Where has passion gone to? How did we let it disappear? Passion is the fire that used to burn in the bones of the saints. Pentecost marked the primitive church with raw passion. Those disciples followed the fiery steps of Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Elijah and a host of other living flames of the Lord. The Lord of the prophets burned with wrath. Jesus Himself was consumed with zeal for the glory of His Father. His Spirit desires us zealously. Our Triune God is altogether passionate; He is a, “consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).
Christendom lost its fire when it became a socio-political movement. Stoicism told us that reason had to rule in matters of faith and philosophy; and that the passions were signs of immaturity. Many believers were afraid of being called extremists and fanatics; so they expelled the word ‘passion’ from their theological vocabulary. Who ever gave us the right to take the fire out of the Gospel? Does anyone know whatever happened to men who used to burn in the pulpit? Leonard Ravenhill pointed out, “We have a cold church in a cold world because the preachers are cold.” Reason may instruct us; but passion is what inspires us!
Jesus, the stone rejected by men, provoked hatred and anger wherever He went. He called the religious, ‘children of the devil’ and told them that they would die in their sins if they didn’t repent. He was no campaigner for man’s self-esteem and psychology. When Paul the apostle came to a town, they wanted to cut that man of God in pieces and feed him to the dogs. Do you honestly think that Jesus and Paul were indifferent in spiritual affairs? A million times, no! They burned for the Gospel of the kingdom of God. They were the personification of passion! If Jesus and Paul returned to the vast majority of professing churches nowadays, they would be stoned to death within a quarter of an hour. How can a saint survive in the midst of such persecution and torment? By the power of the Holy Ghost fire that blazes within him or her!
We have become used to smooth, sweet, weak, butter-like Christian living that melts at the first sign of trouble. Real Christianity is for soldiers and warriors that will obtain the victory or else they will die fighting! True biblical faith does not know what it is to surrender to the enemy! It never gives up!
Passion is what puts fight in a saint. Passion is what makes us brave in the battle. If the dog of hell bites you, then bite the damned dog back! Pluralism and relativism, both offspring of postmodernism, have led our contemporary generation to indifference towards all spheres of life, including the religious. Our age needs fire like never before. But who is going to burn for the glory of the Gospel? Who will be passionate? Who will not be ashamed to stand with their mouth wide open and their heart ablaze declaring, “thus saith the Lord” to all of the perversity and depravity surrounds them?
If God is fire; then His servants are to be as a fire. God calls you to burn, to ignite, to provoke, to be passionate once again for the glory of the living God. Burn, soldier of the Most High; and many will draw near to feel the heat of your fire! Stir up that passion that lies dormant within!
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This is very good! Thank you. I totally agree with you; it seems like the church is just dead. Most of the time it seems like I fit in pretty well with the dead crowd, but God has allowed me to experience just a touch of passion for His glory at times. Wow, we're totally missing out if we settle for anything less than living whole-heartedly for the glory of God; there is nothing of greater value! And His glory is detailed and displayed to us in His Son.
ResponderEliminarI don't know what you think about this, but I've been reading a lot of A. W. Tozer (talk about a man that was on fire for God!), and I think the symptoms to deadness that he highlighted are very telling. The thrust of his message was that men needed to know their sin, and once they were aware of that, he'd introduce them to the Savior. And I think of the last verses of Matthew 11: Jesus is calling the "weary and heavy laden," and I'll tell you, you don't see too many people smarting under the weight of the burden of sin these days. And Jesus says there that He'll give rest for the soul--all we seem to want is rest for our bodies. What God wants is a soul resting in Christ and burning with zeal for His glory.
Again, thank you for the post.
Thank you for posting in both languages. =) I am new to your blog and looking forward to reading it.
ResponderEliminarGod Bless,
Elaine