Christianity in Crisis: Are We Being True To The Word

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

It’s easy for one to say they are a child of God but in times like now, one must walk the walk. One must truly live by the Word to confront today’s evil.

Introduction

Many are justifying actions that are cruel and harmful by saying they are doing what the Bible tells us to do.  Over the past few weeks, that has left me wondering whether or not we truly know the Word.  Christianity is in crisis and has been for quite some time, as many know how to talk the talk, but they’ve shown that they don’t know how to walk the walk of Christ.  That cannot be the case for we who proclaim to be a child of God.

Crisis of Identity in Christianity

In his epistle, James called out those who say they believe in God.  James called on believers to be doers of the word, not simply hearers of the word (Jas. 1:22).  In other words, one ought to be up and active in their faith.  

Yet, such a call to action moved James to speak about what that activity ought to look like and what it should not look like.  So, James held up a mirror to believers and asked the question:  What do you see looking back at you?

The object that is being used as the mirror, we should note, is the word of God.  In James 1:23, James said that those who are hearers only, look in the mirror and see their natural face staring back at them.

Now, this is truly a fascinating statement from James.  The reason why is because the natural face of man is sinful.  You see, by our nature, we are sinners.  The Word has revealed to us that all must repent because the kingdom of God is at hand (Matt. 4:17).  

If we look into a mirror and we see a flaw, a blemish, or that something is out of place, we spend time correcting the issue, don’t we?  Spiritually, there are those who looked into the mirror and choose to ignore what they see.  These are those who don’t believe in the Word, accepting their imperfections and doing nothing about them.

On the other hand, there are those who observe their flaws and immediately reach for the best makeup they can find!  They “make correction” by covering up their blemishes, thinking themselves to be perfect.  The problem with using this kind of makeup is that the natural face still remains with its flaws having not been corrected.

James is speaking directly to those who have looked into the word, professed to believe in God, but haven’t made any changes in their life.  Christianity faces an identity crisis from those who become bad-faith actors, thinking they are living perfectly by the Word, but in truth, they don’t know Him.

The Great Danger Posed by Bad-Faith Actors

In their self-righteousness, thinking themselves perfect, those bad-faith actors seek to enforce their ways onto others.  By moving in such a manner, the bad-faith actors pose a great danger to everyone.

Self-righteous wildfires

Of the danger they pose, James warned of what the bad-faith actors are capable of doing.  In James 1:26, he wrote, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.”

The self-righteous deceive themselves into thinking they are holy when they are not.  The first thing that gives away their true identity is their tongue.  Those who are of true faith learn to control their tongue.  Yet, the pretender of faith, the bad-faith actor, has an unbridled tongue.

James spoke of the great danger of the unbridled tongue in James 3:6.  James wrote that the untamed tongue sets on fire the course of nature as it is set on fire by hell.  The tongue is able to start wildfires that will consume and destroy anything in its path.

The unbridled tongue does not care who it hurts.  The unbridled tongue has no truth in it!  We see the lies, conspiracies, the wars, and the destruction that the tongue can create in a matter of minutes.

Self-serving and putting down others

In James 1:14, James pointed out that one is drawn away from the Lord by their own desires.  Many of us will point to the devil as our great adversary, which he is certainly a great adversary of the faith, yet many of us often overlook ourselves.  We can not only be our own worst enemy, but we can also be the worst enemy of others.

History shows us that no good comes from being self-serving, being enticed, and drawn away by one’s own desires.  It was self-serving of some men who, under the identity of Christ, thought it to be OK  to enslave another or to invoke Jim Crow.  

So-called Christians have been behind some of the greatest modern-day atrocities we have seen.  In the present day, we watch how laws are enacted by those who would dare proclaim to be of Christ, but would see harm come to women in childbirth.  We watch and wait now to see what will come of healthcare because of the self-serving desires of “the rich”.

In James 1:15, we will see that he did not overlook the spiritual danger posed by those who are participating in the identity theft of Christianity.  James wrote that when selfish desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin.  Sin, when it is full-grown, James pointed out it brings forth death.

Many have been pushed away from God and His salvation through the harmful actions of the bad-faith actors.  Yet, at the same time, there are many who are drawn to these pretenders of faith, being drawn away from God and His salvation.

How are many being drawn away by the bad-faith actors?  The bad-faith actor will proclaim the name of Christ, deceiving those who are easily deceived when the name of Christ is invoked.

Through their actions, the bad-faith actor either pushes or leads others away from God.  This is not good because, away from God, there is no salvation.  This means that such a one is leading others to their spiritual death!

The True Believer’s Identity

Do you now understand the crisis of this day in Christianity?  Christianity has been stolen by bad-faith actors who have turned Christianity into a religion, rather than a faith movement!

Because of this, James has called on the true believer to stand in their identity.  Yet, what is our identity?  It is incredibly important for us to know who we are.  When I was growing up, all of those who were older would tell us that we need to know where we came from to know who we are.  The same holds true for the true believer:  We need to know where we come from so that we can stand in our true identity.

The firstfruits of Christ

In James 1:18, James wrote, “Of [God’s] own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”  Now this is an incredibly important statement for us to be able to understand who we are.

James explains that we are born of the word of truth because of God’s grace.  Now, when we think of the word of God, or the word of truth, many of us are going to think about Scripture, right?  

Yet, in John 1:1, John explained that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  Then John stated that the Word became flesh and dwelt among His creation.  John was speaking of Christ, the only begotten Son of God, as being the Word.

Let us always keep in mind that Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).  Jesus gave His life on calvary and those who believe in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life (John 3:16).  We have everlasting life, yes, through our faith, but because Jesus shed blood, becoming our propitiation!

So, you and I today, through our faith, have become the firstfruits of Christ.  What this means for us is that while we were once sinners, we are no longer sinners.  Because of our faith in Christ, we have been born again, anew.  The true believer is now a justified sinner.

A destiny and calling to fulfill

As a child of God, we have a destiny and a calling to fulfill.  James 1:27 tells us that pure and undefiled religion (sincere faith) before God and the Father is to visit orphans and widows in their trouble.  James wrote that in sincere faith, one keeps oneself unspotted from the world.

The true believer has a high calling to fulfill!  Before some of you start scheduling your appointment to visit orphans and widows, let’s understand James’ message.  James indicates that the path of the sincere believer is one of helping to uplift those who are in need, whether they are an orphan or a widow doesn’t matter.  If we take a look at our landscape, we will find that there are many standing in trouble who are in need of great help today.

The true believer, in times like now, must be willing to step up and answer the high call.  We have a destiny and a calling to confront and counteract that which opposes God’s word.  Paul encouraged Timothy to be ready to convince, rebuke, and exhort with all patience in season and out of season.

We have a destiny and a calling to contend for God’s word!  God’s word, we should understand, is love!  Again, Paul told Timothy that the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith (1 Tim. 1:5).”

Our identity is that of love and we ought to be standing in love.  The question we must answer today is whether or not we are answering our calling and destiny.  Or, are we not answering the call, and becoming another kind who is simply a hearer and not a doer of the word?

Consider What Jesus Stood For

I feel that some of us must be reminded what Christ stood for so that, as His firstfruits, we can do likewise.

Consider today, did Jesus turn away those who cried out to Him or came to Him in need?  There may have been teaching moments that some would receive when they came to Him, but Jesus would help.  Oftentimes, Jesus would go out of His way to places to help those who were crying out in prayer!

Consider today, did Jesus only help the Jews?  I ask this question because some will only help those who may be able to give something in return.  Others will only help those who are like them.  The gospels show us that Jesus helped both Jews and Gentiles on multiple occasions.  Off the top of my head, I think of the Gentile mom who pleaded for Jesus to help her daughter, and Jesus admired her great faith (Matt. 15:21-28).

Consider today what Jesus did when He entered the temple and saw sellers in the temple, defiling the temple.  Jesus did not stand by when He saw the temple being defiled.  Jesus did not stand by when the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees looked down on others.  Jesus did not stand idly by while the self-righteous scribes tried to the law of God to dictate their laws onto others!

Jesus took a stand and contended for the faith, and contended for the word!  Jesus showed the people a new way!

How to Live in Our True Identity?

James spoke of what must be done so that we may show people the new way.  

In my key verse for this message, James wrote that we must be swift to listen, slow to speak, and slow to wrath because the wrath of man cannot produce the righteousness of God.  I feel that these are words that need to be echoing throughout churches and in the hearts of all who say they believe in God.

For us to show people the new way, we begin by being swift to hear (listen).  What is it that we are being swift to listen for is the key.  We ought to be swift to listen to our guidance, our counsel.

The guidance and counsel of the true believer is the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit, we ought to keep in mind, serves in a role of guiding us into all truth.  You see, the Holy Spirit always has something to say, and what He has to say is of the utmost importance.  So, the true believer ought to always be listening, ready to receive His word.

To help with listening for His voice, James said we need to learn how to shut up sometimes!  James said we need to be slow to speak.  You see, we can’t learn anything if we’re always talking over the teacher.  As the saying goes, if you’re always talking, then you’re not listening.

Who are we to be talking over our teacher?  Are we someone that doesn’t need any help?  Humility, again, is a lesson we must learn so that we may heart the voice of the Spirit and live by His word.  Many of us go deaf to the Spirit because our minds are too preoccupied with our own desires.  

Not being ready to listen to the Spirit, having a preoccupied mind, and despising instruction leads to folly (Prov. 1:7; 14:12).  Folly, a way that seems right to a man leads to destruction.

James then stated that we must be slow to wrath because the wrath of man does not produce righteousness.  You see, as Proverbs 15:18 tells us, wrathful men stir up strife (anger).  Wrath is not the fruit of the Spirit.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace.  Love, joy, and peace is our identity and how we show others the new way.

Becoming Reflections of God

James wrote that those who look into the perfect law of liberty, freedom through Christ, and continue in it will be blessed as a doer of the work (Jas. 1:25).  When the true believer looks into the mirror, their reflection ought to become more and more Christ-like on this journey.  When the mirror is reflecting back Christ, then others will also see this same thing.

As Jesus was grace and moved in it, the true believer must be grace and move in it as well.  We have to ask ourselves, are we becoming reflections of the Word, are we reflections of Christ?  We have to ask ourselves, are we grace, and are we love, as God is grace and love?

James tells us to ensure that we lay aside all filthiness and receive the implanted word with meekness (Jas. 1:21).  Again, the goal of the true believer is to walk as Jesus walked.  Our goal is not to fall in line with those who move wickedly and surrender our souls to those who are evil.  If we follow these steps, we will come to know the Word, and therefore, be better able to move in it.