(John Burton) It’s becoming rare to find prophetic voices who are calling the church into holiness. If we truly believed in the power of the blood of Jesus, we would not be anxious about focusing on—and dealing directly with—sin. Sometimes I have to slap myself to make sure I’m not dreaming about the current state of American Christianity. It’s actually a very real nightmare. Are Christians really campaigning against holiness preaching and a radical devotion to righteous living? Yes, they really are. Calls to obedience are a threat to their faux freedom and their independent spirits.
Religious Legalism – The buzz words for those who stand opposed to a focus on holiness seem to be religious and legalism.
“When there’s something in the Bible that churches don’t like, they call it ‘legalism.'”—Leonard Ravenhill
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Any call to renounce immorality is firmly rejected as legalism or evidence of having a religious spirit. Now, some in that camp would agree that the goal is to live a righteous life, but according to them, the way to get there is to ignore sin and to focus on Jesus alone. That sounds spiritual, but it’s not biblical.
“Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you” (Rev. 3:2-3, ESV). CONTINUE