Thursday 30 August 2012

Casual Christianity?

Does such a thing exist?  Well, sadly, it does; and is growing by the day.  It is the kind of Christianity that takes everything with decreasing seriousness so that those involved in this religion have a 'good time.'  Our appearance in the Lord's house is like going to the seaside for the afternoon.  Our presentation in the pulpit is akin to going to a sporting event.  The language we use is all lovey-dovey, and the way we present ourselves before the Lord is as casual as going to the cinema.

Christian faith seems for a great many professors of religion to be no more than an add-on, similar to the kind of thing you can buy for your mobile phone.  You add this religion on to your otherwise very full life without allowing it to push out the more important things in your life.  It's another accessory like ear-rings, and flesh piercing things.

It's an evangelical app.  It is something you take up that authenticates you as a believer, and keeps you in with the right people. 

But it must never become so big a thing that it demands attendance at both services on a Sunday, or that you are a Christian at work as well as at church.  It must not be allowed to affect how you do your business, for example.  Once that begins to happen, religion is becoming fanatical; and we can't have that, can we?

No, what is wanted and desired today is a Christianity that is casual enough to look like the real thing yet sufficiently informal to allow you to so as you please.

But is that biblical Christianity?

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