron out differences. THE BLESSING OF GOD IS PROMISED TO THE PEACEMAKER, BUT THE RELIGIOUS NEGOTIATOR HAD BETTER WATCH HIS STEP. DARKNESS AND LIGHT CAN NEVER BE BROUGHT TOGETHER BY TALK. SOME THINGS ARE NOT NEGOTAIBLE. "
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