Distractions
A Liberal Christian friend posted an article from the Baptist Standard, regarding the backlash directed against Southern Baptist seminary presidents. In a rare act of unity, these seminary presidents denounced the intrusion of critical race theory, intersectionality, and other so-called social justice movements into the church.
As I read the article, my only thought was “distractions.” The world is an ocean of thoughts and ideas. It is a universe of information. There is a bit of knowledge and pinch of wisdom. The church is so easily tempted into a rabbit trail race with the world. Like a dog who spots the squirrel and gives chase, the church pursues the world in vain.
The frequency of distraction in the church is aligned with its majestic alembic to “change the world.” The church imagines God has called it to be a change agent for the fallen world. When this is the misguided focus, ironically, the world establishes the agenda for the church. The world tells the church what is imperative, today. Sheep are easily led astray to do the bidding of wolves and prowling lions.
Why is the church ignorant of its raison d’etre? The Bible tells us there is a famine in the land, that is, a famine for the Word of God (Amos 8:11). Christians do not comprehend God’s will because they do not consume God’s Word, as their daily bread. If they did, we would hear much more rhetoric about the kingdom of God.
Jesus Christ is the King of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is at odds with the kingdom of this world, ruled by the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). As the strong man of this house, Satan was bound by Jesus’ act of war on the cross. The Spirit of Christ is now plundering the domain of darkness (Col 1:13). The mission is reconnaissance.
God is gathering His elect people from every nation (Rev 5:9). He is transferring His chosen people from darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Col 1:13). The method employed, to bring His lost sheep into the fold of the Good Shepherd, is to preach Christ crucified, the Word of God (1 Cor 2:2; 2 Tim 4:2).
The Sword of the Spirit is the means to set captives free from their bondage to sin and death (Is 61:1; Jn 8:32; Eph 6:17). Christians speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15), to liberate those confused in the quagmire of lies (Jn 8:44). Jesus Christ is the truth we tell others (Jn 14:6; Col 1:28). Every other message is a distraction to them.
Christ, the message of God, is what distinguishes the church from the world and the Christian from the pseudo-Christian. The pseudo-Christian is bored with the cross and the doctrines of the Bible. He is a man of the world, posing as a Christian. He is about as Christian, as a transgendered man is a legitimate player on the girls’ volleyball team.
The baseline for argumentation is that everything is broken in sin, except Jesus Christ. Sin is our inescapable reality in this world. Athletes think they are God. Businesspeople are greedy. Politicians are liars and hypocrites. Fat people are gluttons. Beautiful people are narcissists. You, my dear reader, are something in the realm of sin. You live in the dominion of Satan. The world is condemned to destruction by fire on the Day of the Lord (2 Pet 3:10–12). Therefore, Christians are encouraged to redeem the time, as ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20).
People of the world love the world; Christians do not love the world (1 Jn 2:15–17). People of the world love the things of the world; Christians love the things of God. People of the world boast in themselves and their accomplishments; Christians boast in the Lord Jesus, who alone is worthy of honor, glory, and praise.
Christian, examine yourself. Consider your idols — those things in the world that you consume with greater vigor and attention than Jesus Christ. What are you reading, listening to, and watching?
If your eyes are not fixed on Jesus, then feel free to question your faith because He is the One who is authoring it, in each of His beloved saints. Knowing that the world is one big distraction, the test of your faith is a rather simple exercise. In self-judging, ask why you are more interested in (fill in the blank) rather than Jesus Christ.
It is the devil enticing you to pursue the magnificent-other-than Christ. If God is merciful and gracious to show you the idols in your life, then confess your sins and misplaced affections. He is faithful and just to forgive you (1 Jn 1:9).
Repentance is a return to your first love. It is a reset button to re-order your life in the manner of Christ Jesus. He always did what was pleasing to the Father, and our ambition is to please Him (2 Cor 5:9), which is impossible without faith (Heb 11:6), which must increase, and that occurs by our growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18).
Who is our Helper in this world of distraction? It is the indwelling Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9, 11), who leads and guides the children of God into all truth (Jn 16:13). Giving us the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), it is the mind set on the Spirit that re-focuses the believer and refreshes her affections for Christ (Rom 8:6; Eph 4:23).
The heart and mind set on Christ is where love, joy, peace, and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit manifest (Gal 5:22–23). The world will know us by the fruit of the Spirit at work within us.
Here is my prompt dear brother or sister. Pray and ask for what you are missing, neglecting, forsaking in your walk with Christ. Pray for the grace to return to the narrow path. Pray that the Spirit would prevent you from deviating to the right or to the left, amidst the deviance of distraction. Consume Christ and He will consume you, that is, draw near to God and He will draw near to you. There is nothing better, nothing else.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
January 30, 2021
