Relative but not relevant

I read a great article on why millennials were leaving the mainstream church in America in droves. The bottom line was that in their attempt to appeal to the

relativism of our culture, the church became irrelevant. I just find that contrast so interesting - that by trying to be anything that someone wants you to be you become nothing to them.


In an unrelated, but related, post on Linkedin I took exception to the following by a well respected and successful Bible teacher in a US major city. It went like this

"We should be motivated by the fact that right now we are in the process of becoming what we will be in eternity. We should give it everything we have, because eternal gain will be worth anything we sacrificed in our brief earthly sojourn."

First you are probably saying, what's wrong with that Prof? How can you take exception to that post? Then you are thinking how does this relate to the first point that you made and I liked. So you are thinking by now that I am batting .500. One good point and one kinda squirrelly point.

Why did I take exception to this post and how is related to the onslaught of relativism? The post gave an absolute truth about the Christian life when it said "we should be motivated by what we will be in eternity." Then it made a point that is not an absolute truth of the Gospel. "because eternal gain will be worth anything we sacrificed ..."

In this post the rationale for our motivation was stated in terms of exchange, reward systems, reciprocity. This is carnal minded. Its just another exchange we can make with God. "Eternal gain" is relative to our sacrifice. The absolute truth of the Gospel is that He made the sacrifice, not us. Faith is our motivation to give our all, not exchange.

Here's my point. The flesh, carnal mind, human nature (whatever name we give it) constrains our motivation to one of exchange, not thankful response to unmerited favor. Exchange is relative. We find we need to give whatever we think will get us our reward and keep us from punishment. The Gospel becomes relative, and not relevant. The younger generations in other parts of the world are ahead of us (Australia, Europe). The US is now seeing the mass exodus. It is not because the Gospel is not relevant, because it is. It is because the stealth influence of human nature is presenting the Gospel as another exchange program. The emerging generation is deciding they can find other relative exchange alternatives. The problem is that in the flood of "theological speak" that does not abolish all remnants of the flesh, they are missing the absolute truth of the Gospel of Grace, which is highly relevant to the abundant and virtuous life, both now and forever.

Relative truth excites a few, absolute truth excites everyone!

I do not go here on this topic to judge (condemn) those sincere Christians who diligently walk their faith each day and share their love with others, but to judge (discern) that we all have this stealth influence of our flesh (exchange) that makes our message relative (not absolute) and thereby irrelevant.