Inoculations have the effect of protecting our body’s and immune systems from nasty diseases. They’re imperative when travelling overseas where our customised immune systems may fail to cope with the onset of a foreign organism. The inoculation gives us enough of a dead or very weak version of a virus or infection for the body to train its immune defences around.
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There is also a form of spiritual inoculation; but this sort of inoculation is not good. It renders the strength of the Spirit less powerful in changing our lives, and our tolerance to life-changing messages becomes stronger. In other words, it takes more of God to penetrate us less. This, of course, is completely the opposite for a ‘baby believer.’ They have low tolerance, meaning a little ‘good news’ keeps them fervent for God for a long time comparatively. The strength of Spirit is strong for the new believer.
There is also a form of spiritual inoculation; but this sort of inoculation is not good. It renders the strength of the Spirit less powerful in changing our lives, and our tolerance to life-changing messages becomes stronger. In other words, it takes more of God to penetrate us less. This, of course, is completely the opposite for a ‘baby believer.’ They have low tolerance, meaning a little ‘good news’ keeps them fervent for God for a long time comparatively. The strength of Spirit is strong for the new believer.
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One of the problems for those raised in the church, according to Ben Windle, is they’ve been drip fed a dangerous little (i.e. an inoculation) amount of God making their hearts a little dead to him. They know about God without really knowing him.[1] Knowing him is a feeling; it’s much more than knowledge, yet the shift to knowing him over knowing about him is very subtle.
One of the problems for those raised in the church, according to Ben Windle, is they’ve been drip fed a dangerous little (i.e. an inoculation) amount of God making their hearts a little dead to him. They know about God without really knowing him.[1] Knowing him is a feeling; it’s much more than knowledge, yet the shift to knowing him over knowing about him is very subtle.
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Sometimes Christians who’ve been raised in Christianity all their lives might feel envious of newer Christians who have the ‘fire of God’ stoking their hearts and minds and this reminds me of the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. Those called to start work in the vineyard at the eleventh hour ended up getting paid the same amount as those who’d worked the full 12-hour shift! Sounds unjust. Why hadn’t these workers worked previously? Were they slackers? No… “Because no one has hired us,”[2] they replied. So it is with people who’ve only just now come to faith in Christ. They responded the first time called. Perhaps they were called earlier? No matter, they responded now. It was God’s time for them to receive him, now!
Sometimes Christians who’ve been raised in Christianity all their lives might feel envious of newer Christians who have the ‘fire of God’ stoking their hearts and minds and this reminds me of the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. Those called to start work in the vineyard at the eleventh hour ended up getting paid the same amount as those who’d worked the full 12-hour shift! Sounds unjust. Why hadn’t these workers worked previously? Were they slackers? No… “Because no one has hired us,”[2] they replied. So it is with people who’ve only just now come to faith in Christ. They responded the first time called. Perhaps they were called earlier? No matter, they responded now. It was God’s time for them to receive him, now!
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The landowner of the vineyard (God) rightly tells those complaining that he’s not being unfair. He says, “Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” Jesus completes the parable saying, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”[3] So it is with the kingdom of heaven.
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The landowner of the vineyard (God) rightly tells those complaining that he’s not being unfair. He says, “Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” Jesus completes the parable saying, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”[3] So it is with the kingdom of heaven.
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Each of us has a ‘God-shaped’ hole inside of us. Each of us must know God for him or herself. We could have four theology degrees, and be raised in the most loving Christian household all our lives, and know all the worship songs going etc, and still not know him. We must relate personally with him, to be able to sense the favour of both his rebuke and praise and respond appropriately.
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Without God, an authentic life is a very difficult thing to achieve. With God, life may not get much easier, but the difference is like darkness to light -- we have power to make the difference. People raised in the church unfortunately may never have really known this difference like people who’ve come to faith by visitation of the Spirit say during adolescence or adulthood; perhaps as a response to the intense pain of trauma, stress, or depression -- the true life-changing experience.
Without God, an authentic life is a very difficult thing to achieve. With God, life may not get much easier, but the difference is like darkness to light -- we have power to make the difference. People raised in the church unfortunately may never have really known this difference like people who’ve come to faith by visitation of the Spirit say during adolescence or adulthood; perhaps as a response to the intense pain of trauma, stress, or depression -- the true life-changing experience.
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Ben Windle suggests one thing for people inoculated from God’s power -- Passion. He believes the missing ingredient involved in truly ‘crossing over’ is passion.
Ben Windle suggests one thing for people inoculated from God’s power -- Passion. He believes the missing ingredient involved in truly ‘crossing over’ is passion.
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Interesting thought: What if someone raised in Christianity were to cross over to experience more of God’s transforming love, power, and grace? They’d suddenly be last -- and therefore first! It also augers forward another truth. Who of us who might’ve ordinarily come to Christ later in life find ourselves strangely inoculated by now? It happens. It’s all about passion. Passion ebbs away with the years.
Interesting thought: What if someone raised in Christianity were to cross over to experience more of God’s transforming love, power, and grace? They’d suddenly be last -- and therefore first! It also augers forward another truth. Who of us who might’ve ordinarily come to Christ later in life find ourselves strangely inoculated by now? It happens. It’s all about passion. Passion ebbs away with the years.
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Are you still passionate about pleasing God to the detriment of your own dreams, goals, hopes, plans, and desires? Or are you too struggling with your grip on passion?
Are you still passionate about pleasing God to the detriment of your own dreams, goals, hopes, plans, and desires? Or are you too struggling with your grip on passion?
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Copyright © 2008, Steven J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Copyright © 2008, Steven J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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