Call me strange, but I love a good warning. Especially a warning that opens my eyes and causes me to cry out to God for the solution.
This particular “warning” from William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, an honored general who has gone before us, has opened my eyes and won’t leave me alone.
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“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.” – William Booth – Founder of the Salvation Army
This whole quote is enough for each of us to meditate on until its so deep within us, that we can’t help but be moved to action to see this changed in our lifetime.
When I look around the church today, I do see this. But more than seeing the problem that faces our generation, I see hope. I see the answer. It is in God and His inexplicable love, and it is within you and I. Christ in us the HOPE of glory! We can change this. But we have to wake up.
So often I see Christians who are saved but not free. Saved but unactivated in their faith. Saved but not empowered. Saved but in countless ways tolerating their pain and chains as a normal part of life. Saved but lacking the knowledge or understanding of their God given authority… I see Christians “doing” Christianity without actually following Jesus Christ. We’re willingly following Jesus to heaven, but refusing to get out of our Christian high towers. Instead we’re filled with opinions (that we freely give behind the safety of our computers), but often times those opinions lack the knowledge of the word of God, or are void of any action to actually live by the “convictions” we’ve so freely shared with the world. At times we’ve hemmed ourselves in with the safety of our Christian surroundings (I’ve been guilty of this), while we’re beckoned to be freedom facilitators that see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. That my friends is an uncomfortable life… A life truly crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20). One that calls us out to understand our position of “royalty” and authority is given for the sake of others.
“23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” – John 14:23-24 NIV
Notice it says “obey my teaching”, not “quote my teaching”, or”know my teaching better than anyone else”, it simply says obey, and then the promises follow. We can quote scripture, know scripture, use scripture out of context, have an opinion about scripture, but until we live it and live in it, there is a point of inactivity in our faith. And I would go so far to say that we’re acting as disobedient kids.
I want to focus on one part of this quote for this particular article, and that is salvation without regeneration.
Regeneration is to be renewed or restored back to our original purpose. We were never meant to only be saved. Don’t hear what I’m not saying, salvation is the point of entry, and the greatest, most mind bending miracle into our new life with Christ to which everything He has is ours. This is the front door into the palace of our new life. This is adoption into the greatest family ever! What a position that we live from!
From the point of salvation, we have a mission of renewal and regeneration of ALL things. First to be renewed and restored in our own lives (because WE ARE a new creation, this is not semantics, it is our reality), and then to facilitate the same thing in the lives of those around us, and the atmospheres we occupy – to be saved AND free, and then give what we have away.
We are each called to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and see the kingdom of heaven infiltrate earth (Matthew 6:10)whilst we occupy the planet. We don’t just sit here and occupy till Jesus comes back for us, we are facilitators of the freedom and power of the Kingdom of Heaven. And we have been given all authority from Jesus to do so, and are enabled by the gift and the power of the Holy Spirit to execute the mission.
We are at war and we win. So we must fight accordingly.
“There may be breaks between battles but it doesn’t mean the war is over. You can take that time between to nap, or, you can take it to re-equip. Victory is yours, it’s just a matter of how long you want the battle to go on before you take it.” – Kris Vallotton, Spirit Wars
Salvation WITH regeneration is our responsibility. Satan will try everything in his power to usurp (take a position of power or importance illegally or by force) what has been freely given to you. Don’t allow him the pleasure.
If you’re okay with going to war, freedom and restoration are yours. And then you have the privilege of giving it away to all you meet.
So thank you William Booth for going before us and opening our eyes. May we take heed and make an eternal difference on earth while we’re alive.