I see, in this generation of true Christ-loving youth, a great opportunity that is perhaps greater than many of previous eras of the church.
In this generation, I see a people who are willing to accept true Christianity, a concept which many who would consider themselves Christians have never truly had presented. I also see a generation excited to bring glory to God in any way He may desire it of them. I see those who live from a worldview of reformed theology, regardless of whether they know what that even means, and couple it properly with a charismatic worship and lifestyle.
Like Shrek, Christianity as a grouping is similar to an onion. It has layers. There are those on the far fringe who no one else would agree upon as "Christian," but who would first and foremost introduce themselves as such. This includes cults like Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, and liberal theologians who disregard foundational truths such as Biblical inerrancy and the possibility of miracles. It is hard to understand why someone would even desire so greatly to be associated closely with something they changed so greatly before accepting. But I digress.
From here we can see that there are deeper, less clearly defined layers within the realm of "Christianity." Those raised attending church on Sundays for no apparent impact, the nominal Catholic, and others fall into a slightly closer range of truth. When looking for the true qualifiers however, it becomes clear that Children of the Burning Heart are born across the board in some places rather unlikely from the Biblicist's perspective. There are many groups who have no clue what Christianity means, and many who skew it to a jumbled mess, yet even through all this Christ works in the lives of those He wills.
From here I would like to look at those youthful souls truly desperate for the work of God in their lives. This group is largely described by and partially included within the Passion ministry movement. A joyous surprise to thousands who see kindred hearts where they thought few existed. Young believers characterized by a passion for the truth as only the Bible could describe it, and any consequences that may entail. A clan of ridiculously open worshippers who are unashamed in admitting their filthiness and His over-qualification to make it right.
I think this pattern of thinking is influenced from a number of directions, culminating in an extremely Biblical Christian worldview once developed. In the first chapter of "The Pursuit of God," A.W. Tozer betrays a very similar thought process. Speaking to the Christianity of the 1950's, his sentiments ring true in our ears today as well. His purpose in this chapter is, simply put, to say that while Christians are taught to be content in their Christianity, we should be quite the opposite, constantly in pursuit of God and His glory.
Read this book!
Aside from this point, Tozer very obviously proposes a foundation for this thinking, putting forth his own worldview. The chapter starts out stating,
"Christian theology teaches the doctrine of prevenient grace, which briefly stated means this, that before man can seek God, God must first have sought the man."
While Tozer off-handedly claims this as a Christian theology, it is only thought thus in a relatively reformed Christian worldview. In the seemingly eternal battle between Calvinism and Arminianism, the basic concepts come up again and again. Calvinists would hold that God does all the work of calling the broken and helpless man, while Arminians would say that by free-will a man sees his sinfulness and comes to God uncoaxed.
Tozer makes an obvious proposition of the Calvinistic or reformed position on this topic. Unlike most Calivinist theological assertions, however, Tozer does not beat us bloody about the complete ineptitude of man, a valid point that is wrongly focused and often taken on wild trips to extreme tangents by obsessive theologians. Instead he turns this truth directly to state that man is given the ability to pursue God from God, and uses this as all the more purpose in the pursuit. Basically stated, Tozer does not use this information to dissect all the possible nooks and crannies of theological intellectualism, but gain perspective as to man's real and current relation to God.
The rest of Tozer's chapter discusses the greatness of God's personhood, the ability for human persons to interact with Him, and the immense joys found available in the pursuit of God. The book is well titled.
I truly think this is what Biblical Christianity is called to be. Tozer takes a truth, sets it as a foundation, and from there understands how it effects living, and rejoices in the outcome. This should be a timeless method for all Christian understanding! It is this mentality that fuels purposeful Christian living! It is this mentality that gives men the ability to understand truth and worship all the more therefore!
In being reformed to the Bible, we can see the Biblical state of the world and majesty of God. In following this truth logically, we have found freedom to worship and happily throw everything to Him.
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