Complacent Christianity in the Last Days of the Church
by Joel Krooswyk
Chapter Three
- Aspects of Complacency -
God warned us regarding the complacent lifestyle and its serious repercussions. It is written in the book of Revelation that we, like lukewarm water, will be spit from the mouth of God on the day of judgement if we are complacent in our relationship with Him. In Revelation 3:15-16, it says:
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you would were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
This is a terrifying thought that should motivate us to full devotion, yet many Christians do not realize the implications of that text. If you are lukewarm, or complacent, in your relationship with God, you are not headed for an eternity with Him. Instead, you are risking an eternity in the fiery pit of hell. This is real serious stuff to say the least!
If you do not believe in a final day of judgement, or a day of reckoning, you need to read Revelation 20:12-15, where John sees a vision of the final judgement. That text tells us,
"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which was the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
Complacent Christians will face that second death. They will face an eternity in the lake of fire unless they repent of their sin. You need to be assured of your salvation. You need to make sure your name is written in the book of life. If you are a complacent Christian, you will never be assured that your name is written in that book. Your worries will be confirmed on the day of judgement, and the lake of fire will be your destiny. This is frightening reading for a Christian who is not fully devoted to the Lord!
In the New Testament book of James, chapter 2, we read that a faith without works is dead. This helps us readily identify the complacent lifestyle. If you claim to have faith, yet you do nothing to exemplify that faith, you are living a complacent lifestyle. What does my faith mean if there is no visible difference between my peers and myself? It needs to be evident, clear, and obvious. How can people see that you are different? It's actually quite easy. Let's look at some major aspects of complacent living. These include temperament, attitude, language, and generosity. These items are all interconnected, as we will later see.
First, let's address temperament. We are definitely living in a "now" society, where time is precious and we want everything "now"! Shipping companies now offer "next day" shipments around the globe because we want to get things done right away. As time becomes more precious, our tempers and our tolerance level for others shorten. Tempers in today's society are shorter than ever. "Road Rage" is a good example of this. People are literally killing each other on our roadways. There is no way we can justify these ridiculous occurrences. Often one person is causing another person to be late. Whether it be an accident, a traffic jam, cutting someone off and somehow blocking them, or some other trivial traffic maneuver, people have begun to justify killing another human driver for getting in their way. That indicates an incredibly short fuse, doesn't it? It's sick, in fact!
A Christian who keeps a level head and a moderated temperament despite the situation at hand surely honors God and demonstrates to others that God is in control. What a great witness to others! Losing your temper, bottling up anger until you explode, or holding grudges against others are good ways to show the world just the opposite. It demonstrates that God is not in control of your life. The complacent Christian is more concerned with getting what is due him or her, and revenge is often thought of, although not necessarily acted on. Not only are these ways to be a poor witness, but it also alienates people from you.
People have a natural tendency to avoid people whose tempers may flare at any moment. People aren't dumb. They know that when an individual gives in to anger and tempers rise, it is just not safe to be around that individual. God must be allowed to control all the situations in your life where frustration sets in. God can handle any situation, even when you don't think you can. An even temperament is a key requirement in describing you as a fully devoted Christ follower. In James 1:19-20, we read,
" Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
So, if anger in your life does not allow God to work in you, then a released temper may invite the devil to come stir you up! Think about it. If you have a temper that flares readily, it has to be fueled by anger. If you allow that anger to intensify to the point of a temper problem, you are not honoring God, and you certainly are not growing in Him.
Second, let's address attitude. People often under-estimate the effect their attitude has on other people. Ask yourself some more questions. Are you a joyful person? Do you have a willingness to help others? Are you open to change? Are you open to others' backgrounds and their ideas?
Willingness to accept a project at work may be a good indicator of this. When you are given a new workload at work, do you throw down your pen and sigh loudly as you lean back in your chair? Do you swear under your breath and complain to others about your manager and your workload? Do you just "grin and bear it"? Accepting that workload for what it is will benefit you, your managers, your peers, and your company. If you are in Christ, people will notice your disposition to be a pleasant one all the time.
Do you think you are someone that other people will think of you as a joy-filled individual? You may not even realize it, but you may be just that, if you are in Christ. When Christ is at work within you, others notice this trait. A co-worker once told me that he really appreciated the way I greeted him when he came into work each morning. I didn't really know this until one day, when I wasn't feeling well, he told me he noticed right away. He assumed something must be wrong, because that day I wasn't the "happy, uplifting guy" I usually was when he arrived to work. God uses us to witness through our attitudes, whether we are aware of it or not. What I didn't realize, is that God was using me to witness to this man every day. That small conversation about my "joy" allowed me to talk with him about Christ. He has not yet accepted Christ, but the seed was planted, so that the Holy Spirit may work within him.
God uses us to witness to others through our attitudes all the time, even when we don't know it. You attitude makes a huge difference in how people perceive you. Are you currently perceived as joyful, or are you generally considered disgruntled? Choose to be a positive witness for Christ in your everyday life.
We can all have happiness, but for many people this is dependent on their situation at the time. Happiness and joy should be our at all times due to our knowledge of what Christ did for us, regardless of our circumstances. There is a secondary key to happiness called contentment. If we are content, no matter our circumstances, we can find joy and happiness through Him. Without contentment, we can never truly be happy. Contentment includes what you look like, who you become in life, what possessions you have, and how your relationship is with God. If you are a Christian without joy or happiness, you either don't take joy in Christ's gift to you, or you are not content, no matter your circumstances.
One other piece of attitude is your treatment of others. Do you treat certain groups of people with contempt, whether it be those richer than you or those with a different skin color? Do racist thoughts often cloud your mind? Do you talk down about other people behind their back? Do you love gossiping about what other people have done? The complacent Christian will likely accept these items as part of human nature, but God can help overcome all these problematic attitudes. In chapter 1:26, James tells us:
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless."
These are powerful words! If we can't keep from talking down about others, our religious life is a worthless one before the Lord. God can help lift the barriers between you and your neighbors. God can help you stop talking about others negatively. Just ask Him for help, and He will see you through!
The last piece of attitude I want to address is humility. Are you a humble person? In a world which seems to grow in self-centeredness every day, Christians must stand out as humble servants of the Lord. The "me first" attitude is becoming all too common in today's society. As people strive for more and more worldly belongings, other people around them become less important, and more importantly, God is forgotten.
Jesus gave us a great example of humility that we can follow. In the gospel of John, chapter 13, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. In verse 15, he tells the disciples that he did this to set an example for us to follow. In verse 17, he tells us that we will be blessed if we follow His example. So, are you serving others? Do you know the rewards and blessings of serving the people around you? Being a humble servant of God is a crucial ingredient of a true messenger of His Word.
You can see that attitude has a lot to do with love. If you love others, your attitude toward them will be one of compassion and caring. If you do not have love, then your attitude will never be what it needs to be. I John 2:9-11 says,
"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness."
This makes it pretty clear. If we don't love others - fellow Christians in particular - we are complacent. We are not going to be a part of God's kingdom. We are still in the darkness of the world, rather than being in the light of God's love. We need to love others, especially our Christian brothers and sisters. Our attitude towards them depends on that love.
The third aspect of complacency that I listed is language. Earlier in this book, I mentioned misuse of God's name. This is a major problem in today's society in its schools, its workplace, and even in its churches. If people profaned your name each day and used your name as a swear word, can you imagine how upset you might be? How much more it must offend God, the Creator of the entire universe, when we, His creation, use His name in vain every single day.
God's second commandment addresses this issue. Today's society has all but forgotten that commandment, including many Christians! I once had a Christian man who attends my church tell me that he didn't see the relevance of the Old Testament anymore, since Jesus came, and the New Testament is far more relevant. This attitude is completely wrong!
Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament. He completes it. In fact, in Matthew 22:37, Jesus said that the great and first commandment is:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
This is a summary of the first four of the 10 Commandments given in the Old Testament. These first four commandments deal with loving and honoring God above all else.
The second commandment Jesus gave is found in the passage which follows, in Matthew 22:39, where he says:
"Love your neighbor as yourself."
This is a summary of the last six commandments of the 10 Commandments of the Old Testament. These last six commandments deal with loving others. Read it for yourself in Exodus 20 when you get some time. It all makes perfect sense! Jesus did not replace the 10 Commandments with two, he merely summarized them, showing that all the commands God has given to us are vitally important.
A Christian man once told me that he found the Old Testament difficult to understand, so he didn't spend much time reading it. It is common not to understand parts of the Bible! This man simply did not search out a Christian leader who could help him understand what he was reading. This is an obvious sign of complacency. We can't ignore God's Word and His commands simply because we have a hard time reading it. If we really have a problem understanding, we will work to understand it so that we can be closer to God and more like Jesus.
The entire Bible has relevance to every part of today's society, and ignoring parts of His Word angers God. It is a sad reflection on the church that many of its members feel that they don't need to pay attention to the entire Bible. Those who think that they only need part of it are not living in Christ!
I urge you to be very aware of your use of God's name. A fully devoted follower of God will be upset when others misuse the name of their Lord and God. This is one reason I don't watch much television anymore. A half-hour show may use God's name in vain 50 times, although they can't really "swear" with vulgar language on the air. How much more offensive it is to abuse God's name!
Many people will have to answer for this on the final day of judgement. God's commandment, in Exodus 20:7, reads:
"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name."
All Christians know that they are not guiltless before God, and that the saving blood of Jesus is the only way they can be assured of salvation. However, if you are really in Christ, you will try to avoid doing anything that the Lord says you will have to answer for. The Lord is holding us accountable, as we see in the above commandment. We will want to do our utmost to live up to His expectations if we are His. Keep His name holy! The name of God and that of Jesus Christ are above all names, and one day we will all bow at the name of Jesus, rather than taking it in vain!
Another aspect of language is vulgarity. Use of excessive vulgarity does not help enhance the believer's image. Vulgarity often seems to just indicate a lack of knowledge of the English language. There are so many descriptive words available. We need to try using some of those words instead! Vulgarity is a very different thing from taking the Lord's name in vain. It is something society sees as a sinful thing. Christians need to demonstrate control of their tongues to society.
Sin has become so prevalent in our society that we take more offense to four letter crude words than we take when God's name is profaned around us. As Christians, we need to be aware of both. In James 3:9-10, we read:
"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be."
Keep that thought in mind as you go through your daily routines in the coming week. It will make you more aware of what image you are painting for others when you speak.
Another form of language we need to be aware of is body language. Dancing before the Lord is considered an honorable thing. King David danced before the Lord. II Samuel chapter 6 says that he and the other Israelites danced "with all their might" before the Lord.
Dancing for recreation and fun can also be an enjoyable thing for everyone, especially when close friends and loved ones are in on the fun. All too often, though, sexual overtones pervade dancing. If you dance suggestively, does it honor God? Can others who might be watching you tell that you are a Christian at that point? Of course they can't.
Strip clubs abound in this country and others, where women use suggestive dancing as a means to attract men to these clubs. MTV has become a monstrous network, using sexually suggestive dancing and music videos to lure young people to watch. Be conservative with your dancing to ensure that you don't send the wrong message.
Another part of body language is how we act around others. When you talk with an unbeliever, are you visibly nervous talking about God? Are you visibly confident in what you are talking about? When people ask you for help or for a favor, do you pretend to listen? Do you simply allow them to present their request for help, while the whole time they are talking you are indicating complete ignorance of their presence? Do you show with your whole self that you are genuinely interested in what your friend, co-worker, neighbor, or fellow Christian has to say? People can read a lot from your vocal tone and your body language. Send the right signals.
Demonstrating concern for others will enhance your life. Take the time. People can read, through your body language, whether you are concerned or not. Complacent Christians don't concern themselves with others too much. In fact, a lot of times, these people are just bothersome, and their body language will surely show this. The next time you are approached to help someone, think about what your body is saying.
The last aspect of complacency I mentioned is generosity. This includes much more than financial giving. Generosity applies to time, finances, gratitude, and much more.
Are you generous with your time? Do you spend quality time with your Christian friends? Do you spend sufficient quality time with your spouse or with your kids? Do you volunteer your time to help further God's kingdom? Are you helping reach out to the community?
Time is the most precious resource we have. At the start of this book, I quoted a verse from the book of James, which was a reference to the brevity and shortness of life. What we do with our short time here is important. Be sure to allot enough time for God throughout your life. Give of your time to help those less fortunate. Give of your time to help disadvantaged kids. Find an area where you can be effective for God. Giving of your time to help others will strengthen your relationship to God, as well as theirs.
It is important to spend quality time with fellow Christians as well. Christian friends can help keep you in check and give you added accountability. Spending time with Christian peers will help you develop, and you can help develop your peers. A small group of 4 or 5 couples may help you grow through encouragement and accountability. A couple close confidants may be able to talk through your deepest issues with you to help you overcome your weaknesses and your worst temptations. True Christian friends will care enough about you to help you and care about you deeply. With their help, you can grow stronger than you may be able to on your own.
Also, be sure you spend enough time with your family. Family strength is very important in your walk with God. God calls a husband and wife "one". A husband and wife should worship together, as one. Be close, and be a positive influence on each other. Divorce is tearing apart nearly 1 in 2 marriages today. Make sure yours is a Godly marriage, so that you and your children may benefit from a marriage whose foundation is in Christ.
Financial generosity is a different department. Earlier I mentioned the giving of your tithe to God. This is key to appreciating the blessings you have been given. However, financial generosity doesn't stop with your tithe. Do you give when you notice a special need? Do you actually look for those who may have a need? Do you give food when area food drives are run for local food pantries?
There are many ways we can use our money to honor God and help others. I understand that some people have been more blessed financially that others. What is important is that you give as God has given you.
So, the next time you consider that new designer pair of jeans, I encourage you to think of what else you might be able to do with that 30, 40, or 50 dollars. Often times, a small amount of money can have a huge impact when helping those less fortunate.
Be wise with your financial giving though. The complacent Christian will find it easiest to donate a little money and walk away. A common saying reads like this:
"Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he'll eat for a lifetime."
I actually own a T-shirt that has this saying on the back. Invest the right amount of resources to make a real difference. Balance the time and money you need to invest to make a difference in the lives of those who need your help.
One final piece of generosity I want to mention is gratitude. Never underestimate the value of a "thank you" or other recognition for those who deserve it. Thanking others for their generosity not only lets them know that they are appreciated, but also it draws attention to the work being done. This, in turn, may draw more people in who will help further the work of God's plan.
Gratitude is not just politeness. It is something only a generous person can truly understand and appreciate. Sincere thanks can often be as a gift in itself! When people see that they are truly appreciated, they will likely help again. They will find thanks from others to be as a crown on the fulfillment in their work.
Gratitude is not only something we express to each other either. God receives our gratitude and thankfulness as well, and the Christian who truly appreciates what Christ did on the cross will not be complacent when it comes to thanking, praising, and expressing gratitude toward Him. God has richly blessed us all, despite our current circumstances, but often we don't take the time to truly thank Him.
People can tell pretty quickly if you are missing one of these aspects in your life. A lack of a smile on your face won't encourage people to approach you, but a scowl will keep people away, showing them you lack joy. Losing your temper with a family member or a co-worker does not demonstrate that God is in control of the situation. Refusing to give of your time because you are just "too busy" doesn't send the right signals. A lack of time should show you a red flag in your life, in fact, that you need to reorganize your priorities to gain more time for the right things.
Can you see how these items are interdependent on each other? Joy in your attitude can help even your temperament. Being generous helps you identify with the needs of others, which makes you more thankful for what you have. Being thankful for what you have been given gives you a more positive attitude. This, in turn, as a Christian, will make you more conscious of how others think of you. This will affect your language in a positive manner, as you try to make sure people see the clear picture of what a Christian should be. When you control your tongue, you will find it much easier to control your temperament, and that will make you more generous, as you open up to others more.
It's a never-ending circle that you can't help but enjoy as a Christian. The complacent Christians will never get caught up in this loop. They won't care! That is truly unfortunate, as these things can lead to a very fulfilling life.
Go on to Chapter 4
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