Faulty Thinking About "Good" Lives and "Good" deeds

Let love be without dissimilation. 

Abhor that which is evil; 

cleave to that which is good.

Romans 12:9

     The word "dissimilation" means to be unfeigned, to be not sincere, or genuine. For this to happen we must abhor evil and cleave to that which is good. Sounds pretty simple, does it not? Yet, what is good, and what is evil? What if "good" deeds are used or substituted for Authentic Christian Faith? The word "good" is an adjective and describes the noun and it is not absolute, that is it can be manipulated. So can evil. There is only One absolute Good in the universe and that Good is God. God is not manipulated to be good in one sense and bad in another, or not so good. The situation, or circumstance does not affect the goodness of God. We, on the other hand can be manipulated and make "good" to be whatever we want it to be. The same for evil. 

     Cultural Christians, those liberal Christians have faulty thinking regarding what it means: Authentic Christian Faith. How? It is their understanding as to the role good deeds or living a so-called "good" life and how that is to be applied to spiritual life. Too often cultural Christians, or liberal Christians, maybe even at times Authentic Christians put the horse before the cart. What do I mean? The error is in belief, a belief that if you are good enough, if you do enough "good" deeds and practice "good" it is adequate to be in favor with God. In other words, it makes up for the lack of putting God and His will first, to hold the highest priority in your life. 

     Example given to me often is by the students attending the Bethel School of the Supernatural. I spoke to two today while going through the check-out at a grocery store. As usual I ask why do you come to this school, and invariably I get the same answer: to learn more about the Holy Spirit. More is that they are taught to go and "love" the world. Another question is: what are you going to do with all this learning, in other words how are you going to use this information? I almost always get the same answer: to be a better person. This school and others similar schools, teach all about experiential Christianity, the Holy Spirit but little about the fact that Authentic Christians know that they have the Holy Spirit and know that they have a mission: to bring the Gospel to the world, first and foremost and anything that is derived from this is only doing what God inspired the writers to tell us as to how to live and care for this world. 

     The prevailing belief among cultural and liberal Christians is that they must become a kind, sweet, affectionate, sympathizing person, and to meet the expectations that society places upon Christianity, and desire to be seen as a useful and productive member of society and somehow this is a replacement, or substitution for genuine spirituality. A further example of genuine Christian faith not being displayed or manifested is that those same students from that school go about praying for healing, and for other cares a person might have, circle around them (as they mostly come in bunches of students), speaking in "gibberish" tongues, (the world does not discriminate against this practice as they see as a mark of Christianity), but never have the Bible with them, never open the Bible, whether it be a real book, or on an I-pad, and they never speak of sin, the need for repentance: but they sure make a scene that they are doing "good" and even say that this is from God. 

     Is this semantics, a distinction between belief and action? No! A person may argue that the objective of faith is to produce "good", "good" qualities and that they exist is proof that faith is at work. It is true that our Authentic Christian Faith must be a work to bring "good" to our world, and this is an outcrop from our Authentic Christian Faith, not proving our Authentic Christian Faith, albeit some may see it this way. It is good that people see the good that is done, but there is a problem with cultural or liberal Christians, the motive. Authentic Christian Faith creates good, not for their own self-aggrandizement, no because their faith is in God, and are willing to do the work God desires for His people and do not see it as some benefit to get approval from God due to their work. Yes, God approves, but only if the motive is right. Here is a large and looming difference between cultural, liberal Christians and Authentic Christians, the "good" that is acceptable to God can only exist where there is Authentic Christian Faith. That fact is lacking in cultural, liberal Christians. 

     There needs be a distinguishing between morality and spirituality. This is a fatal error! Cultural, or liberal Christians argue to defend their own fears and justification for not acting to seek change, those who are in need, to be decent people demanded by culture. This might seem sound, but it cannot be defended when their faith, their actions, their doing what they have deemed "good" when it is compared with the clear teachings of Scripture. 

     I will expand on this on Monday, as tomorrow I will be traveling. Much to think about, so pray, read Scripture, do your best to set aside preconceived ideas. Allow Scripture, that is God to speak to you through Scripture. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, do not attempt to guide the Holy Spirit. It may be shocking, but who cares, it is God that we must face, not man.

He that handleth a matter wisely

     shall find good: and whoso 

trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

Trust, make the needed changes: God sees all

Richard L. Crumb