Really, though, I was hinting more at the ‘professing’ Christian culture rather than the actual elect themselves. It is the culture, in it’s dumbing down of doctrine (while ironically making Christianity a simple act of the mind), lowering of standards, ignorance of the call to holiness, and basic Arminianism that widens the gate of Jesus’ call to repent, that I specifically had in mind.

It needs to be preached, there is an answer. It is not without hope. Then too, we must realized that Ecc 1 is Scripture too. It is not fruitless. I wish I could understand the wisdom of God that he has seen it should be this way. I think one part of it is that people like you who will tell others that vain worship is no worship at all are forced in to service. God forbid if you do not preach the Gospel, right? Even the elect are warned to be diligent, and a prophet will not go without reward.

It’s been a long while since I’ve read your blog. I’m glad you’re still thoughtful and contemplative. Still interested in pastoring?

Thanks for asking, brother. I hope you too are doing well in the Lord.

I thought the two tragic words were 21st Century and American. ; )

Seriously though, it is amazing that the “old guys” saw these same problems in their own place and time. For Ryle, it was the 19th Century and Liverpool, England. My guess is this, while they pointed to decadence and the depravity of narcissism in their own time, it was their faithfulness to the message of the Gospel that turned some men around. As a prophet is not without honor except in his own town, Liverpool gave us the Beatles. Though we have had sound voices, their time is not yet. Decadence and sensuality have not fully drawn the church into the pit. When they do, we can be sure that there will be a Jeremiah there telling the people how they got there, and how to get out.

Our biggest mistake it to say of ourselves that it won’t happen to us, were to smartsy. We’ve come a long way, baby! We’ve read the Scripture, we have all these “old guys” guiding us, surely we are not like those sinners….

How then to raise the standard of persecution from without and thereby raise the standard of obedience within? Preach this Isaiah 53 with this Psalm 2. Tell the world he is coming and he is not happy.

I am not as pessimistic or fatalistic as it appeared above, but I am saying this, it is not over until its over. Which is one reason that the “old guys” are a valuable read. They have already been where we are, and they point to where we will return. The Word crys out to us “…a dog returns to its own vomit” but more pertinent to the church, “…will He find faith?” In typical fashion on the night that he was betrayed he took the disciples to the Mount and there warned them to be diligent, but what he found was that they were still asleep. Love those living parables! Of course, if things had not gone the way the were planned the Jews would not have crucified the Lord of Glory, then where would we be?

From this and other places I gather we can expect more of the same, and the kingdom will be measured by the wise virgins who were prepared, not by those who were not.

I have given a lot of thought to this topic, and you and Thomas have captured most of it more concisely here than I could. As a pastor, at least temporarily, I am horrified by the growing belief that a large portion of my congregation is a group of those seals Thomas mentioned above.

When we ask, How did it get like this? I always wind up back at the assertion Tom Ascol has repeatedly made: that is, that American evangelicalism is in danger of losing the Gospel altogether. (Paul Washer would be a bit more pointed than that, not without cause…)

The fact that the cross rarely offends anymore in America (by the design of preachers) has at least two implications here:

1. The churches are bloated with false converts who know nothing of the repentance unto life, and

2. The unbelieving response to the pseudo-gospel is a collective yawn. Not only do they not persecute in response to a cross-less gospel, but there is really no reason to care about it one way or the other. Thus the church and world get along just fine.

I’m saying the comfort that is killing us can be traced back to a message that does not.

The unbelieving response to the pseudo-gospel is a collective yawn. Not only do they not persecute in response to a cross-less gospel, but there is really no reason to care about it one way or the other. Thus the church and world get along just fine.

I have never thought of that before. The world not caring enough about weak, non-existent Christians, because there is nothing really Christian about them. Wow. Very convicting. I’m not persecuted at all…

I am thinking that I’ve got to go on the offensive and start really picking the fight. You know who does get persecuted in America? Street preachers. I know, sometimes its because of the way they go about their business, and not the substance of what they’re shouting, but out there is where the world is, and out in public is where they think they should be free from hearing your “religious propaganda.” Our blogs don’t bother them, because they don’t have to read us.

I’ve got a plan in place and am simply waiting for the weather to coincide with my time off from work so that I can go and start getting it done in front of the local courthouse. I don’t plan on being a jerk at all, but I do plan on making myself hard to ignore. While I’m waiting on God for that opportunity, I’ve started passing out gospel tracts like they’re going out of style, which is a new thing for me (because I’ve always come up with theological reasons why the gospel tract is probably not really all that effective…) Anyway, I’m saying I’m determined to make them shut me up.

Should we take up a love offering for bail money, Gordon? I think you’re on the right track. The world wants the gospel manageable–in a place they can ignore.

Another Atlantan! I’m happy to find your blog!

I sincerely hope that bail money is not required…but then again I guess that’s par for the course for what I’m pursuing.

Funny you should mention Ray Comfort, as it is his ministry, and specifically Way of the Master Radio, that’s got me moving in this direction. (By God’s grace, of course.)

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