Thomas Paine, the Common Sense author, also wrote a series of letters to the Continental soldiers wintering at Valley Forge. You'll recognize how the first one started, "These are the times that try men's souls." In that same paragraph, he mentions, not in a positive light, "sunshine patriots." And here we are, nearly 250 years later, seeing more and more Sunshine Christians. They continually compromise the Truth in an attempt to stay in the good graces of those who control the culture. But they're actually moving farther and farther away from the Light of the World. As my pastor once said, "Gray areas are darkness in disguise."
When speaking to people there is and always will be the idea that "everyone did what was right in their own eyes" and the denying of self is definitely not what the world teaches which is contrary to the Bible teaching. Good thoughts. Today's society definitely does not want to recognize sin as sin
I have friends and even family who think they will go to heaven because they are "good people." Ironically, this somehow also convinces them that they are also Christians even though do not understand salvation, the Bible, or anything about Christianity.
Thank you for writing this. It is a truth the world needs to know.
I had never heard that term before: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Great way to summarize what we have been seeing in "Christendom" for the last 5 or 6 decades. I have been thinking a lot lately about the therapeutic part. "Therapy" seems to really be taking the place of God's Word and the church in a lot of people's hearts these days. That's not to say that therapy doesn't have its place. It certainly does have a place, but we have broadened its scope way too much.
Well said, Jack. Good challenge. We can’t know God and know sin at the same time (1 John 3:7-8; 3 John 1:11). There’s some serious thoughts about what it means to have a “come to Jesus” moment in those verses. We need to learn and remember the difference between the direction that our standard of “goodness” leads us compared to the direction that God’s standard of “goodness” leads us (Romans 2:4).
Thomas Paine, the Common Sense author, also wrote a series of letters to the Continental soldiers wintering at Valley Forge. You'll recognize how the first one started, "These are the times that try men's souls." In that same paragraph, he mentions, not in a positive light, "sunshine patriots." And here we are, nearly 250 years later, seeing more and more Sunshine Christians. They continually compromise the Truth in an attempt to stay in the good graces of those who control the culture. But they're actually moving farther and farther away from the Light of the World. As my pastor once said, "Gray areas are darkness in disguise."
When speaking to people there is and always will be the idea that "everyone did what was right in their own eyes" and the denying of self is definitely not what the world teaches which is contrary to the Bible teaching. Good thoughts. Today's society definitely does not want to recognize sin as sin
I have friends and even family who think they will go to heaven because they are "good people." Ironically, this somehow also convinces them that they are also Christians even though do not understand salvation, the Bible, or anything about Christianity.
Thank you for writing this. It is a truth the world needs to know.
Thanks Jack, an excellent summary of Laodicea.
I had never heard that term before: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Great way to summarize what we have been seeing in "Christendom" for the last 5 or 6 decades. I have been thinking a lot lately about the therapeutic part. "Therapy" seems to really be taking the place of God's Word and the church in a lot of people's hearts these days. That's not to say that therapy doesn't have its place. It certainly does have a place, but we have broadened its scope way too much.
Well said, Jack. Good challenge. We can’t know God and know sin at the same time (1 John 3:7-8; 3 John 1:11). There’s some serious thoughts about what it means to have a “come to Jesus” moment in those verses. We need to learn and remember the difference between the direction that our standard of “goodness” leads us compared to the direction that God’s standard of “goodness” leads us (Romans 2:4).
Very true!