Convert-Mongering

     Lest my previous post be criticized for preaching a health wealth gospel (literally, the title is "Sick"), I'm gonna broaden my analogy. Making it fatter you might say. In many purists attempts to tear down what they call "carrot to horse" evangelism, they have forgotten that we are called to share not judgement and wrath but the good news. "for 'All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.' And this word is the good news that was preached to you," 1 Peter 1:24-25 (emphasis added.) I have a great deal of respect for said purists. They have sacrificed much for the gospel. But the news, despite these men's morbid recounts of martyrdom and suffering, is truly good.

Now I do agree that witnessing is not about bargaining people into becoming Christians. Salvation does not make life a taffy pull, a free ride or a shopping spree. I can guarantee you that. The first year after I became a Christian was the hardest of my life. But it was my first joyful one. 

     Kelly Clarkson has revived her career, such as it was, with Stronger, (that still comes short of Breakaway.) She sings out in the chorus, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." There is some truth in that. Many people cling to Jeremiah 29:11 but in their minds "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" becomes the appealing "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the generous loving Father, plans for government protection, peace, comfort and not for anything uncomfortable, to give you a wealthy career and a cushy retirement." This is a self serving interpretation, that does not match up with Scripture. "Welfare" in other versions is translated "good" and God's idea of "good" is you becoming more Christlike.

Many point to persecution and suffering, saying "See! The Christian life is sad, hard and unhappy." Yet I would say that they should instead turn to James 1: 2-4. "Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" 

This is God's idea of good plans and delivering you from evil. Our job is not to deny the reality of the responsibilities being a Christian being, but to get a godly perspective of that reality. 

Sick 2

I'm a coffee lover. More of an addict really. Anything and everything coffee related I will guzzle down with the complete confidence that I will shortly turn into Cricky after Mushu twists his wings up. For some reason I can still DUI of this legal drug and for this I am very grateful to the state of California. I usually go to Peet's Coffee and Tea and order some kind of sweet sugary freddo which is the equivalent of consuming liquid fat.

Every now and then when I'm there, someone will come in and order a "green drink." Said person then haughtily saunters past all of us sinners, with an air of proud satisfaction. However, I must point out that these healthy snobs make sure no one else is looking before they choke down their beverage. Most people who purchase these drinks are dieting or doing some kind of detox.

Have you ever seen a home detox recipe? It looks like something off of Fear Factor. Basically, combine all the grossest vegetables that all decent children loath, blend them up, chug it down and be happy cause you're healthy. The few and the proud. The very few. 

The detox is an interesting process during which some fool hardy person puts himself through a kind of hell, consisting of liquid diets and intense hydration designed to cleanse the body of impurities. I don't blame the germs for leaving. If my house was flooded full of "Cabbage, Broccoli, Celery, Cucumber Delight" I'd get out too! The person inflicting them self with this appetizing regime suffers from various discomforts due to all the toxins being stirred up as they prepare to evacuate. That's what the water is for. It washes away all the bad stuff. Like a toilet. In the end, the person is much better off, for not only has he eliminated all the crud from his system, he hasn't been putting anymore bad into it either. However, the process is tiring and it feels kinda like having a mild flu. 

Is a detox good for you? Yes, it is. Is it always enjoyable? No, its not. Is being a Christian good for you? Sure as heaven, yes. Is it always enjoyable? No. 

The healing process for my spine, (see Sick 1) is similar. Having a chiropractor pull your head backwards, hold it at an odd angle and snap it sideways suddenly isn't the most comfortable thing. I'm not sure if the noise of my neck cracking or the movement bothers me most, because there isn't any real pain involved. That starts afterwards. 

Because most of my body is out of place, putting one part of me in the right place stirs everything up. My muscles don't want my rib cage to be in the right place so as my spine slowly shifts, affecting all my other bones, my muscles start to fuss. They fuss loudly. And they do most of their complaining at night when I'm trying to sleep. 

Nevertheless, none of this pain changes the fact that I am truly getting better. I can now safely walk for half an hour on a treadmill again. (Side note, if you hate running and exercising, I suggest you don't talk about it in my presence. I'm not very sympathetic at the moment since I don't have the privilege of choosing between running without pain or sitting around.) The after adjustment pain is definitely not worth it at the moment. But I'm not interested in the moment. I'm interested in being able to run again. So literally, in the long run, its completely worth it. 

There seems to be this idea that someone has to hear a perfectly presented gospel to become a Christian. I know a pastor who became a Christian because his drug addicted cousin told him that if he didn't become a Christian right then, he would go to hell. Completely inaccurate, but God works through the most lowly of us. Therefore, the "health wealth" gospel can bring people to Jesus, the convert just has some learning to do. When he discovers that life isn't perfect, that there is still school to do, still a job to go to, still family to deal with, he begins to lose his first excitement. The imfamous conversion "high" fades and the young believer wonders, is it really worth trying this hard? 

I was not thrilled to discover that getting better involved more pain, so in a sense I'm not quite as excited as I used to be. But I keep going to my doctor. Do we keep praying when life starts hurting again? Do we go to our Bibles the first time we sin again? Not often. My first reaction when something gets unusually out of place, either from my own stupid jog to the mail box or because I accidentally tripped is "I can't wait to get to my chiropractor." Not, "Oh no! He might get mad at me!" Yet is this not our attitude towards God?

Adam and Eve were kind of silly. After they ate the fruit in the garden they hid from God because they saw that they were naked, as if God hadn't seen it all along. The same with us. Just because we can see our sin doesn't mean that God suddenly sees it too. He loved us even when we couldn't see it and He loves us just as much as when we see it. Are we going to go to Him though? 

What would happen if I just stopped going to my doctor because I was embarrassed that I had hurt myself again? I'd be really dumb. I've hurt myself more and the solution is not to continue in this problem but to go and be healed so that I can keep on with my original recovery plan. The same with our sin. We must obey our Great Physician's orders and commands. Otherwise its like doing cartwheels on a bad back.

But when we do make mistakes, we can still to come to Him. In fact, we must come to Him, for whole else can aid us in our condition? Certainly not ourselves. He will not turn us away. He will not make void Jesus's payments for our doctor's visits. Have no fear, for our Doctor has compassion and we do not have to stay hurt. The following two verses show this.

"As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." Psalm 103:13-14


"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:8-9