Slaying Spiritual Giants

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Sometimes when I think about the Great Commission - Jesus' instruction for us to make disciples of all nations - it seems to be an overwhelming task. Much like the Israelite spies who were sent into the land of Canaan, we can see many giants that need slaying before we can claim new territory. In Europe, Christianity is in decline after many centuries of cultural dominance, so our task is different to the that of the apostles who Jesus initially commissioned to spread the good news. Most people already know about Jesus and a large number of people have rejected Him because they think they know what He represents. 

Our task today isn't simply to educate people about Jesus, it is to remind them why they need Jesus. Even the phrase "needing Jesus" will have many people rolling their eyes. They've heard it all before and have no interest in becoming one of those crazy born-again Christians, or a puritanical killjoy - these seem to be the two most popular stereotypes of Jesus' followers in the modern world - so they recoil at even the mention of His name.

Today, people's unbelief isn't because they have never heard of Jesus. Their unbelief is because they don't think they need Jesus. He has become a throw back to what most believe is an outmoded worldview that says we are sinners who need a Saviour. Among secular people today, or even among those who say they are spiritual not religious, you'd be hard pushed to find anyone who thinks they are sinners who need saving.

In this article I'm going to discuss two spiritual giants that we need to take down before we can hope to reintroduce people to Jesus. 

The first one of these giants is ignorance.

The Giant of Ignorance says, "There is no need for you to tell me about Jesus because I already know about him. He gave us a few good teachings but all this stuff about him being the Son of God is nonsense." Another response from someone might be, "Jesus is one of many wise teachers but his way isn't the only way to God as we are all children of God ." In both cases, familiarity with Jesus leads people to think they know who He is, so they reject Him, or reinvent Him to suit their own belief system. Jesus is many things to many people, but to people who are stuck within wilful ignorance and unbelief He is never who He himself said He was; namely, the only one who can lead us back to the Father. 

"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." John 14:6-9

So what is it that leads us to dismiss what Jesus said about Himself in favour of our own ideas about Him? The Dunning-Kruger effect - which is a cognitive bias that occurs when a person's lack of knowledge in a certain area leads them to overestimate their own expertise - usually kicks in when people are attached to a belief system on an emotional basis. Many famous atheists demonstrate this bias during debates or in their books about God. They have only a superficial understanding of theology or the Bible, yet they act as if they are experts. They don't know what they don't know and have no interest in finding out.  Their views are often accompanied by derision and even rage against believers, which is a good indicator that they are trying to protect their own belief system at all costs.

When our emotions are involved it is very difficult for us to think clearly, so if a person has a strong, negative reaction against God it's important to try and understand why. Have they been abused by religious people? Do they feel abandoned by God? Do they feel guilty about things they have done, or fear judgement? Do they like feeling intellectually superior to others? There are many reasons for people wanting to remain ignorant of God, but some common underlying causes are pride, fear, guilt and pain. 

These feelings maybe covered over with a pseudo-intellectual cloak, which leads people to make the same well-worn arguments against God that have already been dealt with over millennia through discussion and debate. Yet people who have this kind of cognitive bias don't want to learn more. They dismiss Biblical ethics with a wave of the hand, so that their personal worldview and morality can remain in tact. If someone is not willing to change their mind in light of new information there really is no way to teach them about Christ. We can only pray that the Holy Spirit will open their heart and renew their minds, as He did with ours.

"They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart." Ephesians 4:18

"Claiming to be wise they became fools, ... because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator." Romans 1:22 & 25

"They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see and their hearts, so that they cannot understand." Isaiah 44:18

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." Acts 17:30

The second giant we need to deal with is pride.  

Today, pride is seen as good thing as it has been rebranded to mean "self-acceptance" and "self-love". We should all be proud of who we are; the problem is "who we are" is defined by innate characteristics like race and gender, or our political, religious and sexual preferences. But these things do not make up who we are as a whole. A large and more important measure of who we are is our character. Whether we are selfish, envious, dishonest, manipulative or arrogant -  is often left out of our self-declarations. This means that our pride goes unnoticed and thus becomes a giant that needs to be slain before we can hear the truth about Jesus.

The Giant of Pride says "I will go my own way".  Implicit in this statement is either a lack of belief in a Creator with a plan and purpose for us, or a rebellious spirit that doesn't want to follow God's plan. One of God's main laments throughout the prophetic books of the Bible is that people have followed their own way and the desires of their own heart, rather than the Way that God gave them to follow through the Law of Moses. We may think that the Old Testament is archaic or obsolete, but the Ten Commandments provide the basis for a stable and fair society. The problem is not their irrelevance, but that people don't want to follow them because they see them as restrictive and think that they know better.

Human beings haven't changed much over the years; the Israelites didn't want to follow the commandments either, hence God's lament that His people had gone astray. Pride and rebellion are such intrinsic human characteristics that we continually see them on display throughout the Biblical narrative. Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses, King David (and most other Kings), Jonah and some of Jesus' disciples all rebel against God, to greater or lesser degrees, so of course we are going to do the same thing. 

"Do you see a man who is right in his own eyes, there is more hope for a fool than him." Proverbs 26:12

"Yet they did not obey or incline their ear but everyone walked in the stubbornness of their evil heart." Jeremiah 11:8

"And he (Jesus) said to them (Pharisees),"You are those who justify yourselves by men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God." Luke 16:15

"All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way. And the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6

We are rebels at heart until we recognise our need for God, humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness; in other words, we repent and return to following God's way. This repentance process has been completely removed from modern ideas of spirituality. But it is the only way we can return to him.

"The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him he will be found by you, but you forsake him he will forsake you." 2 Chronicles 15:2 

"If my people who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land" 2 Chronicles 7:14

"Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you." Zechariah 1:3

Helping people to understand our need for reconciliation with God through repentance is a monumental task. This is not just because of our pride, but because of the moral relativism that has seeped into our culture and because many people's view of God's love has been distorted by modern spirituality.

Pride says "I do what I want. I am the master of my domain. No one tells me what to do"

Moral Relativism says "What is true for you is not true for me. I decide right and wrong for myself. It's my truth, not your truth."

Universalism says, "God is love. God loves everyone, which means he will save and forgive everyone regardless of whether they follow His ways."

If all these things are true, then there is no need to humble yourself, ask for forgiveness or turn from your wicked ways (repent). You can just live life your way without consequence.

People have forgotten that repentance is the real transformation process. Admitting we've done something wrong, asking for forgiveness and making a commitment to do better is the way we grow and mature. Today people want to believe that cultivating a peaceful mind through Eastern forms of meditation will transform them. If you suggest that in order to truly transform you need to admit your mistakes and ask for forgiveness from God, they will call you judgemental and tell you glibly that "God is love."

But we can test Jesus' teachings within our own lives and though many people deny it, His first and ongoing teaching was to tell us to repent.

"Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:2

"No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will likewise perish." Luke 13:3

Let's take the test. If I lie to my friend, or steal money from my brother, or cheat on my husband and break the trust in all these relationships, what is the right thing to do? When confronted with my wrongdoing; should I admit what I've done wrong, sincerely apologise and ask for forgiveness? Or should I deny that I committed these betrayals and not take any responsibility for my actions? Which of these responses will help to heal the situation and lead to my growth and transformation? 

When we fail to admit (confess) our wrongdoing and refuse to accept responsibility, or to change our ways (repent), then we become stagnant psychologically and spiritually. We all know people who are stubborn in this regard; who never admit they are at fault and therefore never change their ways. 

"He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God will hear and humiliate them—the One enthroned for the ages—because they do not change and they have no fear of God." Psalm 55:19

These people often end up alone and embittered because of their pride. They are stuck in a tomb of their own making, projecting a false, aggrandised self to the world because they have never learnt to humbly admit their mistakes.

Accepting the truth of who we really are - warts and all - helps us to mature and change for the better. But many people prefer to gloss over, or bury, their flaws through spiritual practices because they think they will bring them peace, but usually they give them only temporary relief. Denial certainly feels peaceful for a time, until the monsters we have buried start to roar and then no amount of meditation will drown them out.

If we don't follow God's method of transformation we will not change. We will not be at peace. And we definitely will not be near to God.

God is holy. Set apart. Pure. Undefiled. In order to be reconciled to Him we need to be changed into a new creation. In other words, we need to let Him transform us by his Spirit into the people He originally designed us to be. 

Repentance is part of that process because it shows we have humility and will trust God to heal and change us. 

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:17

The more we allow the breakdown of our old selves and habits, the more we can be filled with His Spirit. Our hearts will be broken wide open and healed; our minds will be renewed. 

If we are not prepared to let Him into our stubborn, prideful hearts, He will not transform us and we will remain far from Him. If we take that first step of asking for His help we will finally feel the rest that He promises to all His disciples.

"In returning and rest you shall be saved. In quietness and in trust shall be your strength." Isaiah 30:15

"Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

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