Was recently given an article (from Bill Muehlenberg) by a mentor of mine. In particular it focused on a story released by CNN bout "moralistic therapeutic deism" where Christianity has become a sort of means to boost self-esteem and self-purpose - to feel good and do good. "Moralistic Therapeutic deism" is just a fancy shmancy way of saying it has become a watered-down faith portraying God as 'divine therapist' existing for me, for my conveniences, and my purposes.
These conclusions were made based on results from interviews with 3000+ American teens where 3 outta 4 claimed to be Christian, yet less than half practice their faith, half of these deem their faith to be important, and most who think it important can't coherently (or accurately) talk about their beliefs...
Hearing the results of this study makes me sad. I remember one of the bigger spiritual humps I had to get over a few years back was to understand the Holiness of God, and where my position to Him is. He is more than a friend, Jesus is more than a brother, He's not a Santa Claus who waits on us, nor is He a God of convenience.. He is GOD MOST High, the Holy of Holies who causes mountains to shake in fear and the wildest of storms to be stilled, whose just wrath man fully deserves, yet boundless grace has covered us, turning away the pouring of his wrath on us. All the universe is beneath Him, I mean my goodness He holds all things together by His Word! I remember being convicted about man's condition, my condition, and God's Holiness... and how FAR that separation between us is. It was such a new revelation at that time listening to the Pastor speak on God's holiness, and how wrong it was of me to lose that awe and become too familiar with Him Most High. Made me understand how important faithful Bible teaching is. And what a huge responsibility it is to teach others to know God as the God of the Bible, to redirect our natural inclination towards thinking hedonistically (i.e. what can God do for me? he gives me peace, love, security in him... which are all good things, but not to be the focus). Rather we turn our eyes to God's holiness which sheds light on our great sinfulness, and knowing our condition and His great position, we become overwhelmed by the grace He showers on us at the cost of Jesus dying at the cross. A sacrifice of man for man, but more than that. Holy for the sinner. Eternal God for the withering grass. From glory to the shame of the cross to bear our sin. And because of this, God's family is brought back to himself. What a love! What grace!
So conclusions? Bill Muehlenberg sums it up well that the cause of the problem "lies in our trivialization & domestication of a Holy & Righteous God whom we ought to fear", but instead spiritually pat on the back like a mate. "God has become less wonderful, less majestic, less of God... He's become manageable and all too familiar." And so we ought to go back to the Word and read & be illuminated by his HS of who God is. And I'm cautioned as well to make sure what I teach is correct, and cross-focused not man-focused.
"The decline of the knowledge of the holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. If we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as He is" - A.W. Tozer
"The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshipping men. This she has not done deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic. The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us." - A.W. Tozer
