![]() ![]() They will sing and pray and dance and genuflect. There simply is no value in religious activity that is not Christological at its core.Įach week, in churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, shrines, and homes around the world, people will worship. Passion, no matter how intense or well-intended, is a meaningless vapor in the human soul if it is not awakened by the beauty and splendor of Christ and has for its goal the glory and praise of Christ. Spirituality is a sham if Christ is not its substance. Zeal is a colossal waste of energy if its aim is anything other than Christ. That one is a believer is more important than what one believes. The focus of one's faith is less important than the faith itself. In our pluralistic world, all that counts is commitment. In fact, the latter doesn't matter much at all. But it's all for naught if it isn't for Christ! Our society applauds people for being singularly devoted to their "faith" or their "god" or their "cause", whoever or whatever it may be. ![]() People are often described as passionate and zealous, or sincere and single-minded, especially when it comes to religion or spirituality. Sincerity and pure devotion, in themselves, are useless if not centered in Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough" (2 Cor. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. "I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. Unashamed, extravagant affection for the Son of God was being corrupted by a different gospel that proclaimed a different Christ in the power of a different spirit. 3a), that some of those in the church at Corinth had been led astray from the simplicity and centrality of this sort of passion for Jesus. The apostle Paul had grown deeply concerned, dare I say fearful ("I am afraid," v. So, like I said, it's come down to this: a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. At least, by God's grace, I know what I ought to value and pursue, even if far too often I fail to do so. Worse still, the temptation all too often turns to sin. This isn't to say I'm not still tempted! God knows, I am. What once was sweet has of late turned sour. ![]() What I thought I needed, I'm fine without. Things that used to occupy my time and capture my attention no longer do. Time has a way of exposing what is superficial and weeding out so much of what I once regarded as essential. The more one sees and experiences in life, the less important much of it becomes. I can't begin to describe the effect these simple words have had on me of late. What ultimately matters, what is of preeminent importance, is that I be a person known for "a sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3). Although I'm a speaker, it matters little if they hear what I say. Although I'm an author, it matters little if people buy my books. I want to be a person known for one thing. ![]()
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