In the words of Oswald Chambers:
“How much Christian work there is today which has never been disciplined, but has simply sprung into being by impulse! In our Lord’s life every project was disciplined to the will of His Father. There was not a movement of an impulse of His own will as distinct from His Father’s – ‘The Son can do nothing of Himself.’ Then take ourselves – a vivid religious experience, and every project born of impulse put into action immediately, instead of being imprisoned and disciplined to obey Christ.
This is a day when practical work is overemphasized, and the saints who are bringing every project into captivity are criticized and told that they are not in earnest for God or for souls. True earnestness is found in obeying God, not in the inclination to serve Him that is born of undisciplined human nature. It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints are not bringing every project into captivity, but are doing work for God at the instigation of their own human nature which has not been spiritualized by determined discipline.
We are apt to forget that a man is not only committed to Jesus Christ for salvation; he is committed to Jesus Christ’s view of God, of the world, of sin and of the devil, and this will mean that he must recognize the responsibility of being transformed by the renewing of his mind.” (Chambers, September 9th)
What about the activities of the modern Protestant church? Are they routinely passed through the filter of the Father’s scrutiny?
Is your church an introverted, self-serving private club for the Christian elite? Is the pastor expected to serve as the club entertainment director and steer your Christian cruise ship through calm waters without any rough seas or anxious moments for the passengers? Does the church staff invent activities to keep you well fed and entertained? Do church members know or even care about what they believe, why they believe it and what they should do about it? Does your church believe in the power of prayer, in healing and in separating theological truth from lie? Does the pastor ever mention sin, Satan and Hell?
What if Jesus came to evaluate every Sunday school class, every Bible Study, every outreach program and every Worship Service activity? Would He say, ‘Well done good and faithful servants’ or would He say, ‘Who told you to do these things’?
