Resenha - Real Christianity (Willian Wilberforce)

8/18/2019 Resenha - Real Christianity (Willian Wilberforce)

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COUNCIL OF REFERENCE

Dr. Richard Averbeck

Rev. D. Stuart Briscoe

Dr. Paul Cedar

Mr. Dave Coleman

Dr. & Mrs. Larry Crabb

Mr. Roger Cross

Rev. Samuel Farina

Dr. Kenneth O. Gangel

Rev. & Mrs. Lud Golz

Dr. Howard G. Hendricks

Mr. Olan Hendrix

Dr. David Jeremiah

Rev. Knute Larson

Dr. John C. Maxwell

Dr. Bruce McNicol

Mr. Dean Merrill

Mrs. Elisa Morgan

Dr. Ray Ortlund

Dr. Luis Palau

Dr. Gilbert A. Peterson

Rev. Wes Roberts

Rev. & Mrs. JamieRassmussen

Mr. Jim Warren

Dr. Rick Warren

Publishers

Catherine & DavidMartin

Editors

Cheryl & Michael

Chiapperino

COUNCIL OF REFERENCE

Dr. Richard Averbeck

Rev. D. Stuart Briscoe

Dr. Paul Cedar

Mr. Dave Coleman

Dr. & Mrs. Larry Crabb

Mr. Roger Cross

Dr. Kenneth O. Gangel

Rev. & Mrs. Lud Golz

Dr. Howard G. Hendricks

Mr. Olan Hendrix

Dr. David Jeremiah

Rev. Knute Larson

Dr. John C. Maxwell

Dr. Bruce McNicol

Mr. Dean Merrill

Mrs. Elisa Morgan

Dr. Luis Palau

Dr. Gilbert A. Peterson

Rev. Wes Roberts

Rev. & Mrs. Jamie

Rassmussen

Mr. J im Warren

Dr. Rick Warren

Publishers

Catherine & DavidMartin

Editors

Cheryl & MichaelChiapperino

Real Christianityby William WilberforceDavid C. Cook

ISBN: 0781441994Fr om the Classi cs Col l ecti on

Volume 4 . Issue 1 April 2008

Volume 4 . Issue 1 April 2008

An Encapsulated View of the Best from C hristian P ublishers

C L A S S I C S

A Quick Focus

The Book’s Purpose

D efine practically the difference betw een professing C hristians and real C hristians

H ighlight the effect of doctrine

upon one’s practice of morality Explain the misunderstanding professing C hristians have of the uniqueness, beauty, and funda- mentals of the C hristian faith

Book’s Message

The true means of societal transformation lies not in the powerof politics, but in t he doctrine and practice of true C hristianity. U n-fortunately, true Christianity is challenged by nominally professingC hristians who abandon Scripture and substitute man-made religionin its place. We must test ourselves, lest our faith be found wanting.

Seven Main Point s

Inadequate Conceptions of the Importance of Christianity. . . . 2

Inadequate Conceptions of Human Nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Inadequate Conceptions of God and Christian Behavior . . . . . 4

Inadequate Conceptions Concerning Practical Christianity . . . 5

The Excellence of Real Christianity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

A Brief Inquiry into the Present State of Christianity . . . . . . . 8

Practical Hints for Real Christianity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

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of morality and misunderstands theeffect of his beliefs upon the accept-ability of his deeds before G od .

This being the case, the profess-ing Christian elevates sincerity asthe highest motive. As long as oneproceeds in his religious practicein sincerity, he could hardly be heldaccountable for being wrong onparticulars of doctrine. H ow ever,Scripture offers an abundance ofstories illustrating that many havecommitted great trespasses againstG od while sincerely convinced oftheir integrity. In such cases, thesewere guilty before G od, thoughsincere, because of their ignoranceof w hat G od had already revealed.

The true C hristian esteems theScriptures as God ’s Word and be-lieves that G od has made clear His

wishes. “ Ask, and you shall receive;seek, and you shall find; knock, andit shall be opened to you” (Luke11:9). The sincere inquirer is con-fident G od has revealed H is com-mands and strives to know t hemso he may obey.

When called by G od to give anaccount, as inevitably he must, thetrue Christian is found faithful forobeying what his Master com-manded. The professing C hristianhas only the sincere practice of his

own brand of mo rality.

When we observe the state of C hristianity today,we no te two classes of C hristians: professing C hris-tians and true Christians. Both generally approvewhat is good and condemn what is not.

But looking past the surface, we find that professing Christians “at best pay homage to rel i gi on i n gener al ~per haps to mer e mor al i ty.” In fact, theyknow little of true Christianity. Their concept of it is superficial, havingnoted only the o utward differences between it and other religions.

One good way to distinguish between a true C hristian and a professingChristian is to weigh the differences between a professing believer and anacknow ledged unbeliever. A professing C hristian inherits his beliefs passivelythrough his upbringing, perhaps. When his faith is challenged, and the pre-

mises upon which it is founded are undermined, there is little to keep himfrom aband oning the do ctrines that are essential to its health.

What is more, when listening to the thought s and speech of the profess-ing Christian, it is clear that Christianity has little place in his daily life. “I t scar cel y fi nds a place am i d the man y objects of [ hi s] hopes an d fear s, [ hi s]

joys an d sorr ows.” H e fails to recog nize that all he has is a result of G od ’sprovidence.

When a professing Christian displays earnest religion, he typically adheresto his own standard o f right and wrong~ a standard that does not accuratelyreflect the standard o f the go spel. H is morality is based on commonly heldprinciples of Christianity rather than a careful inquiry into the Scriptures.H e is voluntarily igno rant o f what t he Scriptures teach, so his morality isexternal and superficial.

A true Christian makes a careful study of the Scriptures because he isaware of the value Go d’ s Word places upon itself. Yet far t oo oft en he iscold and indifferent to its richness.

The true Christian approaches the Scriptures as revelation, and he rec-

ognizes their absolute authority over his life. The professing Christian builds his morality apart from revelation andaccording to his reason. From such a position he falls into two commonerrors: The pract i ce of a man is more impor tant than what he bel i eves. A nd sincer i ty is the most important moti ve. These errors find their root in assumingman will not be held accountable before God for his deeds, for he has notbeen given sufficient clarity to d iscern what G od accepts and what G odrejects. Then, it is assumed that man’s beliefs do not affect his practice.

Thus the professing Christian neutralizes the distinction between himselfand those who give great care to root out every false motive from their heartsas they strive to obey the commands of G od. It places on eq ual footingthe careful, diligent Christian and the person who follows his own opinions

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“What can be [his]defense when we have

such transcendent meansto knowing this way to

life and such urgentmotives to its pursuit”

“Though the Gospel had been predicted, prayedand longed for, announced, characterized and rejoicedin, we scarcely accept this heavenly treasure evenwhen it is poured in our lap in rich abundance.”

Inadequate Conceptionsof the Importanceof Christianity

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I t is for these reasons that sucha disparity exists between true andprofessing C hristians, for unless manrealizes the depth of his wickednessand depravity before a holy andjust G od , he has no use for thegospel. If man is a noble and goodcreature who sometimes falls intosin, t hen he needs no saving. Butthe t rue Christian, w ho believes inthe wickedness of man and especi-ally the wickedness of his own heart,and w ho understands the just re-quirements of a holy G od, knows

that he is hopeless in his conditionand that he is simply waiting forthe day of condemnation unlesssome good news comes.

Man is account able for his ac-tions and will be held accountableto G od. The proud man resiststhese truths, seeking instead some-how to justify himself and shift theblame either to his weak constitu-tion or to G od for making man ashe is in the first place.

It is far better for the real C hris-

tian to understand man’s depravity,feel it in himself, accept h is faultin the transgression o f the law ofG od, and cry out for mercy! Forthe goo d news is that G od, b eingrich in mercy, has given Jesus Christfor the salvation of mankind. If manwill not accept the revelation ofman’s depravity, he will see no needfor the forg iveness of his sins. Thisdeserves consideration by all awareof the short time during w hich onemust reconcile with G od. If one willknow the weight o f his guilt, thenhe will know the sentiment expressedby Milton in Par adi se Lost :

What bett er can we do than prostr ate fa ll Befor e H i m r ever ent ; and ther e confess H umbly our faul ts, and par don beg; wi th tear s Water i ng the groun d, and wi th ou r si ghs the ai r Fr equent i ng, sen t fr om hear ts cont r i te, i n si gn Of sor r ow unf ei gned, and humi li ati on meek?

Mo st professing C hristians, having then dis-associated themselves from Scripture, develop

their own concepts about human nature. Naturally, the majority of themminimize the wickedness and weakness of the constitution of mankind.They will acknow ledge the prevalence of wrongdoing and vice. They properlyunderstand that there is great misery in man’s current state. H ow ever, theywill not acknowledge how deep the problem goes. In short, they will notbelieve what Scripture says regarding t he condition of man. I nstead, theyhold to t he dignity and purity of man at his root. While man is occasionally,even often, misled or tricked into violating the principles of morality, thismisleading or trickery is thought of as accidental or habitual.

The true C hristian, how ever, holds a very different view. From Scripturehe learns that man is in active rebellion against G od. H e is fallen and inclinestoward evil at all times. H is very heart is corrupt, and such corruption d ic-tates every affection, every decision, and every inclination. “The tr ut h of

thi s forci bly comes home to us when we con tr ast t he r emai ns of our pr i mi ti ve di gni ty wi th our pr esent stat e of moral degradati on.”

C onsider man’s natural inventiveness: his ability to think, consider, dis-cern, and compare. H ow he appreciates moral excellence. And yet, o bservehow perverted his creativity, clouded his reason, and senseless his conscience!Think upon the highest civilizations in world history: those advanced ingovernment, philosophy, and learning. Then note the ridiculous superstitions,absence of natural affections, self-indulg ent excess, heartless oppression,and savage cruelty! All such inconsistency is summed up by the apostlePaul: “ Because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, H e gavethem over to a reprobate mind” (Romans 1:28).

P roof of man’s depravity abound s, not just in the depth of his fallennature, but especially in the lives of t rue C hristians. D espite the excellence

of G od ’s law, the beauties of the gospel, and the enlight ening affect ofG od ’s truth, consider the difficulty of progressing in right eousness even forthe true C hristian! C onsider how easily even the true C hristian falls intoevil habits!

D o the H oly Scriptures confirm that man is indeed utterly and hopelesslyruined if left to himself? Indeed, “i n almost ever y page, we shal l f i nd some- thi ng that i s cal cu lated to br i ng down man ’s loft i ness and to si l ence hi s pretensi ons.” They speak of man’s need for a complete change in natureto become a true Christian.

U nfortunately for man, the Bible speaks also of another enemy. Whileman lives with a great enemy within himself, there also exists apart fromhim an enemy who seeks his very life. H e is taug ht o f the devil who existsas the ruler of this age and of the hearts of men without Christ.

The professing Christian, how ever, aband ons the reality of such an evilcreature. H e holds such a being to be the product o f superstition, to bebeneath the dignity of those who are so enlightened today.

“Surely to any who call themselves Christians, the followingstatements may be justly urged as an outstanding instance of

human depravity. We enjoy the full light of revelation; we professto believe “that in Him we live and move and have our being”(Acts 17:28); we enjoy the offer of eternal glory, preached forus by the atoning blood of His own Son. And yet we are forgetfulof H is benefits. We slight His gracious proposals or, at best,

receive them with cold and unaffected hearts.”

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Inadequate Conceptionsof Human Nature


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When a true C hristian comes to terms withthe reality o f his sinfulness, the basic doctrines

of the Bible move him deeply. H e is aware ofhis corruption, yet he understands that he ischosen and loved by his all-powerful and merciful God . H e is overjoyedat the invitation to a place of rest, forgiveness, and peace.

The professing Christian, having no knowledge of his sinfulness norfoundation for his belief, takes these doctrines for g ranted. The doctrinesof g race and G od ’s offers of help have litt le meaning, fo r man is not sohelpless in his opinion. Indeed, his whole conception of Christianity losesits potency, leaving him w ith an inadequate appreciation o f many of itscore tenets.

For example, many admire the moral cond uct of Jesus C hrist. Theyextol his simplicity, t enderness, self-denial, and submission to death. Butcan these conducts mean anything to man personally? These traits are

often o bserved w ith little interest each Sunday, when t hey are forgot tenuntil the next week. H ow ever, when o ne considers his own depravity,he realizes that Christ’s expression of these traits in life and in death wasfor his benefit, and he is moved beyond words and cut to the heart atsuch love. I t is impossible for the t rue Christian to coldly hear of the ten-der love of C hrist and H is perfect sacrifice. Or, consider the efforts ofman-kind in redeeming himself. A rejection o f the depravity of man leavesopen the door to attaining righteousness through w orks. The H oly Spirit,sent to comfort us and aid us in the pursuit of righteousness, is reducedto irrelevance.

C onsider also the difficulty professing C hristians create in diluting thewitness of Christians. Many people have done heinous acts in the nameof C hristianity, and it is difficult to validate anyone’s claim to belong toC hrist. H ow ever, what ever hypocrisy professing C hristians may manifest,

it is imperative that t rue Christians work diligently to follow C hrist andprove through their faultless conduct the truth of their beliefs.

Some professing Christians might justify their lack of zeal by minimizingthe importance of emotion in following Christ. They justify their beliefsby claiming such emot ions degrade respectful worship. H ow ever, it isseen by natural reason and by revelation that man’s emotions are indeeduseful tools in the worship of G od . H is emotions are given to him andpervade his soul. Throughout Scripture man is called to yield his heartto G od , love H im, believe Him, thank H im, serve Him, and hope inH im. Furthermore, the B ible condemns lukewarmness in the strongestterms. But characters in Scripture upheld as examples to us are warm,affectionate, and zealous. C onsider especially Paul, who was as zealousand passionate in his defense of and sacrifice for the cause of the gospel

as he was in his persecution of it. Whereas the measure of one’s zeal do es not determine the validity ofhis profession, for zeal and passion may be manufactured or misapplied,it is impossible that one’s faith should be cold and lifeless. Rather, theproof of o ne’s faith o ught to rest in the display of his love for G od. Andhow is that love manifested?

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Another failure of professingC hristians is that they tend to form

for themselves a system of religion ratherthan looking to G od’s Word. B e-cause they do not realize the sick-ness of their own soul, having re-jected the depravity of man, t heyfail to understand how deceitfultheir own hearts are. Man needsthe constant g uidance of the H olySpirit to purify, guide, and directhis actions and thoughts. Indeed,he is to be made into a new crea-ture, having put off the old man.H e should fear to g rieve G od

throug h disobedience, realizingthat he cannot please God w ithoutH is aid.

Above all, the professing Chris-tian should be asked what fo rmsthe basis of the sinner’s acceptanceby God. Far too often, man~in hisignorance of G od ’s Word~ claimsfor himself far too little guilt. Then,regarding the guilt he does have,he, justifies his deeds and deemshimself worthy of acceptance. Somealso claim that, having been accep-ted by C hrist, t hey will be judgedby a more lenient standard. Thisallow s them to rely upon their at-tainment of a lesser standard, re-lieving them of their responsibilityof t rusting completely in the meritsof C hrist. In short, they allow them-selves the right to trust in theirown, albeit reduced, righteousness.They are then free to find and ad-mire good qualities within them-selves, and once again are free tovalidate by their own experiencethe general goodness of mankind.Because they have never renouncedreliance upon their own strength,they fail to find their true weaknessin attaining righteousness. Theyare blinded t o t heir pride and de-ceived in their faith. They are thevictims of their own misconcep-tions of Christianity that stem fromtheir ignorance of what G od hasrevealed to them.

continued on page 5

Inadequate Conceptionsof God and

Christian Behavior

“ ‘This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments’(1 John 5:3). This is therefore the best standard by which

to try the quality of the religious affections: Do theymotivate the love that keeps His commandments?”


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Inadequat e Concept ions of Godand Chr is t ian Behaviorcontinued from page 4

H aving considered these dang ers, man should ask himself whether hehas fled to and clung to C hrist as his only comfort. If so, he should con-stantly remind himself of his deep need for a Savior to save him from hissinfulness. He should humbly beg his forgiveness through C hrist. H e shouldseek from C hrist a true heart of repentance, for only H e can give it.

Further, man should strive for complete sincerity in his belief. H eshould add to his love of the Lord daily and pray to be continually filled

The professing Christian bases his faith onthe fact that he does not commit the vilest trans-gressions of G od’ s law. H ow ever, much the

same may be said of t hose with no faith at all.Christianity may as well be reduced to a creed and considered a succinctlist o f morals witho ut the need of righteous motives. Because the professingC hristian does not begin with t he revelation of G od , he ends with amorality emptied of its supernatural glory and resembling that whichis generally accepted among nonbelievers.

Scr i ptu r al D escr i pti ons of the N atu r e of Chr i sti an i ty

H ow ever, Scripture places greater responsibility upon the C hristianthan right action and avoidance of grievous transgression. H e is urgedto perfect his words and deeds in Colossians 3:17, to imitate the Father’sholiness in 1 P eter 1:16 and M atthew 5:48, and to pursue perfection in2 C orinthians 7:1 and H ebrews 6:1. The true C hristian is not satisfiedwith the radical transformation that no doubt accompanied his salvation.

H e has dethroned all other god s and dedicated himself to the pursuit ofhis blessed Redeemer alone.

The true C hristian brings every tho ught into the captivity of C hrist.H e seeks to do all to the glory of G od (I C orinthians 10:31). “N ei ther fear of m i ser y nor the desi r e for happi ness moti vat es [ the Chr i sti an ’s] eff or ts to excel i n al l hol i ness. [ H e] love[ s] i t for i ts own sake.” A trueC hristian desires to serve God who leheartedly, continually grow in right-eousness, maintain a tender awareness of his own unworthiness, and per-severe thro ugh his weakness.

If some should object that this goes too far, or counter that the MosaicLaw no longer applies to man, they should note that the laws of G od aregiven in a way t hat no ne may consider themselves exempt. I n fact, theScriptures explicitly apply G od ’s law universally. Such talk is silenced

when contemplating the meaning of D euteronomy 6:5: “ Thou shalt lovethe Lord t hy G od w ith all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with allthy might.”

G od condemns both the complete rejection of his lordship and adivided allegiance. This is because He alone is wo rthy of wo rship. H eclarifies for man that he shall not love mother or father, son or daughtermore than H im (Mat thew 10:37). H e also hates idolatry, which “does not consi st so much i n bowi ng the knee to i dols as i t does i n expr essi ng i n ter nal homage of the hear t to them.”

Popul ar N oti ons of Chr i sti ani ty

True C hristianity can be considered “the i mplant ati on of a vi gor ous and acti ve pri nci ple. When one has r ecogni zed r el i gi on ’s au thor i ty and

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with the joy of the Lord. Then, hemay work wholeheartedly towardincreasing his knowledge and un-derstanding o f G od’ s Word andways, daily spending time in H is

presence and habitually submitt inghis tho ught s and hearts to H im.

supremely seated i t i n the hear t ,then fr om ther e i t gener al l y expels wha tever opposes i t .” Because o fthis, all a man’s disposition is af-fected by C hristianity.

In contrast, the professing Chris-tian maintains a pragmatic faith.H is C hristianity is assigned a por-tion of his life. Without the lightof Scripture, he assumes he is freeto do as he pleases otherwise. H eassumes that as long as he faithfullyexecutes his religious requirements,he is guiltless. H e is not careful toavoid al l sin; rather only to respectthe boundary line he has estab-lished. If in the course of time hefinds the boundary restricting hisfreedom, he begins to move it in-crementally.

In this manner, man becomeshis own god.

continued on page 6

“We no longer

recognize thepromotion of theglory of God and thepossession of His

favor as the objectsof our highest regardand most strenuous

endeavors.”

Inadequate ConceptionsConcerning

Practical Christianity


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66Inadequat e Concept ions Concer ningPr act i ca l Ch r i st i ani t ycontinued from page 5

In place of righteous and wholehearted ob edience, man builds a sys-tem of decent selfishness. Man pursues his supposed right to pleasureand “amusements mu l ti ply, combi ned and var i ed, to fi l l u p the voi d of a l i stl ess and l angui d l i fe .”

These amusements and pleasures take many forms. Some are sensual.Some are vain. Some are ambitious. The pursuit of them saps one of allenergy w ith which he might consider the state o f his inner man.

C onsequently, C hristianity is robbed of its pow erful mot ives and rev-olutionary character, and is replaced simply by a moral code. The professingC hristian att empts to live by it and excuses himself when unable to do so.

The true C hristian is alarmed and grieved by his sin. H e longs to befree from it and considers the law of G od to be a guiding and abiding prin-ciple in his heart. H e is aware of the supernatural world because glimpsesof it are revealed in Scripture. These he keeps foremost in his mind whenthe world would tempt him to distraction. They produce in him a resolvein the face of temptation and divine strength in the face of trial.

Such behavior distinguishes the true C hristian from the professingone, fo r the latter lives according t o the dictates of the world. H e is in-sensible of the t ransient nature of his life and is enslaved to the surroundingtemporal and earthly realities.

The D esi r e for H uman A dmi r ati on and Applau se

O ften the soul of man desires admiration and applause for itself above

all. This provides another point of contrast between the professing andthe true C hristian.

The Scriptures teach that man is utt erly ruined and completely fallen.C onsequently, he is helpless to d o t hat w hich is of utmo st importance,namely, to please G od . This awareness of h is inability should produce inhim a meekness and a humility.

Such is not the case, however, for man sees the height o f his depravityin that he instead extols himself. H e sees his pride as his great virtue,hono rs himself above all, and encroaches upon G od’s territory as an arro-gant usurper. The true Christian abhors his tendencies in this regard,and he therefore willingly relinquishes his desire for glory and adoration.H e right ly recog nizes the unseemliness of his desire for such praise anddistrusts it should he receive it.

The true C hristian turns these tendencies to their right use, as motiva-tion to aspire to true honor and just reward~ the inheritance appointedhim by the Father. In light of such a prize, “the l i tt l e, mi splaced, and per i shable di sti ncti ons of t hi s wor ld att empt i n va i n t o sati sfy thi s am- bi ti on and cann ot .”

Thus he is empow ered in his pursuit to overcome the world . H e iscontent in the portion allott ed to him. H e seeks the honor of G od alone,seeking a warm welcome into his eternal dw elling. H e know s that t o de-sire the praise of men endang ers this goal, and he must guard w ith watch-ful eye against its intrusion. The heart thus oriented must also guard itselflest it become of no practical use. It must tend to the responsibilities oflife faithfully.

The Er r or of R eplaci ng Tr ue Reli gion wi th Pleasant Mann er s

Another dangerous error arisesamong those who do not makethe Scriptures their supreme auth-ority. They falsely distinguish be-tween religion and morality, assum-ing that developing a pleasant de-meanor and charitable spirit is avalid substitute for true Christianity.

Aside from numerous Scripturesidentifying a change of heart, notactions, as the root of faith, thereare practical errors in this thinking.Such a philosophy fails to condemnthe hypocrite, who is able to w earhis pleasant mask in public but inhis home behaves unbecominglytoward his own family. I t also do esnot account for those who may benaturally disposed toward a pleasantdemeanor, who gain the credit ofmoral achievement from instinct.

Such shortcuts tend to spring fromunwillingness to exert effort in t hepursuit of righteousness, or a fearthat a pursuit of true righteousnesswill cost them t heir reputation .

The true C hristian, however,understands that true righteousnesscommands sacrifice and that a trulyconsistent virtuous demeanor comesonly from the love that is distinctlyC hristian, for it “ suffereth long andis kind, is not easily provoked, andbeareth all things and endureth all

things” (I C orinthians 13:4–5, 7). The principle carries over frommorality to usefulness. The profess-ing Christian believes that if he isfaithful in his obligations towardhis friends and acquaintances, thenhe has been faithful to G od as well.Such thinking is dangerous anderodes the foundat ions of everyrequirement of Scripture.

continued on page 7

“If the affections of the soul are not supremely fixed on God,and if our dominant desire and primary goal is not to possessGod’s favor and to promote His glory—then we are traitors

in revolt against a lawful Sovereign. All our objects [of various affections] are simply various expressions of di sloyal ty .”

“Let it neverbe forgotten thatwe should deser ve

estimation, although

we should notpossess it.”


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77Inadequat e Concept ions Concer ningPr act i ca l Ch r i st i an i t ycontinued from page 6

We must recognize that Christianity is based on motives~ that “only Chri sti an pr acti ce can fl ow fr om Chri sti an pr i nci ple.” The truest proofof t he uniqueness and supernatural nature of the C hristian faith is thatit prod uces in the believer those qualities which previously did no t existand empow ers and enhances those already present. The virtue and use-

fulness of the true Christian can be credited to no o ne other than G odH imself.

The true C hristian is not satisfied in meeting a moral ob ligation . H eunderstands his duty to root out and destroy hidden motives contraryto G od ’s Word . H e takes seriously his witness and strives to avoid allthat may discredit it, for his chief aim is to honor the Lord and secondlyto encourage others in the same path. H e gives not just his actions butalso his heart and life to G od. H e dedicates time to the cultivation ofsecret faithfulness so that his outward life may be in harmony with hisinward mot ives.

Other Major D efects i n the Pr ofessi ng Chr i sti an ’s Pr acti ce

The professing C hristian, having aband oned revealed truth, is beset

with ano ther misconception as well. H e believes sin possesses degreesof seriousness. H e fails to understand that sin, any sin, is an act of insur-rection against his Sovereign and that it carries with it the highest penalty.H e fails to und erstand that his sin is a willful alignment with the avowedand permanent enemy o f G od , and his punishment arises from his alle-giance to a kingdo m ot her than G od’ s.

I t is for this reason a Christian is a stranger in this wo rld. Christ’ skingdom is not of this wo rld, so neither is the C hristian’s. A true Christiancannot to lerate in himself a d ivided loyalty, because loyalty may not bedivided. H e know s the way o f his Savior and travels in it. L iving in sucha way, the C hristian finds strength in thanksgiving to journey onw ard.Through alternating joys and distresses, the Christian is carried onwardby meditation on his goal.

The M i stake of N eglecti ng Chr i sti an i ty’s D i sti ncti ve D octr i nes The greatest and most fatal mistake professing Christians make istheir failure to understand the great doctrines of the C hristian faith:1) the corruption of human nature; 2) the atonement of the Savior; and3) the sanctifying influence of the H oly Spirit.

When people reach a crisis, or at some point are aware of their needfor religion, they decide within themselves to reform their lives. Theypromise to mend t heir ways and live at a h igher standard. They are una-ware of how far short they fall of G od’ s righteous standard, and so theydo not grasp the wo rthlessness of t heir attempts.

Others may have a true realization of their weakness and wickedness,but through neglect of the great doctrines, they never come to the reali-

zat ion that the misery of their C hristian walk is the result o f their misun-derstanding of how one walks in righteousness. In time, they find thatthe remedy to their miserable stat e is a lessening o f G od ’s requirements~a belief that since Christ died for them they are acceptable to G od asthey are. I f they but devote themselves to some religious duty or anotherand try sincerely to be obedient, then all is well.

H ow ever, a tho rough know ledge of the above doctrines helps thetrue Christian understand the transforming nature of faith, the righteousrequirements of G od, and the help available to him in striving after them.H e becomes aware of his miserable stat e, his forg iveness in Christ, theimmutability of G od’ s standards, and the power available through hisnew standing in Christ to be transformed into H is image. H e humblyrepents of his sins and petitions for strength, relying completely on the

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The Excellenceof Real Christianity

grace of God t o continue in faith.Above all, he understands that thesuccess or failure in his walk de-pends on this one act: looking untoJesus. By contemplating C hrist, hesees the evil of sin’s effect uponhim and G od’ s hatred of it. H e

sees his shortcoming from G od ’srighteous standard. H e is mot ivatedby G od ’s love to faithful service.H e gains awareness of the shortnessof life and the worth of eternalfavor. H e finds the only way to theFather. To t he professing or nom-inal C hristian, “the tr u ths of the Gospel ar e l i ke di stan t star s that twi nkle wi th a vai n and idle lu ster .Bu t t o the r eal Chr i sti an , these di sti ncti ve doctr i nes consti tu te the cent er i n which he gravi tat es, l i ke the sun of hi s system, and t he sour ce

of hi s li ght, warm th, and l i fe .”

Several admirable traits of trueChristians are overlooked by pro-fessing C hristians. Scripture identi-fies the following virtues:

• fear and l ove of God and of Chri st; • love, ki ndn ess, and meekn ess towar d our fell ow men; • i ndi f fer ence to the possessi ons an d even ts of thi s l i fe compar ed wi th our concer n about eter n i ty; an d • sel f-deni al and humi l i ty.

Such virtues distinguish trueC hristians from all other forms ofreligion.

In place of such virtues, theprofessing Christian substitutesshallow imitations, being satisfiedwith the appearance of virtue. H eallows himself to be utt erly dividedin loyalties and inconsistent in prac-tice. H e fails in his motive, for hisheart is not transformed and hisactions disguise his true feelings.In such a state, the nominal C hris-tian fails to distinguish himself fromthe o ther wo rldly religions.

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A Brief InquiryInto the Present Stateof Christianity

for Real ChristianityPractical Hints

88

No w to inquire about the current decline of C hristianity in thiscountry (England, 1797). A vibrant Christianity has historically increasedthe common standard of virtue and mo rality within a country. Additionally,persecution has a purifying and quickening affect on Christianity, andit has within th is count ry. When true C hristianity is widespread and vig-orous, it helps establish a high common moral code.

H ow ever, when a country becomes prosperous and content, believersforget they are involved in a spiritual war. They assimilate into their sur-

rounding culture and lose their distinctiveness. Consequently, the qualityof their Christian faith lessens and the impact of the uniqueness ofChristianity diminishes.

I f these be true, then the state of Christianity in this country is nothard to discern. Existing as it does in a country with religious freedom,free government, large cities, and abundant w ealth, the state of Christianityis in serious decline.

O ver time, the state of Christianity becomes such that “God i s for - got ten . H i s provi dence i s explai ned away. We do not see God’s hand.Whi l e H e mu l ti pl i es H i s comf or ts to us, we ar e not grat efu l . H e vi si ts us wi th chast i sements, but we ar e not con tr i te.” While C hristianity inEngland achieved its apex during the Reformation, many of the distinctivedoctrines have fallen into disregard. Over time and because of the loss

of virtue, people began to recognize the need for morality. H ow ever,they did no t maintain the theolog ical underpinnings that make it dis-tinctively Christian and truly transformative. So now the unique doctrinesof Christianity are almost gone.

Many believe that vigo rous pursuit of C hristianity produces a dulllife. The opposite is the case, however. The true Christian is useful, con-tent, and joyful. H e maintains separation from t he destructive habitsof unbelieving men and commendably conducts himself in his affairs.Should a who le nation come to such a state, such happiness there would

People have seen the failure of professing C hristians to understandChristianity’s chief doctrines, rightly adhere to its chief commands, andpractice its basic morality. Professing C hristians are mot ivated by some-thing o ther than the desire to hono r G od alone, and t hey fail to revereH is Word as their rule of faith and practice. In short, “thei r Chr i sti ani ty i s not Chr i sti ani ty.” H ow does one avoid th is self-deception? C onsiderthe following:

be. Should m any countries comeunder such influence, there wouldno longer be a basis for war or bel-ligerence between them, for “dif fer - ences between nat i ons common ly ar i se fr om mutu al i nju r i es and

sti l l mor e fr om mut ual jeal ousy and di str ust. O f the former , ther e wou ld exi st no longer any gr ound for complai nt . The latt er wou ld fi nd n othi ng to att ack upon.” As it stands, ho wever, the root ofnational disease is selfishness.

Because C hristianity sets itselfagainst all form of selfishness, mansees its power to transform muchof society’s sickness. C hristianity’sdoctrines root out his selfish motivesand cultivate within him benevo-

lence. This kind of Christianitycannot be superficial. I t must bedeep and transformative to havesuch an affect. To lose this Christi-anity and replace it w ith nominalChristianity will only serve to hastenits demise and that o f the countrywhich espouses it.

I t is useless to attempt a reformof the morality of a country with-out first ad dressing the reform o fthe heart. A truly transforming mo-rality can only spring from Christiandoctrine, C hristian faith, and C hris-

tian practice. Therefore, let manreform his Christianity and do awaywith nominal Christianity~Chris-tianity in name only. Only by sodoing will the evils of culture bechecked and the light of the gospelhave its illuminating effect.

1. Man must learn not to thinkfavorably of himself, but be mind-ful of his own corruption above

all~and the selfishness derived from it.

2. Man must remember that his corruption clouds his moral judgment. G od ’s holiness is beyond his comprehension, so H is standard is what he is to follow .

3. Man must consider his incapa-city to rightly identify all his sin.

H e may remember the more

continued on page 9

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“May there be here in this nationa place where the name of Christ is still

honored and men may see theblessings of faith in Jesus.”

99Pr act i ca l Hint s f or Rea l Ch r i st i ani t ycontinued from page 8

serious errors committed recently, while forgett ing those past. G od sees and knows all.

4. Man must repent. Being mindful of his weakness and inability to even accoun t for all his sin, he casts himself upon the grace, mercy, and loving-kindness of G od.

5. Man must be careful not to mistake zealous religion fo r complete acceptance of and adherence to the go spel.

6. Man must avoid allowance of particular sins. U nderstanding his sin to be rebellion against G od, he strives to root all such evil from his heart by the power of the H oly Spirit.

7. Man must develop true Christian love as opposed to its counterfeit~ indifference. Lo ve is fervent and full of compassion and concern.

It speaks the truth, and it jealously desires earnestness and faithfulness.The nominal Christian embraces indifference and calls it love, where-

by he leaves each to his ow n and fears to tread on another’s feelings for fear of losing the esteem of those around him.

Let the true C hristian soberly consider these things, pondering themtogether with the distinctive doctrines of Christianity and the revelation

of G od. Let him examine himself and t est the quality of his faith no tby his standard of sincerity, but according to the standard o f righteousness.If he is found w anting, let him shut himself up with G od. Let him dili-gently study H is Word. Let him b ecome aware of his own depravity.Let him be overcome by the wickedness of his constitution. Then, lethim consider the perfect sacrifice. Let him cast himself upon the mercyof his creator, w ho w ill not reject tho se who humbly come to H im. Lethim then work out his salvation with fear and trembling, knowing thatit is G od w ho w orks in him to w ill and do all H e command s. Let himbecome indifferent to the accolades and esteem of the w orld. L et himcontinue to remind himself of his corruption.

H is thankfulness for the go spel aids him in striving to please theLord. Let him find useful activities to advance the cause of Christ. And“above al l , [ l et hi m] measur e [ hi s] progress by [ hi s] exper i ence of t he

love of God and i ts exer ci se befor e men.” In this way, the Christian dis-plays his true motive not as one sat-isfying an overbearing creditor, butas one fulfilling a debt of love. Then, he is free to recognize this worldis not his home, and he enslaves himself to the purposes of the divinekingdom.

Let Christians such as these arise in this generat ion, living by theonly transforming doctrines know n to mankind. May they take seriouslytheir charge to pursue right eousness and t o b ring transformation t o adeclining culture. Through prayer, sober cont emplation, and faithfulobedience, may t hey seek to bring t heir virtues to bear upon the culturearound them with humility. Avoiding political methodology, let thembring t heir beliefs to bear on culture by living out their beliefs withoutfear of repercussion, concern for loss of property or prominence, and

especially without lessening their force through corruption of motive.

Volume 4, I ssue 12

Publishers

C atherine & D avid M artin

Editors

C heryl & Michael Ch iapperino

Published o n the World Wide Web atChristianBookSummaries.com.

The mission o f C hristian B oo k Summariesis to enhance the ministry of thinkingChristians by providing thorough and

readable summaries of no teworth y boo ksfrom C hristian pub lishers.

The opinions expressed are those of theoriginal writers and are not necessarily those

of Christian Book Summariesor its Council of Reference.

Real Christianity by Wi ll iam Wi lberforce.Edi ted by James. M . H ouston. Copyr ight 2005 by James M . H ouston. Summarized by permi ssi on of the publ i sher , V i ctor Books, an i mpr int of D avid C. Cook,4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs,CO 80918. 221 pages. $14.99. I SBN : 0781441994. Avail able at your favor i te bookstore or onl i ne booksel ler .

The author: William Wilberforce(August 24, 1759–July 29, 1833) wasa B ritish po litician, philanthropist, anda leader of t he movement to abolishthe slave trade. A nat ive of H ull, York-shire, he b egan his political career in1780 and became the independentMember of Parliament for Yorkshireand a close friend of Prime MinisterWilliam Pitt t he Young er. In 1785, heunderwent a conversion experience andbecame an evangelical Christian, a trans-formation that resulted in changes inhis lifestyle and in his interest in reform,including the cause of abolition. H e

soon became one of the leading Eng lishabolitionists, heading t he parliamentarycampaign against the British slave tradeuntil the eventual passage of t he SlaveTrade Act in 1807.

Summarized by: Kevin Tighe, a grad-uate of Lee U niversity of C levelandTennessee, is a freelance writer fromTroy, O hio. H e lives there with hiswife, Becky, and their four preschoolers.

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Resenha - Real Christianity (Willian Wilberforce)

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