One point in this morning's sermon was about the temptation to take shortcuts. The devil tempted Christ to enjoy all the kingdoms of the earth without the bother of going to the cross and redeeming mankind.
I was reminded of shortcuts today when I happened to look at a Christian Book Distributors catalog that came in the mail this week. The slogan for the company -- something I'd never noticed before -- is "Everything Christian ... for Less." I think the reason I hadn't noticed this slogan is that it is new. Not long ago the slogan was, Serving the Christian Community for 30 years.
Everything Christian .. for less?
Well, let's see. Salvation for less. Holiness for less. Faith for less. Love for less.
Salvation. I can see that one. Let's just cut out the troublesome Jesus part or the repentence part or the believe part and let me just say a few comfortable words here and there or ease right into a church or two. I don't want to bother with all that backwards and unpopular talk about sin or figure out who that Jesus guy was. Let's just fast forward to the eternal life part.
Holiness. Be ye a little bit better than you used to be for I am Holy? Set your eyes on things a little farther down the road than you are now, for your life is hid somewhere? Seek first a little more comfortable station in life and all these things will be added to you?
Faith. Forget subduing kingdoms. We'll just blog against government policy a little. Forget working righteousness. We'll just not make too many waves. Forget obtaining promises. We'll get by with the ones we already have. Forget stopping the mouths of lions. We'll just back away slowly, thanks. Quenching the violence of fire? You know, fire is a pretty decent heat source sometimes. Escaping the edge of the sword? I don't like to think about weapons; we won't go there. Out of strength, we'll be made weak. We'll wax valiant in flight, not fight.
Love. For less. I'll suffer a little while, if it isn't too much trouble. I'll try not to envy too very much. I'll try not to be provoked unless you really, really bother me. I'll seek my own way, but I'll do it with a smile.
Somehow, everything Christian for less doesn't sound all that Christian at all.
I was reminded of shortcuts today when I happened to look at a Christian Book Distributors catalog that came in the mail this week. The slogan for the company -- something I'd never noticed before -- is "Everything Christian ... for Less." I think the reason I hadn't noticed this slogan is that it is new. Not long ago the slogan was, Serving the Christian Community for 30 years.
Everything Christian .. for less?
Well, let's see. Salvation for less. Holiness for less. Faith for less. Love for less.
Salvation. I can see that one. Let's just cut out the troublesome Jesus part or the repentence part or the believe part and let me just say a few comfortable words here and there or ease right into a church or two. I don't want to bother with all that backwards and unpopular talk about sin or figure out who that Jesus guy was. Let's just fast forward to the eternal life part.
Holiness. Be ye a little bit better than you used to be for I am Holy? Set your eyes on things a little farther down the road than you are now, for your life is hid somewhere? Seek first a little more comfortable station in life and all these things will be added to you?
Faith. Forget subduing kingdoms. We'll just blog against government policy a little. Forget working righteousness. We'll just not make too many waves. Forget obtaining promises. We'll get by with the ones we already have. Forget stopping the mouths of lions. We'll just back away slowly, thanks. Quenching the violence of fire? You know, fire is a pretty decent heat source sometimes. Escaping the edge of the sword? I don't like to think about weapons; we won't go there. Out of strength, we'll be made weak. We'll wax valiant in flight, not fight.
Love. For less. I'll suffer a little while, if it isn't too much trouble. I'll try not to envy too very much. I'll try not to be provoked unless you really, really bother me. I'll seek my own way, but I'll do it with a smile.
Somehow, everything Christian for less doesn't sound all that Christian at all.
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