Tuesday, August 04, 2009

The Church's Worst Enemy

Iain Murray paraphrasing Lloyd-Jones in his biography of Lloyd-Jones (vol. 1):

"The church's worst enemy is the man of little faith within its membership, not the faithless man of the world." (p. 185).

1 comment:

Redimere said...

Lukewarm love is the son a self-satisfied heart. It is the consideration that only a half-portion of grace is sufficient to make up for that which is lacking in the heart of its recipient. This one sees himself indeed as a sinner in need of grace, but not so great a sinner as to wholly depend upon it alone. "For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." This is the result of taking God's word at half measure and demonstrates itself in everything the so called Christian sets his hand to. This lukewarm appreciation of God's grace in Christ is the trading of gold for rags and true riches for self delusion. The sacrifice that falls short of the very best, the costly, and the difficult isn't worth offering at all and is the greatest affront possible to God. In effect the passage declares the need to either love him or leave him. This is a warning to wake up and get to the work. Failing to do so will ultimately incur the grater wrath of God.