Piper said something today that got me a little annoyed. He was talking about the importantce of pointing out God’s wrath, and hell and what-not while evangelizing. And he made some remark to the effect of saying that if you put too much emphasis on this life instead of the afterlife we end up with churches turning into social clubs that promote self-esteem over evangelism.
I don’t think I agree with his statement (I don’t remember it in it’s entirety, if you want to know exactly what he said download the sermon or transcript from today on Desiring God), but in some cases I agree with the generality of his observation. One needs to only throw a stone in a major old city to find a church that has slipped into social programs over evangelism.
But, he sentiment really annoys me in what he said.
I don’t think I would be a Christian if I didn’t think it would improve my life before I die.
It just seems silly to me to be a Christian without seeing any pre-death benefits.
Sure, I’m likely to suffer more for the calls of Christ, but I’m also more likely to be happier while suffering or enduring hardships of life. We should see bondage broken, addictions ended, sickness healed, thinking transformed, and attitudes changed on this life, not because it is the primary focus of our faith, but because that points us to God. Sometimes I think all some people believe Christianity is the study of a book, and the assurance of the afterlife (fire insurance Christians, Lauren calls them). And those things are important / appealing to a limited number of people. I figure that has to be more than just that.
Sometimes on the way home from work I listen to a call-in talk radio program called “Talk the Walk”. It is a christian program, and sometimes it is really interesting, but I can’t help but listen and think that too many conservative evangelicals have eaten the menu, and thought that was the meal.
Of course I don’t think that about a guy who made up the term “Christian Hedonism”, and who’s favorite tag line is “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him,” but I do sometimes wonder if he hasn’t taken a bite out of the thing as an appetizer when he talks about stuff like this.